Assistant Reserves Officer (Itchen Valley)

Assistant Reserves Officer (Itchen Valley)

Salary: £24,000 gross per annum

Location Twyford, Hampshire

Full Time, 35 Hours per Week

Fixed-Term Contract for 12 Months

Closing date: 12 March 2025

Interviews: 20 March 2025

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is a grassroots movement working for nature’s recovery and to bring people closer to nature.

‘Our vision for a wilder future is beautiful and vital!’

Our future has to be wilder!

We are seeking an Assistant Reserves Officer (Itchen Valley) to join our cause.

As part of the Central Hampshire team, the post is crucial to the successful delivery of the Trust’s reserves work and Wilder strategy across the Itchen Valley & South Downs. Working within a small team, the post holder is responsible for delivering practical management on Trust nature reserves in the River Itchen floodplain and across the South Downs chalk landscape. The post holder will also assist the Grazing team with some aspects of livestock management as required on reserves.

Work will be distributed across a suite of nature reserves, including some of the finest floodplain and chalk stream locations in Hampshire. These include Winnall Moors & the famous Abbotts Barton fishery, Abbotts Worthy Fishery, Hockley & Barton Meadows. This is a challenging role that requires a high degree of practical competency, initiative and enthusiasm. The post holder will assist the teams Reserve Officers and core staff with day-to-day habitat/estate/fishery management work and livestock husbandry.

The post holder will be responsible for the management of volunteers and coordination of a varied practical volunteering work programme.

The post is physically demanding and requires flexible working and occasional on-call duties (circa one weekend in five). Experience in habitat/countryside management (including vegetation clearance) & power tools are essential. Knowledge of flyfishing and riparian management for fisheries is highly desirable. Experience working with livestock for conservation grazing is desirable. A full driving licence is required.

A practical, pragmatic and self-motivated approach to core duties is essential. While daily working locations will vary based on requirements, the key location of work most days will be Winchester and the surrounding area.

Wild About Inclusion!

As an inclusive employer we recognise that our workforce needs to better reflect the communities in which we live and work. We encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly those underrepresented within our sector, including people from black, Asian, minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a Movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities.

We offer a wide range of benefits including a competitive salary, generous annual leave allowance, a contributory pension scheme, life assurance, learning and development support, 24-hour access to our employee assistance programme and more.

To apply for the role, please click on the 'Apply Now' button at the top of the page. In the ‘supporting information’ section, you’ll need to demonstrate, with detailed examples, how you meet the job requirements using the Job Description and Recruitment Pack below.

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 us to discuss this further and understand other options