Conservation Grazing Manager

Background

Wild Ken Hill is a pioneering project on the Norfolk coast that employs rewilding, regenerative farming, and traditional conservation techniques across a 4,000-acre farm. Our current mission is to restore nature, fight climate change, grow healthy food, and engage people about the natural world.

Wild Ken Hill has a significant conservation programme across wetland, heath, coastal scrub, grasslands, chalkstream river valley, farmland, woodland, and rewilded arable land. This programme uses different sets of ecological principles across different areas, including traditional habitat management, rewilding, and agro-ecology.

In 2020, Wild Ken Hill added a Conservation Manager to its team to manage this exciting programme of work. Five years later, and we are now seeking a full-time Conservation Grazing Manager to join the team and help us take our conservation work to the next level. This is an opportunity to join a pioneering project and direct perhaps the most important driver of nature outcomes at Wild Ken Hill – the grazing systems. We have a great team here, and are lucky to work together in a beautiful and diverse landscape.

Overview of Role & Responsibilities

Across the different conservation systems at Wild Ken Hill, grazing is critical to success and a key driver of nature restoration outcomes. We are entering a stage where the nuances of grazing are increasingly important.

Our conservation grazing herds comprise Red Poll Cattle, Exmoor Ponies, and Tamworth Pigs. In addition, there are a number of wild herbivores which affect grazing pressure, particularly the five species of deer present here, hares, and rabbits.

We are looking for a self-motivated, practical, and dedicated individual to help drive forward the delivery of grazing across Wild Ken Hill. We have learnt that thinking innovatively helps to over the challenges of managing free-ranging herds on a large site, which is particularly true of the 1,000-acre rewilding area.

The role is responsible for day-to-day welfare and management of the livestock, ensuring adherence to cross compliance, stewardship schemes, welfare laws, organic compliance, and disease control.

The role would also be responsible for ensuring the maintenance of livestock infrastructure, including fencing, electric fencing, and troughs. 

While the focus of the livestock is conservation grazing, there is scope to develop a small-scale commercial offering, most likely of beef and wild venison, which would be encompassed in this role and could include management of breeding and calving.

This role focuses on livestock management; however, we are looking for an individual who would turn their hand to other aspects of our operations, including managing contractors, assisting in the running of guided tours, managing volunteers, and helping at public events.

Reporting to the Conservation Manager, this role would be expected to take initiative and work independently but within a supportive environment and culture.

It is essential that this role is based on site or in the immediate vicinity. Wild Ken Hill will aim to make available a rental property to the appointed candidate, subject to their requirements and personal circumstances.

Key criteria for applicants:

• Experience leading livestock management operations, particularly of cattle, ponies and pigs and ideally in conservation systems
• Experience/appropriate qualifications (i.e. LANTRA or NPTC) in fencing, ATV, tractor operation, chainsaw, brush-cutter, loader, etc.
• A keen interest in nature and a very strong understanding of the role livestock play as a conservation management tool
• Experience working safely and in compliance with H&S best practice
• A resourceful nature with the ability to prioritise, plan, supervise and implement demanding work plans.
• Self-motivated, with the ability to take the initiative and work independently.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to line manage and motivate contractors and volunteers.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work well with a wide range of people including neighbouring land managers, partner organisations, contractors, visitors, and volunteers.
• Strong communication skills, particularly the ability to communicate with a wide range of people, and to produce concise and clear written reports.
• Must be capable of carrying out practical works to required standards.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• IT skills: competent in MS Outlook, Excel, Word, and ideally in GIS.
• Current driving licence.

Other relevant factors to the role:

• Must be prepared to occasionally work unsociable hours (additional time worked may be taken as time off in lieu)
• Must be prepared to use herbicides or veterinary medicines (with appropriate training and only when absolutely necessary)
• Must be prepared to work outside at all times of year

Applications will close at midnight on Sunday 13th July.