Reserves Officer (Solent)

Reserves Officer (Solent)

Salary: £28,000 to £29,460 gross per annum

Location: Curdridge, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 2DP

Permanent Contract

Full Time – 35 Hours per Week

Closing date: 28 April 2025

Interviews: 07 May 2025

Hampshire & 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 a Reserves Officer (Solent) to join our cause.

As part of the Solent Team, this post is crucial to the successful delivery of the Trust’s Wilder vision for the southern Hampshire sites. The post holder will share the responsibility for the management of the Solent reserves with an Assistant Reserves Officer. The reserves encompass a wide range of habitat types and species and includes two flagship reserves, Farlington Marshes and Swanwick Lakes. Candidates will need to have experience in a wide range of habitat management techniques, including wetland and grazing marsh. Key aspects of the role will be to manage the estate to a high standard in line with contractual and statutory obligations and promoting the Trust Reserves as exemplars of good management. The post holder will be responsible for the line management of the Assistant Reserves Officer and annual Trainee, for the recruitment and supervision of volunteers and will coordinate a varied programme of volunteering and public engagement activities.

This is a challenging and dynamic role that requires a high degree of practical competency, initiative, determination, administrative skills and diplomacy. The post holder will be an experienced land manager, competent in the in the use of power tools and tractors with a confident and engaging communication style. Knowledge of conservation grazing systems and livestock husbandry will be an advantage. Flexible working will be required.

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 are proudly a Disability Confident Committed employer. The scheme is helping us recruit and retain great people to meet our workforce needs. As a member of the scheme, we interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role. You can request this and adjustments including accessible formats of this vacancy by contacting us.

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, discounted staff travel with our corporate partners Wightlink (subject to T&Cs) 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 note that we may occasionally close vacancies early when we have received enough applications that meet the required criteria.

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