Head of Land Use Planning

Location: Flexible with home working 
Salary: up to £48,000 
Benefits: Private medical insurance, staff Electric vehicle scheme, generous pension
and annual leave entitlement 
Full time – 35 Hours per week 
Permanent contract 

Are you looking for an exciting new opportunity and the chance to work at one of the UK’s
best-loved nature charities? We are looking for someone with the drive, and experience of
high-level advocacy and facilitation skills to lead generating and implementing appropriate
policies that will drive change. This is an exciting opportunity for an innovative, capable,
and passionate leader who understands both nature and people. You will need to be able to
inspire politicians, funders, the media, developers and communities. 

As Head of Land Use Planning, you will lead the delivery of the movements’ ambitious response
to the current climate and nature crisis. 

Who we are 

The Wildlife Trusts are a federated movement of 46 charities, supported by a central charity,
the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. Together we have 900,000 members, 32,500 volunteers and
3,400 staff across the UK. We are at an exciting moment in our 110-year history, with the
development of an ambitious new strategy, setting out a vision for nature in recovery, with
abundant, diverse wildlife and natural processes, creating wilder landscapes where people and
nature thrive. 

Wildlife Trusts have restored and care for some of the most special places for wildlife in the
UK. Collectively we manage more than 2,300 nature reserves, operate 123 visitor and
education centres and own 29 working farms. We undertake research, we stand up for wildlife and
wild places under threat, and we help people access nature.

The next few years will be critical in determining what kind of world we all live in. We need
to urgently reverse the loss of wildlife and put nature into recovery at scale if we are to
prevent climate and ecological disaster. We recognise that this will require big, bold changes
in the way The Wildlife Trusts work, not least in how we mobilise others and support them to
organise within their own communities. 

What we are trying to achieve 

The twin crises of nature and climate emergencies have forced the Wildlife Trusts to rethink
their role. Collectively, we have set out the new and ambitious Strategy 2030. Goal 1 of that
strategy is to get nature into recovery with the Wildlife Trusts providing the leadership
required to achieve 30 by 30: 30% of seas and land in nature’s recovery by 2030. 

Nature’s recovery rests on five critical interventions: (1) the development of a nature
recovery network; (2) creating landscape recovery areas at a scale where natural processes can
operate to drive up species abundance; (3) regenerative agriculture; (4) green infrastructure
threading through our towns, cities and countryside and, (5) at sea, an effective network of
highly protected marine areas. 

About you 

You will need to enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, be organised and resourceful, have
great attention to written detail as well as confidence in public speaking. We need these
skills to come through in your clear passion for our cause. You will be part of a tight and
dedicated central policy team. You will need to have excellent collaboration and facilitation
skills and always strive to ensure that everyone can come together effectively across the
movement of The Wildlife Trusts to achieve our new and exciting vision. 

We are interested in someone who is able to demonstrate experience of working with political
adversaries and has no fear of engaging in robust discussions on the future of environmental
law and a reverse in the destruction of our biodiversity.

We need someone who has knowledge of the Planning system in England and some experience of
judicial review process. 

We are particularly interested in someone who has experience of working with the House of
Lords, backbenchers, and the shadow front bench. 

The Wildlife Trusts value passion, respect, trust, integrity, pragmatic activism and strength
in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgmental and are
inclusive. We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within
our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are
committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and
identities. 

RSWT take our safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. Please click here to read our
commitment statement. 

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children and adults at risk. For applicable roles, applicants must be willing to undergo checks
with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the eligible level. 

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a
disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you
require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible. 

Please do not use artificial intelligence tools to assist you to complete the application form.
We may not accept applications that have been completed utilising AI tools. If you would
usually use tools such as these to assist you in filling in a form, please contact [email protected] to discuss this further and
understand other options. 

Closing Date for Applications: 18 February 

First Interview: 27/28 February 

Second Interview: 4 March