Candidate Information Pack

Candidate Information Pack

Wildlife Recording Assistant

RSPB Scotland

Vacancy Details

Wildlife Recording Assistant

RSPB Scotland

Part time (21 hours p/wk), 68 week contract

£12,675 pa pro rata

Nr Falkirk

The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) is working to conserve, enhance and share the diverse heritage of the Inner Forth area. Would you like to join the team as a trainee? We are looking for an individual who has a passion for nature, the ability to share this with others and an interest in supporting the development of wildlife recording in the landscape. With a focus on IFLI's Forth Nature Counts project you will work closely with the IFLI team, our partners and benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities. The IFLI team is based at the RSPB Skinflats Reserve Office near Grangemouth, but your role will involve travel to different project sites throughout the Inner Forth area. The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

We have a role to play in protecting our environment by being as ‘green’ as possible. As a conservation organisation, we know a healthy environment is critical for nature and that we need to lead by example. Through our environmental management system (EMAS), we have an Environmental Policy, objectives and targets which prioritises where we can do most. All staff members are asked to respect and adhere to our green principles.

Based at RSPB Skinflats Reserve Office, Bothkennar Research Station, Haughs of Airth, Falkirk FK2 8PP

Closing date: 30 June 2015. Interview date: 7 July 2015.

How to Apply

If you have questions about the role please contact Kate Fuller, IFLI Community Engagement Officer:

We would invite you to complete the application form at the end of the pack and submit it to Clare Bunyard, Administration Manager:

Please ensure your application clearly details how your skills/knowledge/experience demonstrates you are able to deliver on the key result areas.

Our policy is to recruit and employ our employees on the basis of their suitability for the work to be done. An application form allows us to compare individuals based on like for like information and as such we would not accept a CV for this role unless accompanied by a fully completed application.

/ JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title / Wildlife Recording Assistant (21 hours per week for 68 weeks, fixed term)
Purpose of Job / This training post will assist in delivering the biological recording, training and community engagement aims of the Forth Nature Counts project within the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative.
Salary Range / £12,675-£15,400
Dept/Reserve / South and West Scotland Region / Inner Forth Landscape Initiative
Primary Work Base / South and West Scotland Region
Line Manager / Inner Forth Landscape Initiative Community Engagement Officer
Reportees / Volunteers
Main Duties
1.  To support the IFLI Community Engagement Officer in successful delivery of the IFLI Forth Nature Counts project.
2.  To attend and support the organisation of a series of wildlife identification (ID) and survey skills workshops and drop in sessions throughout the Inner Forth area. These are suitable for people with a range of knowledge and experience to improve their wildlife ID, gain skills in biological recording and understand the benefit of citizen science to nature conservation.
3.  To promote and encourage participation in volunteer biological recording/citizen science within the Inner Forth area by maintaining and developing a series of Survey Walks/Transects on IFLI project sites aimed at generating a diverse range of wildlife records.
4.  To support and empower potential volunteers and individual volunteer biological recorders/citizen scientists or groups and schools participating in ‘Forth Nature Counts’ with identification, survey advice and signposting to further opportunities.
5.  To enter biological records data generated by casual volunteers and the postholder into the Inner Forth Nature Counts iRecord Form and where appropriate, to undertake limited record verification.
6.  To promote and encourage community awareness and participation in IFLI projects including Forth Nature Counts through talks, event attendance, running small-scale events, e-newsletters and social media contributions.
7.  To work with colleagues in RSPB Scotland and all partner organisations as required to contribute to the successful delivery of the scheme.
Other Duties
1.  To share their learning and experience with others through the production of at least one blog post per month, to be published on the IFLI website.
2.  To undertake a range of training and work-shadowing opportunities as agreed.
3.  To liaise with other similar projects and trainees as appropriate.
4.  To continually strive to add value across the full suite of IFLI projects.
5.  To support the wider work of the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative team as necessary, which may involve travel to off-site meetings or participation in training and development events.
Partnership Information
This is a training placement managed under the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative.
The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) is a partnership between:
·  Clackmannanshire Council: www.clacksweb.org.uk/
·  Central Scotland Green Network Trust: www.csgnt.org.uk/
·  Falkirk Council: www.falkirk.gov.uk
·  Historic Scotland: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
·  RSPB Scotland: www.rspb.org.uk/
·  Scottish Natural Heritage: www.snh.gov.uk
·  Stirling Council: www.stirling.gov.uk
·  Sustrans: www.sustrans.org.uk/
IFLI is a Landscape Partnership Scheme supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund:


