Community Engagement Officer x 2 – (Fixed Term)

The RSPB Mull of Galloway reserve sits at the southernmost point of Scotland, with a breath-taking cliff top vista of Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, England, and the south coast of Scotland. The reserve hosts important seabird colonies and is also designated for its maritime heath habitat. There is an explosion of life and colour in the Spring as the flowers bloom and the birds start their breeding season. Thousands of people visit the site every year, coming not only for the wildlife, but to visit the fantastic café and lighthouse compound too. As Community Engagement Officer, you will be welcoming these visitors and showing them the sights and sounds of the reserve, enthusing folk about the work of the RSPB, and working with our partners and within the community to get people excited and educated about the natural world. You’ll need to be confident talking to people, knowledgeable about wildlife, and passionate about the work of the RSPB. There is something new to experience every season at the Mull of Galloway, from vibrant flowers on the cliff tops, to views of passing marine mammals in the seas below, and the wonder of thousands of migrating birds soaring over the reserve.

What’s the role about?

In this role you will be the face of the RSPB, building support for nature conservation and our wider work among the local community and visitors to the site. You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of our Visitor Centre where you will welcome visitors to the reserve. You will also be responsible for organising and delivering an exciting events programme both on reserve and off-site within our local communities. We would like you to help develop a strong volunteer team on site, achieving the targets of the reserve and ensuring our volunteers have an excellent experience. Partnership working is an important aspect of the role, and you will need to be able to facilitate and develop good relations with our neighbours and partners. You will also ensure that all the activities you carry out are in line with our brand guidelines and our health and safety requirements.

Essential Skills, Knowledge And Experience

• Good basic knowledge of UK wildlife, habitats and key species, particularly those present in and around the reserve locale.
• Experience of working with the public and engaging them with nature.
• An excellent verbal communicator with experience of organising and delivering events for a wide variety of audiences.
• Knowledge of relevant Health and Safety requirements and experience of maintaining records.
• Computer literacy including Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work under own initiative, motivating themselves and others.
• Ability to drive/access remote locations.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge And Experience

• Able to perform administrative tasks and to deliver accurate reporting to given timescales, including cash-handling.
• Understanding of how to use social media to promote key messages and cause.
• Partnership working.
• Experience of promotion, marketing and production of interpretive material.
• Geographical knowledge of location.
• Membership recruitment/ involved with charitable fundraising via face-to-face methods.

This is a Fixed-Term role for 37.5 hours per week.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 17th March 2025. For further information please contact [email protected].

As part of this application process you will be asked to 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 exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. 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.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.