Senior Conservation Officer

Are you passionate about providing a future for Wales’s wildlife? Do you have a clear understanding of the challenges facing our coastal, upland, woodland and wetland wildlife? Are you a team player who wants to have wider impact? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity for you to conserve species and habitats across South Wales Area by joining the RSPB Cymru South Wales Area team as our Senior Conservation Officer.

About the Role

In your role you will be responsible for developing, delivering and overseeing RSPB’s wider countryside conservation work and managing associated staff to ensure conservation of the many species and habitats of international importance and so ensure delivery of relevant outcomes of RSPB’s Saving Nature Strategy across Wales. The role will lead, manage and develop the conservation and project teams in the area, helping to deliver a work programme focused on some of Wales’s rarest and most iconic species and habitats.

There is a strong culture of partnership and co-production working, with the innovative Tir Canol programme on the Dyfi/Rheidol, the peatland partnership and woodland groups in the Elenydd-Mallaen.

You will build and maintain positive relationships with key external partners, stakeholders and communities to help further RSPB’s policies and priorities. An excellent communicator, you will advocate the RSPB’s position on a variety of issues such as woodland, forestry, peatland restoration, and coastal adaptation.

You'll be a key member of the Area Leadership team and Conservation Team network in Wales.

Make no mistake, this is a role with immense professional opportunity and will make a difference for people and nature.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

• Degree level qualification in a relevant subject or ability to show equivalent work experience.
• Sufficient knowledge and understanding of the species and habitats of South Wales, to advise staff on appropriate responses and interventions.
• Confident advocating a position to landowners and managers, local politicians, members and volunteers who have different views.
• Ability to rapidly analyse significant quantities of information, prioritise and balance a diverse workload often to tight deadlines.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats.
• Experience of managing staff or volunteers and setting clear work priorities.
• Experience of developing productive partnerships.
• Experience of negotiating with and influencing the public or private sector, to deliver biodiversity benefits, through both regulatory and voluntary means

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Ability to converse in Welsh

This is a Permanent, Full-Time role for 37.5hours per week and is home-based.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 14th August 2025. For further information please contact [email protected] 

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.