Date as postmark
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your interest in the post of Ranger at Langdon nature reserve at Langdon Visitor Centre, Essex Wildlife Trust.
The successful applicant will work 37.5 hours per week, 9am – 5pm, across Monday – Sunday. This role will require working as part of a rota and a minimum of alternate weekends is expected.
Please find enclosed with this letter a copy of the following information about the post and the Essex Wildlife Trust:
· A Job Description for the post of Ranger
· Terms and Conditions of Employment
Essex Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity. It has more than 37,000 members, manages and protects over 8,400 acres of land on 87 nature reserves and 2 nature parks and runs 11 visitor centres. The aim of Essex Wildlife Trust is to Protect Wildlife for the Future and for the People of Essex. It is supported financially by members, local businesses and grant making organisations. It is one of the largest of the 47 county wildlife trusts that work together throughout the British Isles as The Wildlife Trusts.
Langdon Visitor Centre is set in a stunning nature reserve of 461 acres, which comprises of woodland, meadows, lakes and former plotland gardens. It offers miles of excellent walks, where an abundance of wildlife can be enjoyed. The reserve supports many species including birds, butterflies and plants, making this a great place to visit. A beautiful wildlife garden is situated directly behind the centre and our Beatrix Potter sculpture trail attracts 1000’s of visitors each year. Langdon also has the Haven plotland museum. This 1930’s/1940’s museum gives a glimpse in to the life of Londoners who purchased land to turn in to a country getaway.
The main aims of this post are:
· Co-ordinate and oversee reserve management of Langdon Nature Reserve
· Be part of the Visitor Centre team supporting the delivery at the Centre
· Managing volunteer reserve team to ensure reserves tasks are completed to a high standard.
· Ensuring safe working practices and high levels of site and equipment maintenance are kept.
· Ensure all our visitors are engaged with the wildlife of the site, through delivery of a varied programme of nature events.
· Provide an inspiring site for visitors, enabling them to connect with nature and the natural environment.
· Maintaining a robust programme of species monitoring and surveying to inform the site management.
· Ensuring the centre maximises opportunities to recruit new EWT members and increase levels of donations.
Please note this role will require regular weekend working as part of a rota, minimum of alternate weekends is expected. Flexibility to your working pattern is essential.
To apply for the post please return the application form, CV and a cover letter explaining why you think you are suited to the job to HR Department, Abbotts Hall Farm, Great Wigborough, Colchester, Essex, CO5 7RZ or e-mail .
Your application must be received by 9am on 19th February 2018. Please ensure that you name your documents with your full name.
Interviews will be held on 1st March 2018 at Langdon Visitor Centre.
Due to the high number of applicants we are not able to respond to your application unless you are selected for interview. If you have not heard from us by the interview date you have not been successful in getting an interview.
For further information please contact 01621 862960 or visit www.essexwt.org.uk
Thank you for your interest in the work of the Trust and I look forward to receiving your application.
Yours faithfully
Elisa Clayton
Visitor Engagement Area Manager
Essex Wildlife Trust Job Description & Person Specification
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Ranger Langdon Nature ReserveLocation: Langdon Visitor Centre
Reports to: Langdon Site Manager
Responsible for:
Volunteers
Approximately 10 - 20 Reserve Volunteers
Financial Responsibilities: Income Expenditure
Overall responsibility
Direct responsibility 30,000 10,000
Job Purpose:
To co-ordinate and oversee reserve management of Langdon Nature Reserve. Be part of the Visitor Centre Team supporting the running of the Centre and creating an engaging visitor offer.
Responsibility Areas
Key Activities:
· To manage 460acres of woodland, scrub and grassland, ensuring we are Higher Level Scheme compliant
· To manage the access routes through the reserve
· To support the Langdon Regeneration team as needed and take on responsibility for new areas
· To play an active role in the centre team and provide good customer service to the general public.
