This is a fantastic opportunity to join a passionate and committed team of staff and volunteers, saving nature in one of the most wildlife-rich sites in central England.

We are looking for a practical person with land and estate management and machinery skills and a passion for nature and conservation and a desire to make a real impact for the wildlife that call Otmoor its home. Someone with drive, vision, commitment and a hunger for delivering on the ground conservation and maintaining the site to allow people to get the very best experiences of wildlife in this part of the country. This is an exciting role, undertaking habitat management and reserve maintenance at a popular and high performing site.

With ambitious land management and species work planned for 2021 and the future, this is an exciting time to join the Otmoor team.

Are you up for the challenge? If so, we are looking forward to hearing from you!

What’s the role about?

Otmoor is a 461ha floodplain grazing marsh and reedbed nestled in the wider Otmoor basin, playing host to nationally important numbers of breeding waders and wintering wildfowl. Situated in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, a real haven of wildlife and a place of peace and tranquillity, where large skies and wildlife spectacles reign.

Otmoor has been an RSPB nature reserve for over 20 years and the site's wet grassland, reedbed, hedgerows and SSSI hay meadows holds important populations of wildlife. In the spring and summer there are over 200 pairs of breeding waders and nationally important populations of black and brown hairstreak butterflies, while in the winter, the sky is filled with 5000+ lapwing and golden plover, and thousands of wildfowl, to name a few.

Otmoor is entering an exciting new phase after taking on the management of 68ha of SSSI hay meadows owned by the MOD. Being able to do more for nature is exciting and enhances the already renowned Otmoor area as a site that is constantly delivering ambitious species results.

The successful applicant will be competent in a variety of machinery, including chainsaws, brushcutters, ATVs, pesticide sprayers and tractors, and hand tools and their methods of use. You will be able to fix a breakage, perform routine checks and maintenance and be familiar with their safe use and health and safety aspects.

Estate management skills are key to this role which include fencing, electric fencing, path maintenance and mowing and visitor infrastructure upkeep and improvements ensuring the site is safe, compliant and well presented.

Habitat management is arguably our most important activity and the Estate Worker will be key to delivering our targets. Tractor work on the wet grassland, reed cutting, water level management and hedgerow coppicing form the backbone of what we do for nature.

We are looking for someone creative, inspiring, focused on getting things done, motivated and energetic. You’ll have the ambition to move forward in conservation and deliver for nature. The successful candidate will join a team consisting of Site Manager, Warden, Assistant Warden and Administrator, all of who are committed and passionate about conservation and delivering for nature.

Key activities will include:

•  Habitat management of wet grassland, reedbed, hedgerows and hay meadows to ensure our ambitious management plan and species targets are being met
• Playing a key role in the delivery of an exciting diversionary feeding project to reduce the impact of red kite predations on breeding waders
• Maintenance of estate and visitor infrastructure, ensuring the site is safe and looking at its best for the high standards of visitor experience expected.
• The operation, servicing and maintenance of the reserve equipment and vehicles including brushcutters, chainsaws, ATVs, pesticide applicators, tractor and tractor implements, land rovers, pickups and a range of hand tools. The desire to learn new skills and develop in these areas is key and training will be provided where necessary.
• Keeping the site up to date with the high standards of health and safety, record keeping and ensuring the site remains compliant.
• Being able to work unsocial hours, including early mornings, evenings and weekends and in a variety of weathers.

What we need from you

Please fill out your application with reference to the following requirements.

Essential

1. GCSE maths and English or equivalent.
2. Natural history knowledge.
3. Servicing and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment to agreed standards.
4. Machinery and equipment operations.
5. Lantra or equivalent qualification in tractors, toppers, trailers, chainsaws, brushcutters, ATV, boom sprayers, knapsack sprayers, boats and vehicles.
6. Practical land management experience and delivering estate management works.
7. The ability to work unsupervised and within a team.
8. Able to work unsocial hours.

Desirable

1. Livestock management.
2. Biological survey and monitoring experience and electronic data input.
3. Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel and Outlook.
4. Updating health and safety records and assessments.
5. Knowledge/understanding of nature conservation.
6. Experience of working with and managing volunteers.

Please note you will be required to complete an online application form only for this role.

For any further questions, please contact fergus.mosey@rspb.org.uk