Peatland Action Project Officer - North Eastern Scotland - D Grade

Job Title:

Peatland Action Project Officer - North Eastern Scotland | Grade: D | Salary: £41,567 |

Location:

Aberdeenshire/Morray (Home and hybrid working will be considered) | Vacancy Type:
Permanent |

Hours:

35 | Closing Date:
Midnight 13 September 2026 | Interview Date: 08 October 2026 Job Purpose Summary

The purpose of this post is to work as part of Nature Scot’s Peatland ACTION Team to lead on the development and implementation of peatland restoration projects in partnership with land managers.

The post holder will work with colleagues, partners, contractors, agents and land managers to identify peatland restoration projects which deliver a range of benefits for people and nature e.g. carbon emission savings, improved water quality, and increased biodiversity.

They will engage with agents and land managers to identify opportunities for new projects and encourage them to submit these sites for development.

The post will be responsible for leading on the designing their own projects, for developing fully costed applications for funding to Nature Scot (Peatland ACTION), and for overseeing their delivery on the ground. They will also act as a point of contact and support for ‘Agent-led’ projects being developed.

In addition, the post will provide advice and guidance for the organisation on complex peatland planning casework. This will support Operational Teams through the provision of advice on development proposals that have the potential to impact peatlands and their associated habitats and supported fauna.

The post holder will be required to be based in mainland Scotland in the vicinity Aberdeenshire to carry out the essential operational duties i.e. regular site visits.

Nature Scot’s Peatland programme delivers actions to protect, manage, and restore Scotland’s peatlands. It supports the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan which, in part, aims to restore 400,000ha of degraded peatland by 2040. The programme is integral to the government’s determination for peatlands to provide a range of benefits for people, nature, and climate e.g. better water quality and flow regulation, increased levels biodiversity, reduced carbon emissions, and the further development of the green economy.

As part of the Peatland ACTION partnership, Nature Scot has a dual role in providing leadership on shared services/business solutions across all delivery partners and expanding delivery of peatland restoration on the ground.

The post holder will be part of Peatland ACTION’s Delivery Team made up of 20 Peatland ACTION Officers based all over Scotland.

• Develop the necessary partnerships and engagement with landowners and land managers, to raise awareness of the project, arrange access for peatland surveys and agree the scope of potential capital works and long-term management to improve the quality and extent of the peat resource and its associated habitats.
• Develop peatland project plans with costed work programmes.
• Work with colleagues to develop funding applications to Nature Scot’s Peatland ACTION Programme or other funding sources, for short term capital and longer-term peatland management.
• Develop and manage contracts for peatland restoration works including the procurement and supervision of specialist contractors.
• Support Nature Scot Area Teams through the provision of advice on developments proposals on peatlands

• Work with the Peatland ACTION Funding Team to monitor project delivery, set milestones and produce regular project progress reports.
• Create and analyse spatial data used to underpin restoration evidence, reporting and effectiveness monitoring, with support from the Peatland ACTION Data & Evidence Team.
• Collaborate with the Peatland ACTION Data & Evidence Team to develop protocols and tools that assist with restoration planning and monitoring and streamline data management.

• Provide expert advice on peatland management to the land management and conservation community.
• Work with the Peatland ACTION Communications Team to promote Peatland ACTION to stakeholders, through the production of promotional/educational…