Trapper Team Leader

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP) aims to protect Orkney’s unique and globally
important wildlife, and the benefits that it provides for local people from an invasive
non-native predator: the stoat. Stoats pose a serious threat to the Orkney vole, a species
found nowhere else in the world, and many birds including hen harriers, short-eared owls,
red-throated divers, waders, and seabirds. This wildlife supports Orkney’s thriving tourism
industry and represents a crucial haven for species which are threatened elsewhere in the UK.
The project is a partnership between RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council, and
is generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and EU LIFE and NatureScot,
and Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).

What the job will involve:

The post will be based on the Orkney Islands and will be a combination of field and
office-based work. We are looking for an experienced team leader with well-developed field
skills and excellent organisation and communication skills to help deliver the stoat
eradication operation for the ONWP. Your time will be split between field work and team
management.

You will help to plan and prioritise the trap teams activities, working alongside the
operations manager to deliver the trapping programme and adapt it as necessary to ensure
project priorities are being delivered. You will be responsible for ensuring your team has the
necessary equipment to do their job, is motivated, and has a well-balanced workload. You will
be expected to carry out stoat trapping and monitoring alongside your team. For this you must
be physically fit, able to walk considerable distances over challenging terrain, in all
weathers up to five days per week and potentially carry heavy loads.

Your work will include:

• Working with the Operations Manager to plan eradication work priorities and implement the
  trapping methodology as set out by the Operations Plan
• Responsibility for managing and coordinating 5-6 field staff
• Engaging with landowners to maintain and secure land access agreements across the Orkney
  Mainland and linked isles
• Checking, cleaning, rebaiting, and managing a network of over 8 000 kill traps on a regular
  cycle as part of a team
• Implementing trap and vehicle maintenance schedules
• Ensuring that all necessary trapping, monitoring, and land access data are collected and
  stored correctly
• Working with the conservation dog team

Adaptability and flexibility are key to this role as the project works under an adaptive
management framework. You will need to adapt to changing project methodologies and ensure that
these are carried out within your team. You will be a focussed individual with impeccable
attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records, be able to identify issues
and risks as they emerge and communicate these effectively to your team. You will enjoy being
outdoors and have a passion for nature and wildlife, have the confidence and ability to inspire
trust and support for the project, and an ability to motivate people. You should also have
experience of working with local communities in a collaborative and sensitive way. You will be
required to drive ONWP fleet vehicles.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

• Degree or equivalent relevant work experience e.g. a degree in conservation biology,
  environmental science or similar, or 1+ years’ experience trapping experience or similar field
  work
• Understanding of the impact of invasive non-native species and how to manage their
  populations appropriately for the benefit of native wildlife
• Knowledge of key legal and practical requirements for ensuring health and safety of staff
  and volunteers working in challenging field conditions
• Leadership, management, and site supervision of a diverse team
• Interpersonal skills with the tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills to manage staff and
  develop and maintain good relations with the owners/managers of land on which your team is
  working
• Be able to work in challenging field conditions
• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to be self-motivated, work efficiently
  within a defined work plan, and have the flexibility to adapt to changing work practices as
  required
• Proven track record in area of field work, including demonstrable practical field skills
  appropriate to the post (e.g. animal trapping, tracking, navigation, and map reading)

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• Other relevant field skills appropriate to the post (i.e. use of trail cameras, knowledge
  and identification of field signs, use of conservation detection dogs, 4×4 driving experience,
  use of DOC traps, firearms)
• IT and other relevant software e.g. Microsoft products and GIS software

This is a full-time role until 31st December 2027. We are looking to conduct interviews for
this position from 21st October 2024. For further information please contact [email protected]

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete
an application form.

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.