Senior Reserve Manager - South West Cumbria in Butterwick

Overview

The role will sit within a wider team in South Cumbria responsible for Gait Barrows, Great Asby Scar, and Roudsea Wood and Mosses. It will be based at the new NNR base at Earnse Bay, North Walney, which serves as the main operational hub for North Walney and Southwest Cumbria NNRs, supporting strategic partnership work that delivers nature recovery and public health benefits across Morecambe Bay. The post holder must maintain an active onsite presence at North Walney for a minimum of three days per week and may be required to work weekends, public holidays, and evenings.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to deliver Natural England ambitions and drive the NNR / Nature Recovery Network agenda across South Cumbria reserves on a landscape scale.
• Develop and oversee strategic and operational delivery plans for the Southwest Cumbria NNR group.
• Be responsible for delivering high‑value, strategically complex programmes on the Southwest Cumbria NNRs, dealing with challenging external issues.
• Support the Earnse Project partnership by developing long‑term volunteer development and access and interpretation improvements at North Walney NNR.
• Support the development of the new North Walney capital build project at Earnse Bay by providing direct input for the building’s functionality and fit‑for‑purpose, and later act as site supervisor ensuring facilities management, maintenance, health & safety, and resource provision for NNR operations.
• Play an integral role in pursuing and maintaining external partnerships to achieve and develop Southwest Cumbria NNR ambitions.
• Provide functional line management to NNR staff and volunteers, including responsibility for health & safety across the reserves.
• Engage with the wider organisation across Programmes and Directorates to help shape policy and future direction for NNRs.

Qualifications and Skills

• Leadership (essential): ability to line‑manage and develop others, manage remote volunteers, motivate individuals and groups, and use coaching and diverse engagement styles.
• Health & Safety (essential): risk assessment and management, sound judgment and decision‑making in complex situations, experience with on‑site tasks and equipment operation.
• Work delivery (essential): ability to manage complex, landscape‑scale or Area Team projects and programmes, evaluate priorities, balance resources, and deliver on time and within budget with Reserve Managers.
• Collaboration & partnerships (desirable): honesty and integrity, lead Natural England’s contribution to existing partnerships, issue resolution, strategic thinking to identify new partnership opportunities, and negotiation skills.
• Technical skills (essential): knowledge of NNR purposes, site selection principles, tenure, declaration, and relevant legal and regulatory processes; understanding of reserve activities, tools, and equipment; competence in IT, budget management, and planning programmes across multiple sites and years.
• Environmental and organisational outcomes (desirable): understanding of local, regional and national environmental issues; familiarity with Local Nature Recovery, Creating Resilient Landscapes and Seas, and the principle of putting people at the heart of the environment.

Reserves Managed

• North Walney
• Duddon Mosses

Benefits

Natural England offers full‑time, part‑time and flexible working arrangements. Staff receive ten days annually for personal learning and development, plus three days for volunteering, and a generous leave allowance of 33 days per year (pro‑rata). The Civil Service Pension scheme provides a 28.97% employer contribution. Additional benefits include shopping discounts, a cycle‑to‑work scheme, and discounts through the Civil Service Sport club.