Operations Officer - Wildlife (South)

The Woodland Trust is looking for an Operations Officer - Wildlife. This role will work collaboratively with colleagues across a number of teams, particularly in Operations and Nature Recovery, to advise and help deliver our plans to reduce adverse herbivore impacts (with an initial focus on deer populations) and make meaningful and lasting improvements to the woodland ecological condition of our estate.

This role is based within the South and covers Central and Southern England along with Wales.

A company vehicle will be provided for this role. This role requires a 4x4, which is a benefit in kind that is taxed at £300pcm. Alternatively, there is the option to opt out of having a company vehicle should you have a suitable vehicle of your own. Please note that our Company Vehicle Policy is also under review as part of our Job Families and Contract Review project, so the eligibility criteria therein are subject to change in due course.

The Role:

Provide expert advice, guidance and training to operational teams, ensuring delivery of evidence-led wildlife management interventions. Oversee safe, ethical and legally compliant wildlife management across the estate, always protecting organisational reputation. Support regional and national operations with wildlife management activities, communications and stakeholder engagement, maintaining sensitivity to public opinion. Work collaboratively with estate, outreach and conservation teams to deliver wildlife management programmes at scale in line with best practice and Health & Safety standards. Contribute specialist expertise to policy, advocacy and fundraising activities, supporting funding applications and influencing work through data and case studies. Deliver and evaluate wildlife and ecological surveys, ensuring accurate reporting and use of data to inform future operational decisions. Manage contracts, equipment (including firearms and drones) and compliance processes, ensuring adherence to legal and organisational standards. Build partnerships and identify opportunities for landscape-scale wildlife management, while maintaining professional development and awareness of best practice. This is a homebased role, requiring regular travel to locations within the Southern landscape, sometimes to remote locations. You would be expected to live within reasonable travelling distance of your area of responsibility. Occasional travel across the UK and overnight stays will be required.

The Candidate:

You’ll deliver hands-on wildlife management across estates, including the safe and compliant use of firearms in public-facing environments. You’ll plan, prioritise and coordinate operational wildlife work, ensuring teams deliver high standards efficiently under pressure. You’ll develop and deliver practical training programmes using varied learning methods, ensuring knowledge is embedded and monitored. Communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including landowners, partners and community groups. Represent the organisation professionally both internally and externally, supporting operational teams and managing differing public perspectives. Work across large and remote areas, collaborating with teams or working independently to achieve conservation goals. Maintain accurate records and produce high-quality, evidence-based reports using Microsoft Office, databases and surveys. Manage external contracts and ensure compliance with health & safety standards, including risk assessments, documentation and safe equipment use.

Benefits and Wellbeing: Joining our team means you’ll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

Enhanced Employer Pension Life Assurance Flexible & Hybrid Working Options Generous Annual Leave - 25 Days Plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d for part-time) Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme Enhanced Parental Pay Employee Assistance Programme

About Us: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees. People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply. Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.