Dormouse Officer

Role:

This post is a member of the Conservation Programme Team, one of three teams within the wider Conservation Team. This post runs and is responsible for delivering the activities and objectives of the Hazel Dormouse Recovery Programme.

The Dormouse Officer organises and delivers the PTES hazel dormouse recovery programme objectives in partnership with internal colleagues and external partners. They play a central role in English and Welsh dormouse conservation efforts through the three projects that PTES runs and delivers that form the basis of the statutory defined recovery programme.

Key responsibilities

National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP)
Engage with volunteers at NDMP sites, maintaining and enhancing the quality of the programme, offering support as needed

Manage online site registration and maintain an effective online data entry system,Refresh and share field-based monitoring guidance annually (including responsibility for H&S risk assessments as required, in conjunction with external experts as required)
Manage a Google forum and produce quarterly E-news communications to enthuse and support volunteers

Regularly attend and lead field-based monitoring sessions at the trusts reserve or elsewhere

Use the annual trend data (that is analysed by an external statistician) to produce public facing summaries and interpretation including contributing to three yearly State of Britain’s Dormouse reports

Contribute to and inform media content relating to the NDMPManage the dormouse nest box programme that produces and distributes dormouse nest boxes to support NDMP sites and supply boxes to ecological consultants

Hazel Dormouse Reintroduction Programme Source suitable woodland sites (often years in advance) in strategic locations

Liaise with captive breeders and vets to ensure sufficient healthy animal’s supply

Ensure landowners and managers understand benefits of and have the support and skills to undertake sympathetic and sustainable habitat management at their site Ensure a pipeline of willing, skilled local volunteers, to support the reintroduction, monitor the releases population and support management efforts in the future

Produce regular reports on the outcomes and success of the reintroduction programme for stakeholders and funders

Act as a media spokesperson for this project if and when required

Knowledge sharing, guidance and support

Identify, collate and update evidence to produce land management, ecology training sessions and survey guidance (in conjunction with external experts as required) comment on and critique guidance produced by other stakeholders (for example Forestry Commission management guidance)
Plan and deliver the national dormouse conference (typically every three years) with assistance from other staff

Finance, funding and reporting

Manage and track the budget for the hazel dormouse programmes of work Contribute to funding bids and work with the fundraising team to support income generation

Monitor expenditure and produce reports (as required) for funders (for example Natural England) and the board

Maintain oversight of the Hazel Dormouse Strategic Plan (as set out in the Conservation Standards framework) to enable adaptive management

National species conservation strategy

Contribute to the development and delivery the goals and objectives with a broad group of stakeholders

Responsible for delivering objectives that have been set to enable the strategy

Other work Contribute to the organisation through project work that may vary from time to time.

Working principles for all PTES colleagues

Commit to a respectful, positive working culture, displaying professional etiquette to ensure all staff, external colleagues and volunteers feel safe, valued and empowered.

Work…