Job Title: / Monitoring & Evidence Co-ordinator
Department: / Conservation Delivery
Responsible to: / Head of Conservation Delivery
Responsible for: / Volunteers
Salary: / £22,119 pa plus 10% pension contribution
Hours: / 35 hours per week
Tenure: / Permanent. Based at the Wolseley Centre.
Background information (job title)
Our mission statement is:
“Staffordshire Wildlife Trust protects and enhances the wildlife and wild places of Staffordshire and promotes understanding, enjoyment and involvement in the natural world.”
A registered charity established in 1969 we are one of 47 county Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK and are supported by over 15,000 members.
The Trust owns or manages 26 nature reserves covering an area of almost 3,500 acres. Our staff are based in 6 locations around the county including our Headquarters at Wolseley Bridge, Stafford. Employing around 60 staff in 5 departments:- Conservation Delivery, Education, Churnet Valley Living Landscape, Fundraising & Membership and Finance and Support Services. The Trust has a diverse workforce including site wardens, wildlife surveyors, community and education officers, catering and administration staff.
In addition we have a trading company which oversees the trading side of our business including running conferences, visitor centre shop and a café at Westport Lake Visitor Centre.
The Monitoring & Evidence Co-ordinator is a key member of staff responsible for providing the evidence baseto demonstrate our works are resulting in positive gain for wildlife and assisting with the continuous improvement of our estate management.
The post-holder will be responsible for overseeing the Trusts monitoring strategy with the support of other staff. Initially the post holder will focus on the Trusts estate, but the role is likely to expand as efficient ways of working are established and scope for supporting other projects is identified. Key initial tasks include identifying gaps in our monitoring, co-ordinating the gathering and storage of data and providing evidence which can be used for internal or external reporting. Key results from surveys should be used, in consultation with the Press Officer, to raise the profile of the Trust and celebrate successes in local and national media. The role is also required to support the Land Management Co-ordinator in ensuring compliance with grazing licences, agri-environment schemes etc.
In order to maximise what can be achieved within limited resources the post holder will be expected to take a co-ordinating role in addition to carrying out direct delivery of monitoring programmes. This will involve recruitment, development and support of skilled volunteers. The Trust also recognises that we have a need within the Conservation Delivery team for someone with significant ornithological experience to complement our existing botanical expertise and the postholder will be expected to be a competent ornithologist.
Expertise and relevant certification to be able to lead our badger vaccination programme would be advantageous.
Job Purpose:
The postholder is primarily responsible for setting up and coordinating monitoring programmes for the Trusts work on our owned/leased estate but will also take a lead role in working with others to deliver an effective, clearly prioritised monitoring strategy across our core delivery work. They will also be a lead member of staff for ornithological advice relating to land management and monitoring.
Responsibilities:
  • Work closely with the Head of Conservation Delivery and team members, particularly the Land Management Team Co-ordinator, to review and set up realistic, effective and prioritised monitoring programmes to demonstrate the impact of our work to benefit wildlife.
  • To set up and co-ordinate a monitoring group and oversee the delivery of the Trusts Monitoring Strategy. This will involve facilitating productive meetings and ensuring cross team working and liaison with the Land Management group.
  • To carry out monitoring against set methodologies, but also to recruit, train and manage a team of skilled volunteers who can support the implementation of the monitoring strategy.
  • To support the production of site management plans and ensure appropriate use of Countryside Management System (CMS) and to develop a system whereby staff involved can submit data/records so that site monitoring can be linked to management plan objectives/works.
  • To support the work of the other staff by producing annual CMS work plans for reserves and other land under the care of SWT.
  • Issue permits for activities on reserves, in discussion with the Land Management Team Co-ordinator and be the lead member of staff for co-ordinating student projects.
  • To issue and monitor compliance with grazing agreements for Trust reserves and other landholdings where required.
  • To be responsible for the record keeping, mapping and submission of annual claims for BPS in consultation with the Land Management Team Co-ordinator and to support the submission of future applications for agri-environment funding.
  • To act as department lead in relation to ornithological issues and queries and providing related land management advice.
  • To produce an annual monitoring summary report for Trustees and other reports as required.
  • To be the main contact for special interest groups affiliated to the Trust.
  • To ensure that any biological records are provided and/or entered onto the Staffordshire Environmental Records database and undertake data entry for the backlog of reserves data currently held.
  • To ensure the accuracy of any data held and ensure compliance with data protection legislation.
  • To lead the Trust's badger vaccination programme until 2020.
  • To ensure any work, including work carried out by volunteers on the Trust’s behalf, is completed in line with the Trust’s Health & Safety policies.
  • All staff should recognise the contribution that membership makes towards the running of the organisation. The postholder is therefore expected to understand the need for high standards of service to existing members and recognise their role in contributing towards ongoing membership recruitment.
  • All publicly available written information (e.g. reports, leaflets, interpretation boards, e-newsletters) to be produced within SWT branding guidelines.
  • In order for the organisation to work effectively you may be required to assist with other areas of work and therefore you should be prepared to undertake other duties, appropriate to the post, as delegated by your line manager.
  • All staff are required to abide by organisational policies and procedures

Person Specification

Criteria / Essential / Desirable / Assessment
Method *
Qualifications
A HND or degree level qualification or equivalent in an environmental field. /  / AF, QC
Licensed to survey for protected species - at least one of bat, mammal or great-crested newt licences. /  / AF, QC
Licensed to carry out badger vaccination /  / AF, QC
Experience
Experience of carrying out field work to collect data for monitoring purposes. /  / AF, I
Experience of using Countryside Management System (CMS) for recording habitat management. /  / AF, I
Experience of using GIS (preferably MapInfo). /  / AF, I
Experience of managing volunteers and developing their skills through mentoring and training. /  / AF, I
Experience of objective setting in relation to monitoring projects and analysing data to establish trends linked to management plan objectives/works. /  / AF, I
Experience of working with special interest groups and co-ordinating/supporting targeted collection of data. /  / AF, I
Experience of submitting annual claims for BPS and applying for funding for agri-environment schemes. /  / AF, I
Skills/knowledge
Knowledge of a range of survey techniques used for a range of groups of flora and fauna. /  / AF, I
Good IT skills to be able to use, develop and link systems for recording data. /  / AF, I
Good botanical identification skills (higher plants) /  / AF, I
Good botanical identification skills (lower plants) /  / AF, I
Good bird identification skills /  / AF, I
Good understanding of habitats and habitat mapping methodologies. /  / AF, I
Excellent people skills to co-ordinate delivery of activity across a range of other work areas and
Good organisational skills to manage a team of volunteers. /  / AF, I
Direct experience of land management for wildlife across a range of habitats, with a particular emphasis on habitat management for priority bird species. /  / AF, I
An understanding of the legal requirements and methodologies for surveying protected species. /  / AF, I
Proven record of producing communications and presenting data in a wide range of formats for different audiences. /  / AF, I
Knowledge of Health & Safety issues in relation to carrying out field work in isolated locations and when supporting volunteers. /  / AF, I
Abilities
The ability to plan work programmes and prioritise workloads to ensure survey priorities are met each season. /  / AF, I
Some evening and weekend working will be required and therefore a flexible approach to working hours is essential. /  / AF, I
The postholder may be required to carry out lone working for some surveys and must comply with SWT lone working guidelines, as well as supervising volunteers who are lone working. /  / AF, I
The post will require driving throughout the County and further afield and the postholder therefore needs a current driving licence. /  / AF, I

* I = interview, QC = qualification certificate, AF = application form, T = test or assessment, P = presentation

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