RSPB Hiring for Field Officers – Mid Yare x3 at Memphis Metropolitan Area Full Time

We have an exciting opportunity for three Field Officers to join our east Norfolk and north Suffolk beach-nesting bird team. The project protects up to 30% of the UK’s little terns, as well as significant numbers of ringed plovers. The east Norfolk colonies have become some of the largest and highest priority in the UK, yet face significant challenges from a range of disturbance pressures. We are seeking passionate, dedicated and inspiring individuals, with great communication skills, to build on the project’s success during the 2025 breeding season.

If you are interested in making a significant contribution to the conservation of beach-nesting birds, then this may be the opportunity for you!

What’s the role about?

The Field Officers will be part of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire Conservation Team working closely with our Broads reserves and Suffolk Area teams. The post holders must be based close to the east Norfolk coast, as the work will be field-based around the colonies at Winterton-on-sea, Eccles-on-sea and Kessingland. Some office work will be undertaken from Strumpshaw Fen, our Norwich office and home. Given the remote locations and limited public transport, the ability to drive is essential for these roles.

Required

The Field Officers will be managed by our Beach-nesting Bird Team Leader. They will work with the Senior Beach Warden and Community & Volunteer Officer to provide appropriate and effective management and monitoring around the colonies. The roles will be focused on covering night shifts and day shifts per week as required but will also support wider project work depending on the successful individuals’ skills and abilities. The role will involve the following work:

• Colony management – ensuring all colony infrastructure is in place and functioning to enable effective 24-hour wardening presence on all colonies where this is needed, ensuring high standards of health and safety and welfare are maintained in challenging conditions.
• Monitoring – supporting Team leader, Senior Beach Warden and volunteers to ensure monitoring data is captured and recorded as per specified methodology.
• Kestrel diversionary feeding – locating kestrel nest sites and undertaking diversionary feeding techniques, as needed, to limit on colonies.
• Volunteer development –supporting the Community & Volunteer Project Officer and Senior Beach Warden to build the monitoring and management capabilities of the volunteer team.
• Communications and Community Engagement –supporting the Team Leader and Community & Volunteering Officer on the promotion of the project to highlight successes and seek to develop appropriate behaviours around the colonies.
• Relationships – it is essential that the roles build positive relationships with staff, volunteers and other beach users to generate support for the project and be able to effectively manage disturbance around the colonies. Speaking to beach-users will be essential to develop positive behaviours and address their concerns.
• End of season reporting – provide support to the Team Leader, as requested, through the season to assist in the compilation of information needed to produce the end of season report.

The project is an important piece of work within The Broads and the Suffolk Coast Priority Landscapes. Priority Landscapes are the RSPB’s approach to delivering conservation at scale and provides a focus to direct our resources where they will have the greatest impact. The delivery of this work is a priority both locally and nationally for the RSPB.

This is an exciting time in the projects evolution and if you feel this is the role for you we look forward to hearing from you!

Essential Skills, Knowledge And Experience

• Sufficient knowledge of bird and wildlife ecology, habitat requirements and identification of east Norfolk and north Suffolk, notably, seabirds.
• Demonstrable ability to effectively organise and prioritise workload.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues, volunteers, partners and members of the public.
• Ability to use own initiative to solve day-to-day problems in the field.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats.
• Able to drive in the UK.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge And Experience

• Specialist conservation knowledge of habitats, species and environmental processes relevant to east Norfolk and north Suffolk, notably, beach-nesting birds or coastal management.
• Experience of managing volunteers and setting clear work priorities.
• Skilled use of Microsoft office and ability to organise and manage large data sets.

Additional Information

These are 4.5-month fixed-term roles for 37.5 hours per week running from April to August 2025. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent at any time.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on the 3rd of March 2025. For further information please contact [email protected]

In order to apply you will be required to complete an application form where you will be given the opportunity to explain how you meet the criteria set above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.