Field Officer – Beach Nesting Birds

The beaches of east Norfolk and north Suffolk continue to support a large proportion of the
UK’s beach-nesting birds with up to 30% of the UK’s nesting little terns and ringed plovers
protected by the project in recent seasons. We have an exciting opportunity for Seasonal Field
Officers to join our beach-nesting bird team. The east Norfolk colonies have become some of the
largest and highest priority in the UK yet face significant challenges from a range of
disturbance pressures. We are seeking passionate, dedicated and inspiring individuals, with
great communication skills, to join the team for the 2024 season. If you are interested in
making a significant contribution to the conservation of beach-nesting birds, then this is the
opportunity for you!

The Field Officers will be part of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire Conservation Team working
closely with our Broads reserves and Suffolk Area teams. The work is based on the beaches at
Eccles-on-Sea, Winterton-on-Sea and Kessingland with office work at Strumpshaw Fen, Norwich or
at home required. Given the remote locations and limited public transport, the ability to drive
is essential for this role. This project has been running since 1986 and has huge potential to
develop further significant opportunities to work with people of all ages and abilities. From
active colony management and community engagement to remote activities such as coordinating
volunteers, developing our monitoring apps and writing communication material, there is a huge
potential to diversify how people engage with the project and ensuring that it is as inclusive
as possible. 

The Field Officers will be managed by our Beach-nesting Bird Team Leader. They will work with
the Senior Beach Warden to provide appropriate and effective management and monitoring at the
colonies. The roles will be focussed on covering both night shifts and day shifts as required
but will also support wider project work depending on the successful individuals skills and
abilities. The role will involve:

• Colony management – ensuring all colony infrastructure is in place and functioning. Field
  Officers will be expected to cover all critical night and day shifts to enable effective
  24-hour wardening presence on all colonies ensuring high standards of health and safety and
  welfare are maintained in challenging conditions. 
• Kestrel diversionary feeding – support the work of the volunteer team locating kestrel nest
  sites and undertaking diversionary feeding techniques to limit predation on colonies.
• Communications – help promote the project to highlight successes and encourage appropriate
  behaviours around the colonies.
• Relationships – it is essential that the roles build positive relationships with staff,
  volunteers and other beach users to generate support for the project and be able to effectively
  manage disturbance around the colonies.
• End of season reporting – support development of the end of season report.

The project is an important piece of work within The Broads and the Suffolk Coast Priority
Landscapes. Priority Landscapes are the RSPB’s approach to delivering conservation at scale,
the delivery of this work is a local and national priority for the RSPB.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience: 

• Higher level qualification in a relevant subject or ability to show equivalent work
  experience e.g. volunteer work on species recovery projects.
• Knowledge of bird and wildlife ecology, habitat requirements and identification notably,
  seabirds.
• Demonstrable ability to effectively organise and prioritise workload.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills to develop
  and maintain good relationships with colleagues, volunteers, partners and members of the
  public.
• Ability to use own initiative to solve day-to-day problems in the field.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or
  habitats.
• Skilled use of Microsoft office and ability to organise and manage large data sets.
• A full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK and use of own vehicle with
  suitable business use insurance.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Specialist conservation knowledge of habitats, species and environmental processes relevant
  to the east Norfolk and north Suffolk coast.
• Experience of managing volunteers and setting clear work priorities.

This is a 4.5-month fixed-term role for 37.5 hours per week running from April to end of August
2024. The role will require weekend working and covering night shifts as needed to ensure safe
operating of the colony. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent
without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position week commencing 4 March 2024. 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.

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.

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

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have
a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.