National Trust for Scotland

Senior Nature Conservation Officer - Farmland

Hours: 40

Location: Flexible in Scotland (Central Services), also with flexibility to include some working-at-home under our Hybrid Working arrangements

Salary range: £37,253 - £41,043 pro-rata, per annum

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Leadership & policy

• Develop and maintain NTS policies and approaches in relation to the specified nature conservation topic, either woodland, farmland, upland or marine (hereafter “the topic”).
• Maintain expert knowledge of external policy and practice in relation to the topic and oversight of its conservation at the Trust, leading knowledge sharing of the topic, for example via networks, working groups, and individual advice.
• Technically guide, support, facilitate and where necessary coordinate nature conservation operations in relation to the topic across the Trust through national programming, linking up as necessary to central support functions.
• Review and develop policy in relation to the topic at the Trust, working alongside Trust policy officers plus other internal and external stakeholders, including the relevant Scottish Environment Link working group.
• Champion the Trust’s policy positions in relation to the topic through the development and delivery of advocacy messages, including through formal consultation responses and communications – where necessary acting as a Trust spokesperson.

   
Conservation operations, standards and reporting

• Provide tactical advice to national estates and operational teams on the management and conservation of nature at NTS in relation to the topic, typically at and below Operational Manager level.
• Provide technical input, for example prescriptions for nature conservation management.
• Champion best practice and innovation in nature conservation across NTS operations, encouraging energy and focus across the Trust’s conservation work.
• Represent the Trust within partnerships, forming new partnerships where required.
• Work with the fundraising team to identify and secure funding, including agri-environment grants, natural capital investment and charitable income e.g., grants.
• Lead or contribute to nature conservation projects, e.g., technical support to steering groups, identifying suitable activities and developing budgets.
• Responsible for developing land management standards for specific conservation topics, including the Biodiversity Indicator.
• Audit biodiversity indicator performance contributing to reporting against the Trust’s corporate strategy.
• Design and coordinate targeted monitoring programmes as necessary to inform the biodiversity indicator.
• Procure, brief and manage contractors as required, typically for topic specific technical work.
• Be the first point of contact for general conservation land management advice on ecology, landscape and geology, for a selected number of properties and occasionally develop or support activities in areas outside your topic, working flexibly with other Senior Nature Conservation Officers as required.

Preferred method of application: Application form - found here 

Closing date: 14th April

Closing Date: 14/04/2023  Location: Flexible in Scotland (Central Services), also with flexibility to include some working-at-home under our Hybrid Working arrangements