Biodiversity Officers x2

2 x Biodiversity Officers with the Heart of England Forest

Salary: £27,460 p/a
Location: Our offices are based in Dorsington and
you will be working on a variety of exciting sites in the Forest which spans across
Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Are you looking for an opportunity to make a transformational change for biodiversity
working on a significant landscape scale?

We are looking for two enthusiastic individuals, who are experienced
ecologists, self-motivated and with the drive and ability to deliver habitat enhancement
projects within the Heart of England Forest.

The Heart of England Forest is an exciting and ambitious charity working hard to create a huge
new woodland in the heart of the country that will benefit people and wildlife for generations
to come.

We take our mission very seriously; it has never been more important to invest in our natural
environment. Planting trees and creating new woodlands is no longer just a positive ambition
for the country, it’s absolutely essential. It is the simplest solution to help mitigate
climate change and create new green spaces that can help reconnect people and communities with
nature and the natural environment.

Our goal is to reach 30,000 acres of semi contiguous forest by planting 13 million native
broadleaf trees. To date we have planted more than 2.1 million trees. The significance and
scale of our work cannot be underestimated: The Heart of England Forest – already the largest
new native forest in the country – will become one of the largest forests in the UK.

Optimising Biodiversity is already a core activity in the Forest. The Forest is a mosaic of
habitats, including ancient woodland, new native broadleaf plantations, grassland, wetland,
heathland, and farmland. The Forest is a home to many rare and threatened species, such as
brown hairstreak and purple emperor butterflies, as well as Red List bird species such as
skylark and woodcock. We aspire to create and enhance biodiverse habitats, providing a nature
recovery network, to ensure species survival and resilience in the face of our changing
climate.

If you share our ambition, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join us. The charity is a
rewarding place to work and offers its staff a number of benefits.

Please visit our website to download a job description / person specification and an
application form. Please note that CVs will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application
form.

About the role

With our changing climate it is now more important than ever to provide nature recovery
networks for wildlife on a landscape-scale. The Heart of England Forest is well placed to
provide such a haven for wildlife, for the benefit of people and the environment.

We are looking for 2 Biodiversity Officers, both experienced ecologists, with either
significant botanical ID experience or general all-round knowledge and experience of nature
conservation management in the UK.

The Biodiversity Officer roles will be perfect for someone with experience of planning and
implementing habitat conservation projects, as you will have responsibility for delivering
biodiversity enhancement projects within the mosaic of habitats which form the Heart of England
Forest.

We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals, who are keen to learn and have a
“can do” attitude, able to work with minimal supervision and be effective in managing their
time. Good people skills are essential, as working with volunteers and supervising contractors
forms part of the role.

You will work closely with members of the biodiversity team and be a passionate ambassador for
the charity, so good communication skills are a must.

We would love to hear from nature conservation professionals who are committed to conservation
and enthusiastic about making a positive contribution to landscape-scale conservation. If this
sounds like you, and you are a self-motivated person able to work both autonomously and as part
of a small team, then please apply.

The Heart of England Forest is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
and vulnerable adults. Applicants must be willing to undergo protection screening appropriate
to the post, including checks with past employers and an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Heart of England Forest is committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion amongst
our current and future workforce. We are a Disability Confident Employer and part of The Race
Report, driving diversity in the environment sector. We want our workforce to be truly
representative of all sections of society and welcome applications from all qualified
candidates.

What do we offer?

• The chance to join an ambitious charity and play a part in creating and conserving a huge
  Forest for the benefit of people, wildlife and the environment. There has never been a more
  important and exciting time to work in conservation. Climate change has never been higher
  within the public consciousness and political landscape, with tree planting at the forefront of
  carbon sequestration.
• Competitive salary with a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer
• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Contributory company pension with 4.5% employer contribution
• Health Cash Plan – get cash back on opticians, dentists and more!
• Group Income Protection Scheme – to support you if you get sick
• Employee Assistance Programme – financial, physical and mental wellbeing support
• Access to exclusive discounts from thousands of retailers
• Life Assurance at four times your basic salary

Closing date: Monday 4th February 2024

Interview date: Wednesday 28th or Thursday
29th February 2024