Reserve Manager - North

Flexible daily working hours

Paid volunteer days

1 wellbeing hour per week

Salary £35,000

Location Inverbroom (Ullapool)

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This is a Permanent, Full Time vacancy that will close in 10 days at 23:59 BST.

The vacancy

The Role:

The role provides operational leadership across a defined operational area of the Trust’s reserves, ensuring land management, people management and community engagement deliver strong conservation outcomes. It involves leading and developing the local team, supporting volunteers and representing the Trust locally and nationally, whilst building robust relationships. The post oversees planning, delivery and quality assurance of reserve and project work, ensuring compliance with policies, health and safety and regulatory requirements. It also manages budgets, risks and ecological data, embedding evidenced based decision making and maintaining accurate documentation and supporting long-term site and project development. Through this combination of leadership and operational oversight, the role helps safeguard the Trust’s reserves and advance its conservation mission.

Main objectives:

Land management and project delivery
Manage wildlife reserve operations across the North Reserves Management Area, including conservation and land management and monitoring of 6,800 hectares across nine wildlife reserves with a range of habitats, including blanket bog, heaths, fens, maritime cliffs and grasslands, woodlands within the temperate rainforest zone, and montane vegetation communities.

Representation and stakeholder engagement
Build and maintain positive relationships with landowners, volunteers, contractors, communities and interested parties. Represent the Trust professionally at local, regional and national events and meetings, and proactively manage day‑to‑day issues with neighbours and partners.

People management and teamwork
Line manage and develop the operational area team, leading recruitment, induction and performance. Foster a positive organisational culture, support collaboration across teams, and act as the key local contact for members and volunteers. Help recruit, train and retain volunteers, and provide local operational insight to support fundraising, communications and policy work.

Information and operational management
Maintain risk registers, manage budgets, and promote a strong safety culture. Use ecological data to inform decision‑making, ensure data governance compliance, and support effective reporting and monitoring of conservation outcomes through internal systems.

The successful candidate will ideally:

• HND in environmental conservation or similar (essential)
• Degree / post graduate qualification in environmental conservation, countryside management or similar (desirable)
• Minimum three years in similar role – to include experience of management planning and coordinating practical conservation work (essential)
• Health and Safety legislation/procedures relating to outdoor working (essential)
• Evidence-based decision making (essential)
• Demonstrable experience of securing permissions and consents required for conservation and land management activities on Trust managed wildlife reserves, as well as identification, mitigation and management of practical constraints, including but not restricted to environmental, ecological and archaeological (essential)
• Working knowledge of Construction, Design and Management Regulations in context of conservation projects (essential)
• Working knowledge of Controlled Activities Regulations (essential)
• Experience of delivering upland conservation projects including peatland restoration, river restoration, conservation grazing and /or native woodland planting and regeneration.
• Experience of working within rural areas of Scotland.
• Demonstrable knowledge of upland deer management and conservation grazing for nature conservation purposes.
• Demonstrable knowledge of conservation and land management to mitigate against wildfire risk.
• Demonstrable experience of communicating the importance of maintaining and expanding healthy habitats for wildlife and people.

Closing date for applications: Friday 3rd July, noon

Interviews will be held on: weeks commencing 13th and 20th July 2026

To apply:  Please click on the "Apply Now" button where you will be redirected to our application pages. 

For more information:  Please contact recruitment@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk

Please note this is a readvertisement, previous candidates need not apply. 

The Trust is a passionate employer, proactive about creating a culture of diversity and inclusive workplace that promotes and values equal opportunities for all. We welcome individuals from all networks of life, backgrounds, and experiences.

About us

For more than 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of its vision of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas.

The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities. The Trust manages a network of over 100 wildlife reserves across Scotland and is a member of the UK-wide Wildlife Trusts movement.

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Published

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Closing

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