We are Worcestershire’s leading nature conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and the natural environment.  The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts is the umbrella organisation for the country’s 46 Wildlife Trusts and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust was one of the first to form almost 60 years ago.

In 2023, we introduced our new strategy that looks ahead to 2030.  

Our vision, mission and strategic goals
Our vision: A wilder Worcestershire – more nature everywhere, for everyone.
Our mission: To lead nature’s recovery through community action.

Our three strategic goals
Nature in recovery: 30% of land in recovery for nature by 2030.
Action for nature: one in four people taking action for nature by 2030.
Sustaining our future: more diversity, more funding; carbon zero by 2030.

Leadership and advising the Council

• Work with the Chair, Council of Trustees and the senior leadership team (SLT) to continue making progress towards achieving WWT’s strategic vision.
• Provide strong, visible leadership to WWT, ensuring staff and volunteers are engaged with the Trust’s vision, mission and goals, and are motivated to deliver them.
• Cultivate a culture of continuous learning to encourage staff to develop their skills.  
• Champion and promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation.

Governance

• Keep abreast of legislative, regulatory and governance issues that may impact the Trust and ensure mitigation strategies are put in place.
• Ensure that communication with Trustees is open, timely and effective.
• Ensure that WWT maintains financial security in both the short and long term and that it has procedures to manage both financial and reputational risk.
• Ensure that WWT meets all legal and compliance requirements, including legislation relating to health and safety, data protection, employment, safeguarding and the regulatory framework for charities as well as all requirements associated with fundraising.
• Oversee management activities of the Trust’s subsidiary undertakings and affiliated local groups and any related and/or associated ventures for which the Trust has management responsibility.

External relations and engagement

• Be proactive, prominent and vocal in communicating the vision, philosophy and achievements of WWT.
• Be an ambassador for WWT and an active strategic participant with RSWT and other wildlife trusts.  
• Develop productive and mutually beneficial relationships with key partners and individuals in the public, private and voluntary sectors to further the Trust’s aims and elicit ongoing support for our work.
• Ensure timely and effective engagement with the Trust’s members.

Operations and delivery

• Work closely with the SLT to ensure the smooth and effective running of the Trust, meeting the delivery of operational plans and longer-term strategy, reporting to the Council on strategic and financial performance against agreed objectives on a regular basis.
• Ensure that WWT is able to respond rapidly to emerging opportunities, challenges and risks.
• Ensure the effective deployment of the Trust’s resources of people, land, buildings, equipment and finance to deliver its objectives.
• Oversee the effective management of external contractors, staff and volunteers to deliver the required outputs as efficiently as possible.
• Support a culture of openness, feedback and learning and development that will encourage staff and volunteers to flourish.
• Actively promote a recognition culture in relation to volunteers, recognising volunteer impact and service, ensuring that volunteers and local groups remain integral to the operation of the organisation and are encouraged and supported.

Risk management

• Implement, maintain and report against a comprehensive register of organisational risks. Ensure that robust procedures are in place for evaluating the risks attached to the Trust’s activities, including those related to new programmes of work, proposed projects, asset acquisitions and disposals, financial investments and borrowing.
• Identify the key issues facing the Trust in both the short and long term and respond to these while mitigating operational, reputational and financial risk.
• Ensure that there are robust processes in place for business continuity and cyber security, and that adequate insurance is in place for all elements of the Trust’s operations. 

Experience

• Successful senior management experience, preferably within a wildlife, conservation, environmental or community organisation.
• Proven ability in strategic planning, translation into operational delivery and monitoring of output.
• Demonstrable strong financial acumen with evidence of generating income from various sources, ideally in the not-for-profit sector.
• Adept at developing and building relationships and partnerships with external organisations.
• Skilled at advocating for organisations, with outstanding communications ability in public settings.

Qualifications and knowledge

• Appropriate academic qualification, probably a first degree, ideally with relevant further study.
• Demonstrable understanding of wildlife, conservation and environmental matters.
• Familiarity with the environment and nature conservation movement and the voluntary sector, including an appreciation of relevant regional and national policy.
• Awareness of charity law and governance in the not-for-profit sector including charity finances.

Personal attributes

• A leader with presence, resilience and integrity, able to inspire trust and confidence, to foster an inclusive approach, to provide clear direction to staff and volunteers, to act decisively, and to motivate and empower people to achieve organisational goals.
• Able to work confidently with the Trustees and staff at all levels to ensure smooth and effective operation of the Trust.
• Willing to delegate effectively to enable teams and individuals to realise their full potential through the development of skills, knowledge and experience.
• A skilled negotiator with a successful record of using a range of influencing styles to achieve required results, able to command respect quickly with Trustees, politicians, members and a wide range of interested parties within and outside the sector.
• An effective, imaginative and pragmatic problem-solver.
• A genuine passion for wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability.

Skills

• Strong business management and leadership skills, able to evaluate information logically and thoughtfully and to make rational high-level judgements and decisions.
• Good financial management skills, including budgeting, fundraising and grant management.
• Able to balance competing organisational priorities effectively at a strategic level and communicate decisions clearly and sensitively.
• An authentic commitment to the principles and execution of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Able to identify, manage and defuse conflict, remaining calm when challenged or in the face of setbacks.
• Able to write and speak clearly, fluently and in a compelling manner to individuals and groups within and outside WWT.  This will include media appearances and addressing meetings.
• Willingness to listen to others’ opinions and understand differing needs and viewpoints.

This role is a permanent full-time position and will be based at our headquarters at Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SZ.

The annual salary will be in the range £63,000 to £72,000, depending on skills.

The Pension Scheme is a Salary Sacrifice Scheme with Royal London. Employees sacrifice a minimum of 4% and the Trust then contributes an additional 8% plus the Employers NI savings made due to the Salary Sacrifice element.

Annual leave is 33 days (inclusive of eight bank holidays with three days required to be used to cover the closure between Christmas and New Year) increasing by one day per three years of service to a maximum of 38 days.

Group Life Assurance policy worth three times annual salary.

Health Cash Plan and Wellbeing Services provided via HealthShield.

Contractual Sick Pay.

Applications should be made through the Networx portal and should include:

• A covering letter (maximum two pages of A4) explaining why the appointment interests you, how you meet the criteria and what makes you the ideal person for this post. 
• A CV (maximum two pages of A4) containing your qualifications and full employment history.  Please provide daytime and evening telephone contact numbers and e-mail addresses, all of which will be used with discretion.  Please also give contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer.  References will not be taken without your permission.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 18^th August.

Interviews will be held on Monday 2^nd September with successful candidates being invited to a second interview the next day (Tuesday 3^rd September). More information will be provided closer to the time.

We’re Wild About Inclusion. To us, this means inspiring, empowering and engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and abilities to change the natural world for the better. It also means cultivating inclusive workspaces that are free from discrimination, where differences are valued and everyone can be themselves and flourish, just like in nature!

Thank you for your interest in the position. We look forward to receiving your application.