Head of Nature Recovery

We are seeking an outstanding, creative, and dynamic Head of Nature Recovery. You will build and lead a multidisciplinary team to accelerate nature’s recovery across Herefordshire. Acting as an influential, strategic leader, you will not only deliver direct impact but also collaborate with and influence farmers, landowners, businesses and other key decision makers and community leaders, within Herefordshire, to prioritise nature’s recovery. At its heart this role is about collaboration and enabling others to value and prioritise nature in all they do. 

Benefits

• Annual leave 33 days inclusive of 8 bank holidays increasing by one day per to a max of 38 days
• 5% Employer pension contributions
• Group Life Assurance 2 x salary
• Health Cash plan and wellbeing services with Westfield Health
• Flexible working
• Sick Pay
• HWT workwear
• Training and development
• Free Parking onsite

Main Job Purpose: To lead HWT’s Nature Recovery team and the teams within – Nature Reserves; Landscapes; Consultancy work - ecological and land advice

• To drive forward Nature Recovery projects and activities across the county with partners, and on our own estate, to develop strategic nature recovery corridors and achieve our big 30 by 30 goal – to restore 30% of land for nature by 2030.
• Collaborate across the organisation to achieve greater impact, especially with the Nature Action team, enabling 1 in 4 people to take action for nature and thus contribute to our 30 by 30 goal 
• To provide intellectual leadership with practical nature recovery delivery. Ensure professional oversight of all nature recovery projects, activities and advice to other colleagues

Term: Perm/Full time

Reports to: CEO

Location: Queenswood Country Park, Home working and some site visits

Management Responsibility: A member of the Senior management team and responsible for all staff within the Nature Recovery Team. Line manager of the Reserves Manager, functional project teams

Liaison with: The Board of Trustees, Senior Management Team, Reserves Manager, Specialists, Consultants, Internal and External organisations.

Key Responsibilities:

Nature Recovery

• Provide intellectual oversight, and leadership, in the development, implementation and review of the Trust’s nature recovery programme.
• Develop the Trust’s strategy into action through planning, implementing and reviewing nature recovery projects to support living landscapes and wider countryside recovery.
• Provide oversight of all projects throughout their duration to ensure they meet their objectives in relation to impact, relationship and financial objectives. 
• Engage and work with current and potential landscape conservation partners
• Lead on key biodiversity recovery issues representing the Trust at key meetings, steering groups, fora and other events.
• Line manage our nature reserves team with a coordinated and integrated approach to landscape recovery
• Review and respond to high profile planning applications – determined by assessing their relative potential impact on biodiversity in conjunction with other staff.
• Identify, prepare and submit grant application bids to funders to support our Nature Recovery vision.
• Support the Trust’s Aquisition and Divestment process, feeding into the Aquisition and Divestment panel and taking forward actions as required.
• Develop and grow the Trust’s consultancy business, raising unrestricted income
• Lead on the Trust’s BNG strategy, identifying sites within our estate that could be utilised for BNG, commissioning surveys and management plans, submitting applications to the Local Authority and marketing.

Management 

• Contribute to the strategic direction and policies of the Trust.
• Provide strategic oversight of nature recovery issues in the Trust, analyse emerging nature recovery issues to underpin organisational decision making and action.
• Provide advice to Trustees including servicing the Nature Recovery Advisory Group.
• Promote and deliver the Trust’s strategies within the Nature Recovery team.

 Staff & Volunteer Management

• Ensure best practice in human resource management in accordance with the Trust’s policies and procedures, adherence to our health and safety policies and procedures, and use of systems and tools.
• Inspire Nature Recovery staff, volunteers and trainees to create a shared sense of purpose and commitment to achieve our objectives.
• Recruit new staff, volunteers and trainees, provide individual mentoring and other support as appropriate.
• Ensure all individuals work to clear objectives and undertake staff appraisals within the Trust’s competency framework. Agree approaches to managing volunteer involvement.
• Ensure good communication between all relevant staff, trainees, volunteer and Trustees.

Financial

• Oversee the production of the robust and sustainable plans and budgets to ensure the delivery of the Trust’s nature recovery programme. Maintain oversight and control of Nature Recovery budgets in accordance with the scheme of delegation.
• Manage the Trust’s Budgets to achieve maximum funding leverage and to ensure good value for money.
• Review monthly management accounts and provide quarterly reports and forecasts.
• Ensure accurate, up to date and timely records are kept complying with contractual and procurement rules and/or legislation and funder’s reporting requirements.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for external funding and projects to support and grow the Trust’s nature recovery programme.

Other duties

• Contribute to the Trust’s communication outputs including articles and blogs and media interviews as required.
• Undertake Health and Safety duties commensurate with the post and as detailed in the Trust's Health and Safety policy.
• Comply with all other organisational policies and relevant legislation e.g. Equal Opportunities – it being the responsibility of the post holder to make themselves aware of such items.
• Encourage, develop and support volunteer involvement in your work (this being regarded as a major resource that makes a vital contribution to the Trust.)
• Take advantage of formal and informal opportunities for personal and professional development and participate in appropriate training activities in consultation with your line manager.
• Cascade relevant skills and knowledge to relevant staff and volunteers.
• Act as an ambassador for Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, constructing and maintaining positive relationships with volunteers, visitors and other organisations.
• Actively encourage those you with whom you come into professional contact to become members of the Trust (all staff are regarded as membership recruiters.)

Person specification

Essential Experience & Knowledge

At least 3 years’ management experience in a nature recovery role with a wildlife or environmental organisation. Including:

• Financial planning and budgetary management
• Project management
• Managing staff teams and volunteers

Demonstrable understanding of nature recovery and environmental issues relevant to the aims and objectives of the Trust and its role in the voluntary sector

Successful planning and prioritisation of organisational activities, projects and resources and of establishing procedures for monitoring progress against plans, budgets and objectives

Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships and external partnerships, identifying and maximising opportunities and effective communication and advocacy for wildlife and the environment

Health and Safety relevant to the work of the Trust

Experience of managing conservation data including an understanding of GIS and database management

Essential Skills

Leadership skills to engender trust and confidence, to foster an inclusive approach, to provide a clear direction to staff and volunteers and to motivate and empower people to achieve organisational goals

Delegation skills to effectively enable teams and individuals to realise their full potential through the development of skills and knowledge

Experience of negotiation to bring to bear a range of influencing styles to achieve results, command respect quickly with Trustees, politicians, members, landowners and a wide range of interested parties within and outside of the sector

Other Requirements

• Full valid driving licence and own car, insured for business use.
• Willingness to work at weekends and outside office hours
• Willingness to work outdoors, sometimes in inclement weather

 Desirable

• An ecologically based degree level or equivalent qualification
• Good general HR knowledge 
• Innovation and service development experience

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about the importance of wildlife and the natural Environment for the health and sustainability of the planet’s climate and eco-systems
• Passionate about promoting ecological land use
• Personal commitment to nature conservation and sustainable living
• Enthusiasm, motivation and dedication
• Good attention to detail
• Self-disciplined and self-motivated

Closing date 29th July 2025. Interviews 6th August