Project Officer - Saving Worcestershire’s Heathlands

Closing date: Monday 9 February 2026

Salary: £15,900 (0.6 FTE) – Full‐time equivalent £26,500

Contract type: Fixed term / Working hours: Part time

Location: Lower Smite Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, Worcester & Droitwich, Worcestershire, WR3 8SZ

About you:

Are you passionate about wildlife and keen to engage local communities and young people in heathlands and local wildlife as part of a large‐scale habitat restoration project? We want to hear from you if you're personable, passionate and organised, with experience in enthusing children and young adults through your knowledge of wildlife and the outdoors. This role offers the opportunity to work with local schools and communities, helping them connect with nature and play an active part in a major heathland restoration project.

About the role:

Saving Worcestershire's Heathlands is a five‐year National Lottery Heritage Fund project restoring rare lowland heathland and supporting the rare wildlife that depends on it. Now entering its final year, this is a fantastic opportunity to build on strong momentum and help deliver even more for nature and local communities.

You will work with schools, colleges and youth organisations to engage young people with nature. Focussing on the Trust's heathland nature reserves between Kidderminster and Bewdley, you will help to inspire young people through giving them the knowledge of why heathlands are vital habitats and show them how they can play their part in protecting them, as well how they can take positive action for wildlife within their communities.

Your work will include leading activities such as scrub clearance, habitat box making, planting, surveying and other habitat creation methods, as well as supporting improvements to school grounds for nature. You will also attend events on our reserves and within local communities.

You will be part of a small, supportive team delivering engagement activities, practical conservation sessions, events and workshops that help people connect with their local heathland reserves. Young people and community involvement are essential to our mission and this role plays a key part in supporting nature's recovery in Worcestershire.

Some evening and weekend work will be required. A full driving licence is essential. This is a part‐time role (21 hours per week) on a fixed‐term contract until 31 January 2027, with the working pattern agreed with the successful candidate.

About us:

We are Worcestershire's leading nature conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and the natural environment. We are supported by over 21,000 individual members. Our 40 staff are supported by our 500 volunteers who are vital to the delivery of our work. We manage 75+ nature reserves across the county, covering 12.5 square kilometres of land, and provide land management advice across around a quarter of Worcestershire. Inspiring people to take action for nature is central to our work, from schools and youth groups to communities and local businesses.

Our strategy to 2030 focuses on three key goals:

• Nature in recovery: 30% of land for nature by 2030
• Action for nature: one in four people taking action for nature by 2030
• Sustaining our future: more diversity, more funding and carbon zero by 2030

We are one of 46 independent Wildlife Trusts across the UK.

We're Wild About Inclusion. To us, this means inspiring, empowering and engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and abilities to change the natural world for the better. It also means cultivating inclusive workspaces that are free from discrimination, where differences are valued and everyone can be themselves and flourish, just like nature! As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we actively welcome applications from disabled candidates. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements and choose to apply under the scheme will be offered an interview.

What we offer:

We offer a supportive, friendly and purpose‐driven working environment where your contribution genuinely makes a difference for wildlife and local communities. As part of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, you'll benefit from:

• A generous annual leave allowance of 6.6 weeks including bank holidays
• A holiday purchase scheme
• A contributory pension scheme with 4% employee / 8% employer contributions
• Flexible and hybrid working options, where possible
• Enhanced Parental Leave policies
• Group Life Assurance at 3x annual salary

Contract: Part‐time, 21 hours per week, fixed‐term until 31 January 2027

Location: Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8SZ, with regular travel to Dropping Well Farm and The Devil's Spittleful nature reserves, as well as more widely in Kidderminster and Bewdley.

How to apply:

Application deadline: 9 February 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 16 February 2026