Common Scoter Manager

Introduction

This exciting role within our North Highland and Hebrides area team will lead on operational management and day-to-day coordination of external contractors and staff, to undertake a suite of investigative studies and prepare a delivery project aimed at halting the decline and restoring breeding populations of the UK's critically endangered Common Scoter. You will be working across six Common Scoter breeding locations in Scotland in the Highland, Perth & Kinross and Argyll & Bute areas. You’ll be responsible for overseeing and managing a development phase work programme, which is subject to confirmation of funding.

The role will involve liaison with project partners and stakeholders, managing contractors and assisting with surveys and trial management techniques. In the UK the breeding population of Common Scoter has plummeted in numbers and range since the 1970's and has led to the species being classified as Critically Endangered under IUCN criteria and listed on the Scottish Biodiversity List as one of Scotland's rarest breeding species at risk of extinction. Over 12 months, this development project will fill critical knowledge gaps about the species, identify site-specific drivers of decline and inform the design of targeted, evidence-based conservation actions for the delivery phase.

What's the role about?

We are looking for a highly competent individual to oversee the development phase of our ambitious Saving Scotland's Scoters work programme. The project includes but is not limited to: designing and testing management measures such as feeding area buffers, pike removal trials, aquatic invertebrate and thermal drone surveys, and predator and competitor assessments; as well as investigating, planning, costing and seeking approvals for site specific management solutions for individual lochs.

The successful candidate will be someone with a proven track record of leadership and project management, with the ability to manage this complex work programme, and develop solutions for a critically endangered species in Scotland. The position is line managed by the North Highland Senior Conservation Officer. You will directly manage a Common Scoter Officer and work closely with RSPB’s reserve staff and committed volunteers and RSPB Scotland's Project Management team to help plan and deliver work to inform a future delivery phase project, to improve the fortunes of Common Scoter in Scotland. This role will be dual located, with both home working and reserve/site visits required. Please note that, as some of this work will take place in remote upland terrain and at times in harsh weather conditions, it will at times be physically demanding. Robust health and safety procedures for such work are in place.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Qualification in a relevant subject or ability to show equivalent work experience.
• Proven experience of project management, including development, reporting and budget management.
• Line management experience
• Knowledge of standard survey and monitoring techniques.
• High level of IT skills for project and data management and mapping.
• Experience of contract management, including tendering and selection.
• Ability to deliver deadline-driven projects and manage both your own and team’s workloads to changing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to influence a wide range of people, both internally and externally.
• Full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK, required due to the remote nature of the sites (or ability to access remote locations without public transport).

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Experience of successful stakeholder engagement and partnership working.
• Experience of delivering species recovery projects
• Data handling skills, with the ability to assimilate large volumes of data and draw conclusions across sites and disciplines
• Specialist mapping software experience e.g. ArcGIS.
• Understanding of Common Scoter ecology
• A high level of fitness and ability to confidently and safely access and work in remote upland areas, which can be inaccessible to vehicles, in challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions.

This is a Fixed-Term role for up to 12 months for 37.5 hours per week subject to confirmation of funding.

The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from w/c 13th April 2026. For further information please contact [email protected]

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.