Job Advertisement: Conservation Manager

• Hours: 37.5 hours/week
• Permanent post
• Salary: £30,000-£32,000 dependent on experience
• Reports to: Director
• Line manages: Conservation team
• Application deadline: 09:00, Monday 1 September 2025
• Interview date: 10 September 2025

This is an amazing opportunity to lead and manage the practical conservation work of Cymdeithas Eryri, the Snowdonia Society. We are a registered charity working to protect and enhance the beauty and special qualities of the Eryri National Park. As part of Strategic Plan, we work with partner organisations to deliver practical conservation work, often involving volunteers. We are looking for an experienced, capable environmental professional to lead our conservation work, head up our conservation team, and communicate our work.

This is a significant role within the Society. If you are an experienced, enthusiastic environmentalist who wants to make a difference, this is for you.

Your role will be to manage our practical conservation team, organise and lead a programme of practical volunteer workdays including staffing and leader coordination, risk assessments, volunteer recruitment, practical arrangements, publicity of opportunities and work carried out, recording of volunteer activity and reporting on work completed. We will be recruiting two additional members of our conservation team shortly after you start and you will have a key role in shortlisting and making these appointments.

Working with the Programme Manager and Director, you will develop practical long-term programmes of work; identify and prioritise practical work opportunities with partners, ensure good communications, gather feedback and apply continual improvement. You will be the Society’s key link with our partner organisations regarding this work.

You will manage, support and develop our conservation team ensuring that they can deliver to their job roles and duties effectively.

You will represent the Society at events and to groups, in partnerships and in the media to build support for our work.

You will lead on Health and Safety and safeguarding for our volunteering programme. You will keep up to date with relevant guidance, legislation and best practice; co-ordinate H&S protocols, records and risk assessments and also ensure Safeguarding protocols are followed.

The person

You will be an experienced environmental professional with a good range of practical skills. You will be a good communicator, with a passion for wildlife and conservation. You will have experience of being able to manage a small team, ensure our health and safety and safeguarding policies are followed and undertake effective reporting. You will have good computer skills and the ability to confidently use excel, word and other software programmes. This role involves some working at weekends, with time off in lieu as part of our flexible working policy.

As the Welsh language and culture has been recognised as one of the special qualities of the of the Eryri National Park and as we aim to deliver our publicly facing events in both Welsh and English, as appropriate, we are looking for someone who is able to communicate in both Welsh and English.  Committed Welsh learners and second language speakers are particularly encouraged to apply. We want to help you develop your Welsh language skills! To put it another way, we are looking for someone at approximately Level 3 or above in the Welsh Government’s Welsh Language Skills Matrix.

A current driving license, and use of a vehicle with business insurance, is essential.  Work takes place across Snowdonia and hand tools will need to be transported to the worksites. Out of office mileage is reimbursed.

This role may involve working with young people under the age of 18 and adults who may be classed as vulnerable or at risk.  The successful candidate will require a satisfactory enhanced DBS check (evidenced through subscription to the Update Service or by application following appointment).

Benefits

• Family-friendly policy including 28 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays each year
• Enhanced arrangements for sick pay after six months of service
• A flexible working policy
• Subscription to an employee assistance programme which includes access to mental health support and GP services and employee discounts

Role Description

• Hours: 37.5 hours/week
• Permanent post
• Salary: £30,000-£32,000 dependent on experience
• Reports to: Director
• Line manages: Conservation team

Key responsibilities

1. Deliver the practical conservation and volunteer engagement elements of our Strategic Plan by leading and managing our conservation team, often working towards outputs outlined in successful grant applications
   • Organise and lead a programme of practical volunteer workdays including staffing / leader coordination, risk assessments, volunteer recruitment, practical arrangements, publicity of opportunities and work carried out, recording of volunteer activity and reporting on work completed.
   • Work to increase the diversity of volunteers and the improve the quality of the volunteer experience.
2. Line Manage, support and develop the conservation team staff to ensure they deliver to their job roles and duties effectively and follow appropriate procedures. Also support the development of trainees and work experience placements.
3. Follow the Society’s policies and procedures at all times, including but not limited to Equality, diversion and inclusion, Family friendly policies, sickness and absence policy, Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and GDPR compliance
4. Input to monitoring and evaluation of the Society’s work, and, with other staff, develop and contribute to effective impact reporting.
5. Working with the Director and Programme Manager, develop the Society’s volunteer work programme, trialling new activities and ways of working which will deliver the outcomes of our Action Plan. Develop practical long-term programmes of work; identify and prioritise practical work opportunities with partners, ensure good communications, gather feedback and apply continual improvement.  Liaise with other society staff.
6. Be the key link to work in collaboration and communicate effectively with partner organisations with whom we work to deliver our volunteer and practical conservation work. These currently include the Eryri National Park Authority, the National Trust and the Outdoor Partnership.
7. Represent the Society at events, to groups, in partnerships and in the media to build support for our work and share our successes and achievements.
8. Lead on Health and Safety for the volunteering programme, and, after suitable training and experience, for all the Society’s activities; keep up to date with relevant guidance, legislation and best practice; co-ordinate H&S protocols, records and risk assessments.
9. Contribute to development of new inhouse accredited training units and resources, organise and lead training sessions, carry out course assessments.
10. Assist with other areas of the Society’s work as necessary

Additional Responsibilities:

• The Welsh language is one of the nine special qualities of Eryri.  All staff should advocate for and promote the use of the Welsh language.  In line with their own Welsh language ability, staff members should support Welsh learners to develop skills and encourage non-Welsh speakers to learn about and appreciate the Welsh language.
• To effectively manage time, liaising with other staff to agree priorities for the focus of work
• Work to recruit members to the Society
• Maintain an up to date, accurate and clear record of hours worked and make expenses claims in good time ensuring both are complete and up to date by any deadlines for e.g. grant claims
• To work collaboratively and communicate effectively

For further information please contact Rory Francis at director@snowdonia-society.org.uk.

All applications should be sent to info@snowdonia-society.org.uk by 9am on Monday 1 September.

Please note we can only accept applications which are completed using our Application Form