Celtic Rainforest Creation Manager (Wales)

Full time: 35 hours per week  

Fixed term contract: 2 years, until March 2026 

Closing date for applications: 23rd June 2024  

First interview: 8th July 2024  

Second interview: 12th July 2024 

About Us  

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) is the central charity which supports the federation of 46 independent Wildlife Trusts working for nature’s recovery across the UK, Alderney and the Isle of Man. The Wildlife Trusts’ vision is of a thriving natural world, with abundant wildlife and healthy natural habitats playing a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and everyone inspired to take action for nature’s recovery. 

Collectively, The Wildlife Trusts have more than 900,000 members, look after over 2,300 nature reserves, operate 123 visitor and education centres and own 29 working farms. The role of RSWT is to ensure a strong voice for wildlife at a UK level and to provide strategic leadership, support and development for The Wildlife Trusts. We provide shared expertise in areas such as climate change, digital fundraising, nature-based solutions, policy and safeguarding. We facilitate UK-wide communities of practice to share learning and replicate successful approaches so that together we are more than the sum of our parts. We support the individual Wildlife Trusts to be a strong force for nature in their local areas and to work together to achieve even greater impact as a collective. 

The Wildlife Trusts are on a mission to bring about a people-powered nature and climate recovery by empowering people to take meaningful action for nature, and to create an inclusive society where nature matters to everyone, everywhere. We are ambitious in our desire not just to slow, but to reverse the declines in nature. 

About You  

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with experience in business planning or rural estate management with a passion for nature and entrepreneurial spirit to support the acquisition and management planning of new nature reserves in Wales which help restore Celtic rainforest and other important habitats. 

Nature conservation is changing, in the face of the biodiversity and climate crises no longer is it sufficient to protect existing habitats but instead we must look to restore nature at scale in order to ensure it’s survival. To meet this challenge, the nature reserves of the future must also adapt; new sites must become resilient both ecologically and financially. This means utilising a wide variety of funding streams and carefully considering restoration interventions, all whilst making these sites as engaging and accessible as possible. This post will work alongside the Rainforest Restoration Programme team to ensure that new rainforest sites support nature recovery and improve the resilience of the Wildlife Trusts in Wales. By showcasing these new sites, they can act as powerful advocacy tools that support nature beyond their own boundaries thereby maximising the positive impact of the programme for nature and for communities. 

The Atlantic Rainforest Restoration Programme is a £38.9 million, 100-year programme working in a long-term partnership with Aviva. Native to the British Isles, temperate rainforest is an incredibly rare and biodiverse habitat, rarer even, than its tropical counterpart. This programme is going beyond traditional habitat restoration and creating new rainforests on eligible sites across the bioclimatic envelope (the area along our Atlantic coastline with the specific conditions needed for rainforest to thrive). 

You will need to understand the political, economic and social context that the Welsh and UK nature conservation sector operates within. With that understanding, you will be able to use your direct experience of funding and investment as well as business planning to help the Wildlife Trusts in Wales create a network of new nature reserves with sustainable business models. 

You will be highly organised – prioritising time and workload effectively. You will be able to utilise ICT efficiently and effectively. Your personable approach will enable you to work with all, building collaborations and partnerships across Wildlife Trusts and with many different stakeholders. 

Your knowledge of woodland ecology and creation together with relevant regulatory processes, grant options and contracting methods will be essential to the successful delivery of Celtic Rainforest creation on these sites. 

The Wildlife Trusts value passion, respect, trust, integrity, pragmatic activism and strength in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgmental and are inclusive. We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. 

RSWT take our Safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. Please refer to the documents section to read our commitment statement 

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible.