Assistant Warden

Reference: MAR20251656
Location: Ouse Valley - Fen Drayton Lakes & Ouse Fen Reserves, CB24+ PE28
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £27,123.00 - £28,956.00 Per Annum

An exciting opportunity to work on two incredible wetland reserves! We are looking for a self-motivated and enthusiastic candidate to carry out conservation management across a variety of habitats. The job is varied with practical habitat management, estate work, species surveying, habitat monitoring, supervising contractors, engaging with graziers and stakeholders, maintenance tasks, and managing some amazing volunteers.

Ouse Fen and Fen Drayton Lakes cover approximately 700 ha comprising of reedbed, lakes, wet grassland, fen and woodlands. Ouse Fen is an expanding reserve through its partnership with an aggregate extraction company and is providing important habitat for Bitterns, Cranes, Bearded Tits and Marsh Harriers. By the end of the partnership, Ouse Fen will be the largest inland reedbed in the UK. Fen Drayton lakes comprises ten lakes and provides important habitat for many species including dragonflies, terns, warblers, waders and Turtle Dove.

Key areas of work:

• Habitat management on reedbed, wet grassland and woodlands as defined by the reserves management plan
• Maintenance of tools and machinery
• Monitoring of critical species and habitats
• Planning and leading volunteer work parties
• Assist with management and welfare of the reserve livestock
• Assist with ensuring legal compliance of conservation & land management operations
• Assist with the supervision of contractors

Essential:

• Knowledge and experience of practical habitat and estate management
• Proven track record of completing work alone and working within a varied team
• Comfortable managing volunteers from a range of backgrounds
• Reasonable birdwatching knowledge and experience of biological surveys
• A full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK

Desirable:

• Lantra or equivalent qualification in using equipment such as chainsaws, brushcutters, PA1/6W pesticides
• Off-road driving and powerboat usage
• Knowledge of servicing and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment to agreed standards
• Experience of volunteer recruitment and line management
• Implementing / updating health and safety records and assessments
• First aid in the workplace
• Livestock husbandry
• Good communication skills to engage with visitors and other stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience in following and delivering a management plan

This role will involve/require:

• Lone working
• Remote locations
• Occasional weekend, early morning and evening working

Closing: 23:59, Tuesday, 22nd April

To complete your application online, please CLICK HERE.