· Support events at the site
· To work closely with the Langdon Lake and Meadows Ranger
· To provide a safe and enjoyable nature reserve, particularly with regards tree safety
· To achieve Health and Safety best practice at all times
· Site security, repair and maintenance of the reserve infrastructure.
· Repair and maintenance of reserve equipment and machinery
· Wildlife recording and monitoring
· To achieve income targets
People
Key Activities:
· To recruit, train and manage a team of volunteers and ensure they are well organised to work effectively and safely to achieve efficient management of the reserve
Problem Solving/Innovation
Key Activities:
· To deal with issues from members of the public
· To organise the repair of machinery and equipment to ensure efficient management of the site
· To overcome some of the practical habitat management issues
· Ensure reserve work that has specific time scales is undertaken in a timely manner
Planning/organising
Key Activities:
· To write and update the reserves management plan
· Work closely with Langdon Lake and Meadows Ranger to ensure work is completed on both areas
· Under the direction of the Reserves Manager produce a prioritised annual action plan
· To prepare, administer and control income and expenditure budgets, ensure all administrative requirements are carried out in a timely manner
· To manage projects and events
· To complete the Health and Safety Site Audit
· To comply with EWT policies and procedures
· To comply with wildlife and other legislation
Communication
Key Activities:
· To communicate well with Langdon Lakes and Meadows Ranger
· To Promote the reserve through social media platforms and provide the media team with good news stories, use Ranger blogs to provide up to date information on the reserve
· To provide a programme of seasonal walks for the general public
· To provide good interpretation of the reserve through trail leaflets, interpretation boards
· Good internal communication with staff and volunteers that will enable us to engage with visitors
· To promote the Living landscapes to the public, neighbours and stakeholder groups
To undertake any other duties which are commensurate with the role
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Specialist knowledge and experience:· Degree or HND in Conservation, Biology or similarly related discipline or experience in making land management decisions to benefit wildlife and people.
· National Proficiency Tests Council for chainsaw, and Lantra qualifications for tractor and brushcutter.
· Good Experience of leading a team of volunteers
· Ability to engage with visitors/members of the public to ensure EWT message is being well communicated
· Good experience of woodland habitat management
· Good experience of grassland habitat management
· Good understanding of wildlife and other land based legislation
· Proven IT skills in Microsoft Office particularly Word, Excel and Outlook
· Good species ID skills
· Passion for wildlife
Essential Skills and Behaviours:
Team Working
· Makes a positive contribution to the team, supporting colleagues in their day-to-day work.
· Builds a sense of team spirit, encouraging shared ownership of objectives and deliverables.
· Understands the needs of both internal and external colleagues.
Problem solving and analysis
· Identifies potential difficulties and their causes. Generates workable solutions and makes rational judgements.
· Uses previous experience, standard procedures and common sense to make decisions.
· Accurately collects and interprets relevant data in order to support organisation decision-making and delivery of task
Professionalism
· Ensures high standards are achieved and customer needs fulfilled.
· Ensures a quality and consistent approach.
Determination
· Maintains enthusiasm and commitment to deliver results in the face of difficulties.
· Experience of taking responsibility for own actions and making decisions without referring to others.
· Remains calm, stable and in control of themselves even when challenged.
Persuasive communication
· Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, adapting style to suit the audience.
· Identifies the key points to communicate on any interaction, selecting the right channel for the message and audience.
Customer Focus
· Quickly builds rapport and easily establishes relationships with customers
· Relates well to different types of customers, listens and gets on with them.
· Works with others to identify customer needs and issues to ensure services are fit for purpose.
People Management
· Provides clear direction to others.
· Takes the lead comfortably and proactively
Planning
· Proven ability to effectively prioritise, organise, plan and schedule activities and resources
· Manages the activities of self and others through effective prioritising, organising, planning and scheduling of activities and resources.
