Reserves Operations Manager

Full-time (35 hours a week)
2 year fixed-term contract with potential for extension

About us

For 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of its vision of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas. The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities. It also manages a network of over 100 wildlife reserves across Scotland and is a member of the UK-wide Wildlife Trusts movement.

The Role

We are looking for a passionate and driven person to lead and deliver the day to day operations across our North West Reserves Region. Delivering the conservation and restoration objectives of the reserves, through practical work, growing and managing locally based volunteers, supporting management planning and monitoring. This role will also manage building maintenance, infrastructure and access on our North West Reserves. The role will work closely with the regional reserves team supported by the Reserves Manager. This is a chance to make a difference to the protection and restoration of nature at a time when it has never been more important.

The candidate:

• The successful candidate will have a Higher Education qualification in environmental land management (Wildlife conservation/agriculture) and at least two years’ experience of wildlife reserve management and demonstrable track record in the environmental land management sector.

Main Objectives

• Champion the Vision and/or objectives for all reserves and projects in the region with existing and potential stakeholders and contributors.
• Oversee and provide delivery of day-to-day operations on our reserves, where relevant and appropriate this will include maintenance of buildings, grounds, offices, workshops and wider infrastructure.
• Facilitate external and internal meetings and knowledge exchange events.
• Support, with line management, the roles detailed in the region-specific addendum.
• Work closely with the Reserves Manager (post’s line-manager) who will continue to develop and support delivery of teamwork plans, to ensure consistency of approach and maximise capacity across reserves where appropriate.

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Good understanding of land management for wildlife conservation.
• Two years' experience of wildlife reserve management operations and demonstrable track record in the environmental land management sector.
• Experience of procurement and contract management.
• Experience of managing a team of staff, with line management responsibility, to promote a positive culture.

Please refer to the Job description on our website for more information.

What we offer:

• Salary sacrifice schemes including Cycle to Work & Pension schemes.
• We have always been hugely flexible in our approach to how you wish to work and continue to offer a flexible approach.
• One Wellness Hour per week
• Enhanced Pension rate upon completion of probation
• Sick Pay Allowance
• Enhanced Maternity/ Paternity Leave
• Training and Development

The Scottish Wildlife Trust is a proud equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all candidates irrespective of their background. We are committed to helping to make the world of nature conservation as inclusive as possible, as we believe there should be no barriers to being involved, and that champions and role models from every part of society will be vital in helping to reverse the loss of biodiversity.

Closing date: 5pm, Monday 14th July 2025
Interview date anticipated 22nd July 2025