Volunteer Coordinator (Red Kites - Northern Ireland)

Red kites were once common in Great Britain and Ireland, but 200 years ago, these majestic birds of prey were persecuted to extinction across the island of Ireland, Scotland and England.

In 2008, RSPB Northern Ireland, the Golden Eagle Trust and the Welsh Kite Trust began an ambitious reintroduction project to help bring magnificent red kites back to Northern Ireland. Chicks were relocated to Ireland and Northern Ireland from donor stock in Wales and released at a site in Wicklow and in Castlewellan Forest Park. In 2010, we were delighted when the first five wild red kite chicks to hatch in Northern Ireland in more than 200 years took to the skies above County Down.

The Red Kite project is now transitioning into a new phase and will be Northern Ireland’s first ‘Species Recovery Volunteer Network’ (SRVN) project which will mark a step-change in the volume, value and sustainability of volunteers’ contribution to the RSPB’s mission to save nature. The SRVN will empower people to take action and provide a lasting, sustainable legacy for conservation dependant species through volunteer led teams.

The project is seeking a Volunteer Coordinator to provide leadership to the project across County Down and the Antrim Hills to help create a self-sustaining red kite population in Northern Ireland and to contribute to attaining a more favourable conservation status for this species.

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Assign surveying volunteers to preferred or needed locations
• Organising tree climbing and wing-tagging
• Develop new and existing volunteer roles when required
• Monitor data analysis
• Conduct volunteer interviews, selection and inductions
• Gather volunteer feedback
• Updating risk assessments
• Arranging training and volunteer social events

The role will be supported by dedicated RSPB staff including our SRVN Project Officer, Conservation Officer and Volunteering Development Officer as well as admin volunteers. You will adopt an existing volunteer structure and a community of enthusiastic and passionate volunteers including our volunteer surveyors.

There are some basic requirements for the role:

• An interest or passion for Red Kites or nature conservation
• An ability to lead and inspire others and work as part of a team
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• You will need to be a great people person, friendly and approachable
• Creative and forward thinking
• Computer literacy

You will receive full training in the role and will be provided with a full induction. This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of the RSPB’s work on species recovery. By delivering this vital role you will be helping to establish a healthy and thriving population of the birds in some of the most beautiful areas of Northern Ireland.

If you are interested in the role, but want to learn more, please get in contact using the form on the right hand side, or contact our Volunteering Development Officer, Chris Pursell, on chris.pursell@rspb.org.uk