/ PERSON SPECIFICATION
PLEASE ASSUME REQUIREMENT IS ESSENTIAL UNLESS STATED AS DESIRABLE
Education/Qualifications
Higher or O/A Level Science or Environment related subject
Ecology/Environmental subject degree or relevant experience / Desirable
Knowledge
Familiarity with the Inner Forth area
Of biological recording schemes used in Scotland
Of ecology/landscape conservation issues and designations / Desirable
Of Health and Safety issues / Desirable
Skills
Flexible and adaptable approach to work
Ability to produce clear and concise written work and reports
Excellent verbal communication when speaking to and liaising with members of the public, colleagues and peers
Excellent time management and able to work to set deadlines
Able to work under own initiative
Ability to identify a range of taxa / Desirable
Attention to detail – thorough and accurate / Desirable
Experience
Confident user of all Microsoft Office applications
Of working with volunteers / community groups
Of participating in citizen science/biological recording schemes/ecological recording
Of working with schools / young people / Desirable
Of working with a range of organisations / Desirable
Of planning small-scale events and activities / Desirable
Of using Joomla to update websites and/or of using social media / Desirable
Other
An interest in undertaking training and workshadowing
An interest in conservation and/or citizen science and/or sustainable development
Willingness to take on and participate in a wide range of tasks
Ability to work as part of a team
Enthusiastic and outgoing
Ability to work outside normal office hours, including evenings, early mornings and weekends
Must be able to travel to events and locations throughout the Inner Forth area which have limited or no public transport links
Additional Information
The RSPB works for a healthy environment for all and we therefore expect you to take action in accordance with our Environmental Policy and objectives. Together we can make a positive difference for our world.
You will be expected to apply ‘sound value for money’ principles in undertaking purchasing or supply of goods and services.

How we expect you to work
The RSPB has seven key competencies that are important to our organisation’s success. We expect all employees to demonstrate the following behaviours in everything that they do:
Direction:
You ensure you have a clear direction and sense of common purpose that guides what you do and how you approach your work.
Energy:
You bring energy and urgency to the RSPB to motivate people to do the best they can.
Capability:
You build your own and other people’s capabilities, directly and indirectly.
Relationships:
You communicate effectively and build productive internal and external relationships
Change:
You support continuous improvement and change and constantly look for way to do things better.
Advocacy:
You act as an advocate for the RSPB.
Performance:
You get things done, achieve ambitious goals and the RSPB’s aims.
In addition, the following behaviours are essential upon appointment to this particular role:
·  Customer focused and forms productive internal partnerships
·  A solutions based approach to problem resolutions
·  Encourages everyone to look at the bigger picture to achieve the RSPB goals over departmental objectives
·  Encourages innovation and allows other peoples ideas to be developed
·  Encourages others to buy into and support change
·  Able to form productive relationships internally and share knowledge, offering co-operation rather that competition
·  Surfaces and deals with conflict constructively

Who we are and what we do

The RSPB in a nutshell

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB):

·  Was formed in 1889 to counter the barbaric trade in bird plumes for women’s hats

·  Has since grown into a world-leading wildlife conservation organization and now speaks out for all birds and wildlife, tackling the problems which threaten our environment

·  Has over a million members, including more than 200,000 youth members

·  Has more than 2,000 active staff members and almost 18,000 volunteers, who donate more than a million hours of their time – that’s the equivalent of 600 full-time staff

