Policy and Campaigns Officer
Scottish Seabird Centre
Policy & CampaigningMarine ConservationConservation & Wildlife
Location: Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, with frequent
meetings in Edinburgh/Hybrid
Reports to: Conservation Manager
Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week), part time applications also welcome
The Scottish Seabird Centre
The Scottish Seabird Centre (SSC) works to ensure that Scotland’s marine environment is healthy, wildlife-rich, valued and enjoyed by all. Our work is structured around four pillars:
Conservation – We manage internationally important seabird islands, including Bass Rock, which is home to one of the largest gannet colonies in the world. We oversee research and island management on Craigleith and Lamb, where our community conservation project, SOS Puffin, has quadrupled the population of breeding puffins. We are a delivery partner of Restoration Forth, working with communities to restore oyster reefs and seagrass meadows.
Education – We seek to build an understanding of and a passion for the marine environment. Over 60,000 children and young people have engaged with our education programme.
Experience – We operate one of the leading nature visitor centres in the UK, welcoming over 170,000 visitors a year, and were awarded the Gold Green Tourism Award in April 2025.
Community – We work in partnership with diverse communities to connect people with nature and take a community-led approach to conservation. For example, over 1400 volunteers have contributed their time to SOS Puffin.
The SSC’s policy and campaigns programme
With over 18,000km of coastline and 900 islands, Scotland’s marine environment is diverse and unique. It is also home to globally important seabird populations, with more than 5 million breeding here, including around half of the world’s great skuas and northern gannets. Iconic seabirds like puffins and seabird islands such as Bass Rock, are also culturally significant and act as gateways for public engagement with the marine environment.
However, seabirds are in trouble. Two-thirds of species which breed in Scotland have declined over the last 20 years. Pressures include unsustainable fishing practices, invasive species, pollution, and, increasingly, climate change and avian flu. Offshore wind has also emerged as a threat and an opportunity. The successful and rapid deployment of offshore wind in Scotland’s seas is critical if the UK is to meet its renewable energy and climate targets, but if done insensitively it risks driving seabird population declines and deployment will be stalled.
The SSC’s mission is to halt the declines and to conserve Scotland’s seabirds for current and future generations. To achieve this goal urgent action is needed, and that means we need to do more to advocate and campaign for seabirds. This is a new role that will build on our successes to date to develop and deliver a new policy and campaigns programme that mobilises our supporters and delivers the change we need over three priority areas:
- Delivery of the Seabird Action Plan, holding the Scottish Government to account for delivering this ambitious and urgent plan.
- Improving Scotland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, through working with our partners to campaign for progress and advising on the development of effective management measure for protected areas that are particularly important for seabirds.
- Nature positive offshore wind – working with developers and the Scottish Government to ensure that Scotland’s offshore wind industry develops in harmony with nature, avoiding the most sensitive sites and encouraging robust and effective investments in compensation and enhancement.
Role Description
This is an exciting new role that will give the postholder the opportunity to build a new and influential programme. Working as part of the conservation team and closely with the CEO and marketing and communications team, you will develop and deliver advocacy strategies and campaigns, mobilising our supporters and delivering the change that seabirds so urgently need. You will bring strong advocacy skills, a passion for nature, and a background in policy and/or campaigns, underpinned by solid organisation and programme management skills.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the SSC’s policy and campaigns programme, including producing regular reports for Trustees and funders
- Develop and deliver advocacy plans
- Produce policy communication materials, including reports, briefing notes, letters and consultation responses
- Convene an expert group to advise the programme and inform the production of an annual assessment of Scottish Government progress in delivering the Seabird Action Plan
- Meet with stakeholders, MSPs, officials and Ministers to advocate on behalf of the SSC
- Monitor Scottish Parliament and the media to identify opportunities for influence
- Develop and deliver campaigns targeted at delivering legislative or policy change, mobilising the supporters and members SCC’s
- Set up and deliver online e-actions in support of our campaigns
- Create accessible resources to engage the general public with key campaigns
- Work with communications colleagues to produce social media content and identify and take media opportunities
- Support any other reasonable activities allocated to you by your manager, which support the overall work of our charity
Essential skills and experience
- Experience in developing and delivering campaigns and/or policy development and advocacy
- A strong analytical approach
- An excellent and authoritative communicator
- Ability to write for a range of audiences
- Proven ability to manage projects/programmes
- A passion for the natural world
Desirable skills and experience
- An understanding of the policy-making process and politics in Scotland
- Proven ability to deliver successful online campaigns
Benefits
- Work for a successful conservation and education charity in a stunning location.
- 35 days annual leave
- Workplace pension
- Training and development opportunities for everyone.
- Access to Cycle to Work Scheme
- Access to Health Cash Plan
- Other benefits include: 20% discount in the charity’s Gift Shop and Seabird Café, and 10% discount on the Scottish Seabird Centre boat trips, and free access to a range of Scottish visitor attractions with an Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions card.
About Scottish Seabird Centre
A charity dedicated to inspiring people to care for wildlife and the natural environment.
For over 20 years the Scottish Seabird Centre has been helping people to learn about Scotland’s marine wildlife, habitats and iconic seabirds. Our base on the edge of the Firth of Forth in the seaside town of North Berwick, East Lothian gives us unparalleled access to amazing coastal seascapes and underwater environments. These include the Bass Rock which supports the world’s largest colony of northern gannets.
A charity dedicated to inspiring people to care for wildlife and the natural environment. For over 20 years the Scottish Seabird Centre has been helping people to learn about Scotland’s marine wildlife, habitats and iconic seabirds. Our base on the edge of the Firth of Forth in the seaside town of North Berwick, East Lothian gives us unparalleled access to amazing coastal seascapes and underwater environments. These include the Bass Rock which supports the world’s largest colony of northern gannets.
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