UK Squirrel Accord Project Officer

Lead landscape-scale conservation, building partnerships with landowners and volunteers to protect red squirrels and trees. Join a nationally significant programme with strong government backing and continuity expected to 2029.

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Project area: Yorkshire, Lancashire and County Durham with potential for expansion into the Midlands.
Reporting to: UK Squirrel Accord Director and Executive Committee
Location: Remote working with local/regional travel. Occasional overnights. National travel for training or meetings may be required. We are particularly interested in candidates based in the south of Yorkshire or Lancashire or the north of the Midlands.
Salary: £31,320 per annum pro rata on a self-employed daily rate
Contract: Self-employed, full-time role contracted by the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. Fixed term to March 2027, aligned with the current funding cycle. The project has been funded since 2023 with strong continuity expected to 2029, subject to annual review.

Introduction

You will join a growing and nationally significant conservation and forestry partnership, working at the landscape scale to protect the UK’s red squirrels, trees and woodland ecosystems.

The UK Squirrel Accord (UKSA) is a UK-wide partnership of 47 leading conservation and forestry organisations, Government agencies and companies, with links to red squirrel community groups. UKSA works collaboratively to protect native red squirrels, improve the condition and resilience of trees and woodland ecosystems, and reduce the negative impacts of invasive grey squirrels.

This role is part of an expanding programme to scale up grey squirrel management across northern England and beyond. The project has an established delivery model, strong stakeholder networks, and ongoing government support. Funding has been secured since 2023, with continuity expected to 2029 (subject to annual review). The programme has a strong track record of delivery and impact.

Job description

You will play a central role in professionally delivering an established and expanding programme to coordinate landscape-scale grey squirrel management across northern England with potential to expand into the Midlands. Working with the UKSA Director, project steering group and wider partnership, you will enthusiastically and engagingly lead regional delivery while contributing to national strategy and best practice.

The project is funded by the Forestry Commission and contracted through the Red Squirrel Survival Trust as the legal entity for the UKSA partnership. Your work will combine practical delivery, stakeholder engagement and partnership development to achieve measurable conservation outcomes.

Grey squirrel impacts on woodland condition, resilience and native species are well established, and effective management requires coordinated, landscape-scale action. This role will expand and strengthen a network of grey squirrel management groups, working with landowners, stakeholders and volunteers to deliver that action on the ground.

You will:

• Engage woodland owners, agents, stakeholders and the public to increase participation in grey squirrel management
• Recruit, train and mentor volunteers, establishing new landscape-scale groups with appropriate governance and data-sharing arrangements
• Secure engagement from landowners for coordinated management and support delivery across priority areas
• Plan and undertake survey and monitoring work, individually or with partners, to support delivery and demonstrate impact
• Collate and manage data from volunteers and stakeholders to contribute to the evidence base and reporting
• Feed back lessons learned to the project steering group to refine and promote best practice

You will work independently across a large geographic area, building strong relationships with partners and stakeholders, and contributing to a collaborative national programme.

Responsibilities

1. Identify priority areas for grey squirrel management with the project steering group and local stakeholders

Working with the project steering group, wider UKSA partnership and local stakeholders, you will identify priority areas where grey squirrels are having an acute impact on the health and vitality of woodlands (particularly SSSI and other high value woodlands). Where there are opportunities to influence the decisions of woodland owners and managers, and recruit, train and mentor volunteers to assist.

2. Expand the network of grey squirrel management groups across agreed areas

Using communication and influencing skills, and your knowledge of forestry and grey squirrel management, you will recruit, train and mentor volunteers to support planning and delivery of grey squirrel management in agreed priority areas. You will also engage with woodland owners and their agents, stakeholders, and the public to encourage land managers to undertake grey squirrel management in their woodlands and/or in conjunction with volunteers.

You will lead the expansion of grey squirrel management networks across priority landscapes by:

• Raising awareness among the public, landowners and managers, and agents of the importance of grey squirrel management, individually or via group events, making the messages relevant to the audience and their interests.
• Recruiting volunteers and establishing new groups to undertake grey squirrel management and secure areas for them to work.
• Encouraging collaboration between neighbouring landowners, recognising that landscape-scale approaches are more effective.
• Providing advice and guidance on suitable grey squirrel management measures and facilitate their implementation.
• Planning and carrying out grey squirrel management – including trap and dispatch where appropriate.

This role focuses primarily on coordination, partnership building and volunteer support, rather than field-based management work.

3. Disseminate good or best working practices by supporting training and survey work

Working with landowners and stakeholders across agreed areas, you will share knowledge and experience, and plan or deliver training and survey work to support grey squirrel management by:

• Engaging with woodland owners and their agents, managers and contractors, and specialist squirrel and wildlife management groups.
• Building local networks and running events and training to effectively build and disseminate best practice among the landowner/manager and volunteer communities.
• Use your experience on the ground to contribute to national UKSA discussions, influencing best practice, policy and guidance on grey squirrel management.
• Plan and carry out monitoring work, supported by volunteers and stakeholders as appropriate, to help demonstrate the impact of the project and grey squirrel management work carried out.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven track record of engagement with stakeholders within the land or wildlife management sectors, developing constructive partnerships and delivering results on the ground.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of delivery within a geographically dispersed project
• Experience of recruiting and/or managing volunteers.
• Willingness to actively manage grey squirrels.
• Understanding and experience of practical wildlife management issues.
• Demonstrable skills in partnership working, influencing and negotiation.
• Competent IT user experienced in MS Office and mapping.
• Ability to implement safe remote working practices.
• Ability to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends if needed.

Desirable

• Established networks and contacts with relevant stakeholders in the area.
• Qualification and experience in grey squirrel management.
• Experience of delivering practical training.
• Data management experience.
• Knowledge of native and invasive species, and forestry issues relating to grey squirrels.
• Experience in environmental monitoring, such as small mammal survey work.
• Ability to produce high quality, visually engaging communications materials.
• Social media skills.

Other requirements

The successful candidate must have their own transport - reasonable travel expenses will be covered within the project area. Preference will be given to candidates within the location areas stated.

We offer

• Salary of £31,320 per annum pro rata on a self-employed basis
• A full-time role within a nationally significant conservation and forestry partnership delivering landscape-scale impact
• The opportunity to take ownership of part of a well-established and expanding project, with scope to shape delivery and influence future direction
• The chance to build and lead networks of landowners, stakeholders and volunteers, developing lasting partnerships across the region
• Involvement in a UK-wide programme with strong links to policy, research and innovation in wildlife management
• A supportive and collaborative working environment, with national oversight and access to expertise across the UKSA partnership
• Funding secured to March 2027 within a programme with strong continuity expected to 2029 (subject to annual review), alongside a two-month notice period if funding circumstances change
• Laptop and mobile phone
• Travel expenses within the project area and for required business travel around the UK

Key dates

Closing date for applications: Monday 25 May 2026 at 17:00

Interview dates: Friday 05 June 2026 at Cannock Chase Forest, Rugeley

We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

Queries

For queries about this role or the application process please contact [email protected]