Principal Biodiversity Officer (Wetlands)

Principal Biodiversity Officer (Wetlands)

Salary: £30,000
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 someone with a passion for rivers and nature, who is self-motivated, has a
strong interest in ecology and has the drive and ability to develop and deliver river
restoration and wetland creation projects within the Warwickshire Avon catchment.

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 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, with associated benefits for people and the environment.

The role of Principal Biodiversity Officer (Wetlands) requires someone with significant wetland
expertise, who enjoys working autonomously and can project manage a range of wetland
restoration projects including externally funded projects. In this role you will have
responsibility for delivering river and wetland restoration projects within the Warwickshire
Avon catchment and play an active role in catchment partnership meetings.

You will have excellent people skills to effectively line manage and empower a team of staff,
as well as work with volunteers and supervise contractors.

You will liaise closely with the head of the biodiversity department, deputise when required,
and will put your excellent organisational skills to good use, leading on the planning and
delivery of practical conservation management tasks in all habitats.

You will be a passionate ambassador for the charity, so enthusiasm and good communication
skills are a must.

We would love to hear from an experienced conservation professional with a river restoration
and wetland background looking for their next challenge, who is enthusiastic about making a
positive contribution to landscape-scale conservation.

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