·  Has a NET income available for charitable purposes of £89.3 million

·  Has more than 200 nature reserves covering 143,7800 hectares and home to 80% of our rarest or most threatened bird species

·  Has a UK headquarters, three national offices and eight regional offices

·  Has a network of over 150 local groups and more than 150 youth groups

·  Has an impressive global reach, with active projects and capacity building programmes in 26 countries and 8 UK Overseas Territories

·  Is the UK partner and leading player, in Birdlife International

·  Has the largest charity mail order operation in the UK, and also has the UK’s most successful charity credit card

Volunteers

Volunteers founded the RSPB 125 years ago and remain a vitally important part of the organization today; there are approximately nine volunteers for every paid member of staff

Our volunteers bring a unique range of skills and qualities to the RSPB, help stretch our scarce resources and keep us in touch with grass roots.

Our Strategy, Mission and Cultural Values

Our Strategy

Our vision: A world richer in nature

Imagine this. Wild birds and other wildlife will no longer be declining. Nature is restored, enriching and sustaining the lives of people as a result. Such a world would guarantee that future generations have clean air and water, a stable climate, abundant and diverse wildlife, and a robust, diverse and sustainable economy.

Our long-term purpose: saving nature

We believe that:

·  There is a moral imperative to save nature

·  Nature is crucial for peoples quality of life and the planet’s life support systems

·  Birds are an integral part of the web of life

·  We are well placed to stand up for birds and all nature

·  The challenge is great, we must work with others to succeed

·  We need growing popular support

Our Mission

By 2020

Our work is both urgent and important and we need to act now to make a difference. The worlds governments have committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020 and we will challenge them, as well as businesses, civil society and ourselves, to take the steps necessary to reach this goal, and then go further.

Our Cultural Values

Our cultural values are the way we work with each other and partners:

Bold

We speak out honestly for what we believe in, aiming higher and pushing further for growth. We seek to provide innovative, fun and sociable ways for people to get involved

Focused

We identify where birds and wildlife are most under threat, then act decisively and with commitment to save them and deliver tangible results

Supportive

We support each other and our sector partners in order to flourish, and make sure our supporters receive reward and recognition for their contribution

Together

We work together for the biggest possible impact across the RSPB and with partners across the UK and globally

Working at the RSPB

Hours of work

Normal hours of work for full-time employees are 37.5 hours per week. We are introducing new Flexitime and TOIL frameworks to recognise the commitment of staff and their willingness to be extremely flexible in the interests of conservation and the organisation, with the aim of making flexibility available to as many people as possible.

Leave entitlement

Holiday entitlement in a full year is 26 working days,four of which must be taken during the RSPB’s Christmas shutdown. Public holidays (or days in lieu) are additional to annual leave.Long serving staff receive additional holidays:

3 years’ continuous service 28 days

7 years’ continuous service30 days

Part-time staff (which includes part-year staff) are entitled to a pro-rata number of days annual leave.

The RSPB prides itself on being a flexible and supportive employer. We have a range of options available to support our employees including parental, family, and special leave alongside our maternity and paternity leave arrangements. More details of entitlements when working at the RSPB can be found on our intranet page.

Payment during sickness absence

The RSPB operates an Occupational Sick Pay Scheme (OSP) in parallel to the Government’s Statutory Sick Pay Scheme. OSP allowances are determined by length of service from 30 days (6 weeks) in your first year up to 180 days (30 weeks) after 5 years’ service

For part-time employees, OSP is based on the number of days worked per week and paid at the normal part-time rate.

Learning & development

The RSPB is committed to supporting new employees. We offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities including on-going training, e-learning and through our induction process.

We have a long standing commitment which has survived the economic downturn, to providing quality learning and development opportunities. We prioritise leadership and management which are key to people motivation and success. Our recent leadership programmes have received the Institute of Leadership and Management accreditation.

The Learning and Development team’s focus and aim is to aid the organisation to succeed.