Title: Wildlife Estates Scotland Project Manager
Based: Home – with travel throughout Scotland and to SLE offices in Musselburgh
Commitment: Full-time (34.5 hours per week) – reduced hours may be considered where agreed
Salary and Benefits:
Salary: £31,740 to £38,220 FTE (reviewed annually)
Holidays: 32 days per annum (increases to 33 days after 5 years’ service) with additional paid leave for office closure during Christmas/New Year
Pension: Auto enrolment
Training: Minimum allowance of £300 per annum (4 days) per employee
Employee Assistance Programme
Travel & Subsistence Allowance: per our policy.
To apply, please send a CV and covering letter to Joyce Karch (joyce.karch@scottishlandandestates.co.uk) by 12 noon on Wednesday 16 October.
About The Role:
Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) is a widely respected accreditation scheme which aims to recognise positive biodiversity outcomes through land management, irrespective of land use objectives. The accreditation is delivered through Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) and the WES Project Manager will be the focal point of the scheme and accountable for its day-to-day operations. The job description and person specification is set out overleaf.
WES is the Scottish arm of European Landowners’ Organsation ‘Wildlife Estates’ initiative, which operates across 19 countries with some 2 million hectares of accredited land at level 2. Across Europe, WES is widely considered to be a role model with regards to the institutional support it enjoys – both from the Scottish Government and its agencies; as well Scotland’s landowning community and environmental NGOs.
Reporting to SLE’s Director of Moorland, the WES Project Manager will be a proactive self-starter who is passionate and knowledgeable about delivering positive biodiversity outcomes through
land management. The ideal candidate will be action-solution orientated with an ability to work collaboratively with members and SLE colleagues in pursuit of pipeline growth. The WES Project Manager must be driven and have the breadth of perspective to collaboratively manage all project outputs in conjunction with the SLE team, including progressing accreditations, recruiting new members and leveraging external communications.
Applicants should ideally have a background in land management, biodiversity or conservation with an educational standard equivalent to an undergraduate degree. Practical experience of project management, along with outstanding written and verbal communication skills, are essential. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with ecological terminology and data, and be proficient in the use of Microsoft packages such as Excel, Word and Powerpoint.
WES Project Manager - Job Description & Person Specification
| Probationary Period | 6 months |
| Main duties and responsibilities | Drive the conversion of WES level 1 members into accredited level 2 members. Support landholdings seeking to undergo WES accreditation with the necessary preparation and consolidation of data. Provide constructive and specific feedback to landholdings undergoing accreditation. Foster strong and lasting relationships with members undergoing accreditation, providing help, support, guidance and mentorship as necessary. Proactively notify accredited estates of deadlines for renewal. Set annual targets for accreditation pipeline delivery in conjunction with the SLE team – aiming for year-on-year growth of accredited hectarage. Develop a comprehensive understanding of what constitutes ‘credit’ in the context of a WES Level 2 accreditation, including species richness, conservation projects, best-practice demonstration, community-engagement and scientific outreach. Engage with landholdings seeking level 2 accreditation to build a detailed understanding of the landholding and land management objectives and triage compatibility and suitability with the WES accreditation. Monitor liaison between the third-party assessor and landholdings undergoing accreditation, including arrangement of the assessed site visit. Compile summary reports for the European Landowners Organisation. Compile follow-up report for applicants who have undergone accreditation, including score by module and particular feedback and guidance from assessors. Monitor, review and disseminate the WES breach policy as required in conjunction with the SLE team. Make arrangements for the presentation of the WES level 2 accreditation at a relevant event on successful completion of the accreditation process, in liaison with the SLE comms team. Organise the flagship annual WES assembly and support other SLE events as required. Organise walk and talk events as well as informative webinars on topics of interest and relevance to the WES membership. Expand the level 1 membership through engagement and outreach. In conjunction with the SLE communications team, manage the external profile and brand of WES. Convene a monthly WES steering group - comprised of SLE senior management team and the WES Chair. Convene a quarterly meeting of the WES Advisory Board – comprised of the WES Chair, WES members, academics and representatives of government agencies and e-NGOs. Work with the SLE team to advocate for the inclusion of WES accredited land in 30x30 designations. Further the extent to which that WES accredited landholdings are recognised as ‘trusted operators’ by the Scottish Government and its agencies. Management of contractual support allocated to develop the WES accreditation pipeline. |
| Essential Criteria | A background in land management biodiversity or conservation. An undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience. Experience of managing multi-faceted projects. Outstanding oral and written communication skills. A working knowledge of ecological terminology and data. Proficiency in using Microsoft packages (i.e., Excel, Word, Powerpoint and forms). Experience of managing communications (both internal and external) and brand. Experience of public speaking and delivering presentations to diverse audiences. The ability to travel flexibly throughout Scotland. |
| Desirable Criteria | A pre-existing network of contacts within the landowning and estate management community. A pre-existing network of stakeholder contacts in organisations including: NatureScot, Scottish Land Commission, Credit Nature, Scottish Government, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and e-NGOs. Knowledge of 30x30 and the potential interoperability between WES with other effective area-based conservation measures. Knowledge of natural capital and green finance. Familiarity with trusted operator status in the context of land ownership and land management. An appreciation of legislative processes, government consultations and parliamentary procedure. |