Conservation Research Manager

Job Description

Job Title: Conservation Research Manager

Contract: Permanent, minimum of three days a week up to five

Salary:
£38,000 – £45,000
pa pro rata
Responsible to: Chief Executive

Annual Leave: 23 days pa (pro rata) + 3 taken between
Christmas & New Year

Location: London (hybrid office and home-based work)
Includes some UK and occasional international travel

Closing date: Sunday 21 January 2024 5.00 pm

Interview: First two weeks of February 2024

Start date: Likely from 1 April 2024

To apply for the role please email your CV together with a supporting statement (of no
more than 1000 words) to [email protected] by the closing
date above. Please include a telephone number, and any dates when you are not available or
might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.

About People’s Trust for Endangered Species

The alarming rate of loss of species and habitats can be stopped. For over 45 years we’ve
improved the outlook of endangered species in
Britain and throughout the world.

Grounded in science, our approach is to invest in research and test the best ways to protect
endangered species in their natural habitats. Then we put what works into action, creating
vibrant wildlife havens.

Through our programme of research grants we support conservation work throughout the world.
Recent projects funded range from protecting areas for snow leopards in Mongolia to restoring
slow loris habitat in Indonesia. We also carry out our own work, which focuses particularly on
British mammals. Current priority species are hedgehogs, dormice, water voles and invertebrates
and our priority habitats are orchards, woodlands, hedgerows, wood pasture and parkland.

The team is relatively small, meaning the successful individual will have a high degree of
accountability, able to take responsibility, and to apply a practical, focused mindset. The
work will range from bigger picture, strategic thinking through to practical project management
such as grant administration, budgeting and progress evaluation, requiring good attention to
detail. The individual will help review the grant-making strategy periodically and will foster
relationships with other funders, grantees and experts leading to long-term impact.

We have 22 staff, five trustees and thousands of volunteers helping us.

Job purpose: To manage and administer the PTES’ research grants programme and
help support PTES’ priority species and habitat work.

Job description

Management of the PTES research grants programme

• Manage PTES’ grant schemes (Conservation Partnerships, Conservation Insight Grants, UK
  species conservation internships, UK mammal research and ad hoc commissioned research).
• Collate and comment on applications with the Chief Executive prior to circulation to the
  trustees.
• Communicate appropriately with all applicants including before, during and after
  application, and ongoing liaison with successful applicants.
• Maintain an accurate grants database that records the grant award process, timing and
  submissions and reports, and financial management.
• Carry out due-diligence where necessary with new grantees, following up with referees and
  IUCN SSC specialists.
• Authorise payments in a timely manner, to an agreed payment schedule, keeping accurate
  records of forward commitments.
• Ensure that grant holders complete the appropriate initial admin, communicate effectively
  throughout their project and submit high quality, timely reports, with feedback where
  necessary.
• Encourage and assist publication of research in appropriate journals.
• Advise on the efficiency of the grants schemes, where appropriate instituting reviews in
  liaison with the Chief Executive and the trustees.
• Maintaining safeguards against fraudulent applications, reporting etc by project leaders or
  anyone associated with projects supported.
• Engage and work collaboratively with other funders to maintain safeguards.
• Engage and work collaboratively with other funders to identify opportunities to support
  project leaders collectively and target funds more efficiently.
• Manage a Conservation Standards training programme for project leaders and other team
  members to support sound delivery of their project objectives.
• Work with the Conservation Evidence team in Cambridge to support delivery of evidence-based
  conservation.
• Work with Conservation Connect team to maintain and deliver a platform that support project
  leaders profile their achievements and seek other opportunities.
• Devise appropriate procedures to manage commissioned research along similar lines to other
  programmes, including discussing research needs with colleagues working on PTES priority
  species and habitats, recommending work to be commissioned to trustees, drafting research
  specifications, eliciting, processing and awarding bids from applicants, monitoring progress,
  and disseminating findings to colleagues and externally as appropriate.

Research support

• Assist the audit process annually and liaise with staff dealing with finances.
• Communicate practical conservation outcomes of research projects to appropriate quarters,
  drafting occasional publications, leaflets or online materials, and disseminating, and drafting
  copy for the PTES website on active and recent projects.
• Alert the PR consultant to significant results or news from PTES-related research projects
  and act as a spokesperson when appropriate.
• Maintain contact with past and present project leaders and interns through regular
  communication, creating an alumnae of PTES-related conservation researchers.
• Liaise with the editor and other staff involved in the production of PTES’ magazine, in
  particular contributing content ideas and writing occasional articles usually arising from the
  grant projects.
• Represent PTES at discussions with third parties to disseminate conservation research
  findings, and to identify priority areas for future funding, for example with other funding
  bodies, NGOs, government conservation agencies.
• Contribute to events at which PTES research is discussed such as conferences.
• Attend meetings of the trustees where grant applications are being considered, subject to
  the approval of the Chair.

Priority species work

• Where necessary assist the Chief Executive in policy work that supports PTES’ priority
  species and habitats work, particularly in concert with WCL.
• Where necessary assist the Chief Executive in identifying and contributing to development
  areas that support priority species work (including the development of national conservation
  strategies, reintroduction work and monitoring programmes).
• Support the MP Species Champions programme when needed.

Other tasks

• Attend occasional external promotional events.
• Help with other tasks as advised by the Chief Executive.

Person specification – knowledge, experience and key skills

• University degree or equivalent in conservation-related field, ideally at Masters or PhD
  level
• Experience of using and managing online and Access databases
• Interest in and passion for ecology and the conservation of British wildlife
• Sound understanding of the IUCN, its commissions, particularly the Species Survival
  Commission, and how the Red List and associated Green Status processes function
• Good knowledge of UK wildlife legislation and nature policy including some understanding of
  different approaches to land management such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies, Biodiversity
  Net Gain and environmental land management schemes
• Familiarity with global and national biodiversity targets
• Good record of building trust-based relationships, with strong interpersonal skills, able
  to influence others and work collaboratively
• Excellent organisational skills with ability to work on own initiative, multitask and
  manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to manage tasks ranging from bigger picture, strategic thinking through to
  practical project management such as grant administration, budgeting and progress evaluation
• Ability to work with consistent accuracy and attention to detail with excellent numeracy
  and analysis skills
• Strong written and face-to-face interpersonal skills and ability to communicate confidently
• Experience of productive interaction with the media