Special Conditions:· Heavy lifting, physically fit and ability to work all day long
· Requirement to be able to drive and a current full UK driving licence with use of your own vehicle
· Live within 45 minutes of the visitor centre, so that alarm call outs can be attended
· You will be based at Langdon Visitor Centre. Travel will be required across the County to other Essex Wildlife Trust sites and other venues as necessary.
· Rota working including regular weekend working, on an alternate weekend rota, including bank holidays working and some evening working in order to achieve our targets
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
Name of Employer: Essex Wildlife Trust Ltd
Title of Post: Ranger
A detailed job description is available, but this does not form part of the terms of employment.
Responsible to: Langdon Site Manager
Place of Work: Langdon Visitor Centre
Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week, normally 7.5 (excluding 30 mins lunch break) per day. Normal office hours are 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, however, work will be required outside these hours, including work at evenings, regular weekend work as part of a rota (usually working every other weekend) and Bank Holidays for which time may be taken off in lieu. Guidance and procedures on claiming time off in lieu are included in the Staff Handbook, located on SharePoint.
Itinerary: You must complete a staff itinerary in advance for each week for your Line Manager to read, this must show the days you are working, the hours you intend to work and indicate key jobs you are undertaking. This is held on Microsoft Outlook Calendar. Instructions are in the Staff Handbook.
Salary: starting at £22,246 per annum rising to £22,746 per annum on successful completion of probationary aims. Salary is paid monthly in arrears. If for some reason it is clear that the Trust has over paid or under paid on one month it will adjust this by deduction or addition on the next month. Rates of pay are reviewed in November each year. Details of salary during Probationary period will be set out in your letter of appointment.
Travelling: When using your own vehicle on Trust business (excluding ordinary commuting) a mileage allowance may be payable (full details and current rates are available in the Staff Handbook). When you make a travel claim you will be asked to confirm that your private vehicle is appropriately insured, taxed and has an MOT (where applicable).
Annual Leave: Our holiday year runs from 1st January to 31st December. For a complete holiday year full-time staff are entitled to 25 working days in addition to days in lieu of statutory bank holidays rising to 28 days after 3 years’ service.
This entitlement will be pro rata for part-time staff.
Holidays must be taken in consultation with other staff and with the agreement of your Line Manager. If you commence work part way through the holiday year, you need to base your entitlement on the remaining complete months in that holiday year.
You will not normally be able to take more than 3 consecutive weeks as holiday and at least three working days must be taken between November 1st and March 1st. Annual leave must normally be taken in the calendar year it is due, but some days can be carried over with agreement of the Line Manager providing they are taken by 31st March of the following year.
If you leave your employment your holiday entitlement will need to be recalculated for the completed months that you have worked in that holiday year. Discuss any over taken holidays with your Line Manager.
Probationary Period: 6 months during which time the employer or the employee may terminate the employment upon one week’s notice.
Length of Contract: Permanent contract
Other Expenses: Other legitimate claims for expenses on Trust business can be made on the appropriate claim form providing these have been agreed in advance by the appropriate Budget Head.
Pension: The Trust or its subsidiaries will offer a pension contribution of 5% to a pension scheme approved by Essex Wildlife Trust and which meets the criteria for auto-enrolment, providing that the member of staff also contributes 3% into that same pension scheme.
Notice: After the probationary period, one month’s notice of termination of employment is required by either side. The Employer is required to give one additional week of notice for each completed year of continuous employment exceeding 4 completed years to a maximum of 12 weeks’ notice. The Trust may direct a staff member to take any outstanding holiday during the period of notice.
Disciplinary, Grievance and Appeals Procedures: Clear procedures for dealing with any Disciplinary matter or Grievance or Appeal are set out in a separate document as part of the Staff Handbook that may need to be updated from time to time and does not, therefore, form part of these terms of employment.
An employee should take any Grievance or Appeal in the first instance to the Line Manager to whom he/she is responsible. Any Disciplinary matter will, in the first instance, be raised by an Employee’s Line Manager.