Nature Recovery & Conservation Officer

Stepping Stones is a 50-year vision that takes an innovative, landscape-scale approach to Nature Recovery with a range of partners and stakeholders. The project area covers 200km² including two sites of conservation importance: the Long Mynd SSSI and the Stiperstones NNR. The aim is ecological connectivity around and between these two sites, using the principles of ‘more, bigger, better and joined’ and working in partnership to create, restore and link land for nature.

It’s an exciting time to join the project, in a varied role that will allow you to use your conservation knowledge to engage with partners and community groups, to represent and promote the project to help us achieve our aims.

You'll be based at the busy National Trust office in Carding Mill Valley in the market town of Church Stretton. The site receives over 250,000 visitor per year and is an important site for education, welcoming 45,000 children and young people annually.

This is a full-time role. Some evening and weekend working will be required, for which time in lieu can be taken. This role is based on site, although occasional WFH days may be possible by arrangement.

Reporting into the Project Manager, you’ll also work with external stakeholders including Natural England, the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Partnership, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, and many local community groups. Importantly in this agricultural landscape we have the support of the Upper Onny Farmers Group, local farmers we work closely with.

We mean it when we say it’s a varied role. One typical day might include leading a group of volunteers with hedge planting, writing a bid for a grant, attending a local community group meeting to help with capacity building, or hosting walk and talk events. A blend of being out on site getting involved with habitat management (e.g. meadow restoration or wet woodland creation) and species monitoring, and providing back office administrative support means you’ll be comfortable turning your hand to a variety of tasks every day.

The Stepping Stones project mainly takes place away from National Trust land, so you’ll need to engage with our partners and community groups, you’ll also work with contractors to ensure we have the resources needed to bring our plans to life.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re:

• experienced with working in the nature conservation sector.
• committed to nature conservation and landscape recovery
• experienced with managing, motivating and supervising volunteers in an outdoor/countryside setting.
• an effective communicator, able to build good working relationships  
• good at listening, building trust and giving a high-quality service to colleagues  
• someone with an eye for detail, good organisational skills and able to work at pace and keep to time  
• a champion of inclusion, who helps support everyone to feel welcome. 
• due to the nature of the work and the local area you will need to hold a current driving license.