1022-437 Regional Deer Operational Delivery Manager - North - Grade E - February 2025

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Job Description

Job title: 1022-437 Deer Programme – Regional Deer Operational Delivery Manager | Grade: E | Hours: 35 | Vacancy type: Temporary ending 31 April 2026 | Location: primary – Inverness, consider Aviemore, Golspie | Salary: £46,682 | Closing date: Midnight, 11 March 2025 | Internal Interviews: 28 March – 01 March 2025 | External Interviews: 9 April – 11 April 2025

Job purpose summary

The purpose of this post is to lead in the co-ordination and management of tasks and people to deliver our programme of work on deer management. This post will be responsible for the operational delivery of NatureScot deer functions across North East / South West Scotland and supporting the delivery of Scottish Biodiversity outcomes.

This post is one of a team of three managers delivering this work programme, providing strategic direction, tactical guidance and operational management. It will support project governance, resource planning and management, and has a key role in liaising with and reporting to the Strategic Deer Board and working closely with other public agency and key stakeholder interests.

The post will manage a team of staff which will support the delivery of this work.

The post covers the whole of Scotland and will require the ability to travel independently, as public transport is not always available and sites are remote. On occasions, this will require travel that necessitates nights away from home.

Context

NatureScot has a statutory responsibility to further the conservation, control and sustainable management of all wild deer species in Scotland.

The sustainable management of Scotland’s deer is vital to enhance biodiversity and achieve a net zero future. The twin climate and biodiversity will see a much greater urgency to our efforts to ensure we realise our ambitious targets on vital issues such as forest regeneration, woodland creation, peatland restoration and habitat improvement.

There will be an increased focus on managing deer impacts to support biodiversity outcomes and delivering the transformational land use reform needed to deliver on climate as well as addressing public safety issues and impacts to agriculture. Delivering the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy objectives of halting loss by 2030 and delivering nature restoration at scale across Scotland by 2045 will require significant reductions in deer impacts and populations. This will require working with a range of stakeholder interests to deliver transformational change, at pace.

Requirements

The post holder will lead a team of staff in delivering a programme of work to work with land managers in delivering sustainable deer management which delivers biodiversity and climate outcomes by addressing deer impacts through effective control and management.

The main duties and responsibilities are:

Advocacy & alignment

• Provide high quality project management in a multi-faceted, complex and accelerating Programme of work which delivers on the Deer working Group Recommendations.
• Lead the policy and projects team in maintaining a strategic and coordinated approach to policy development, project delivery, data and evidence gathering and analysis.
• Work closely with Scottish Government and public agencies and collaborate with stakeholder interests.
• Reach out and coordinate with other teams within NatureScot activities and other public agencies to ensure the team and projects get the required input and support.

Leadership & facilitation

• Lead the team in developing policy intent for aspects of legislative change, policy positions based on evidence, benefits, opportunities and costs ensuring that the rationale for positions is robust.
• Lead the NatureScot work on: Data collection, collation and analysis; and development of appropriate KPIs and reporting. This will establish common data standards, spatial data templates and guidance across all partners involved in carrying out operational activities.
• Support the communications team to promote the benefits of effective deer management and achievements of the work programme.

Monitoring success

• With the Head of Wildlife Management develop and implement an effective mechanism for setting clear goals and milestones, monitoring delivery and reporting on progress.
• Report on assigned risks, finance and progress to the NatureScot Wildlife Activity and Strategic Deer Board.

Managing resources

• Lead, manage and develop a team of staff comprised of policy officers and project leads including staff involved in data and evidence gathering and analysis.
• Manage workloads of the team in an environment where volumes of reactive work vary and put measures in place to build resilience into the team.
• Manage the team budget, and commission/manage contracts where required.
• Lead the data team in supporting and training operational delivery staff with the competencies to collect the data needed to evidence delivery of outcomes.

Prerequisites

• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.
• Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract.

Skills required, (please address these in your Supporting Statement):

We are looking for an excellent project manager with strong people management skills to lead the policy and projects team.

1. Experienced leadership in programme and project management, with ability to plan and prioritise workloads, and manage multiple tasks within resource limits and financial constraints.
2. People and team management, including experience of collaborative cross-team working and managing a growing or changing team.
3. A good understanding of current Scottish land management issues, deer and herbivore management.
4. Communication skills, including influencing, listening, and translation of technical or scientific concepts to a range of audiences.
5. Collaboration and effective liaison with agencies, NGOs, academia and representative bodies.
6. Comfort with operating in a dynamic work environment, with an ability to learn and adapt to new circumstances, and work collaboratively.
7. Ability to resolve problems, including the use of novel and innovative techniques.
8. Driving licence or other means of transport.

NatureScot’s Net Zero commitment

Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.

Application Process

Before applying for this post:

• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575).
• External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide.

All Applicants please note if you have already applied for a vacancy on Fusion please ensure you remove the supporting statement saved in your profile and upload your new supporting statement.

Interviews

External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.

For information regarding the vacancy please contact

Donald Fraser, Head of Wildlife Management

Email:

Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.

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