Volunteer Coordinator (Turtle Dove Volunteer Coordinator - Conservation)

Turtle Doves are the UK’s fastest declining bird species and are threatened with extinction. Operation Turtle Dove are working to address the factors associated with their decline and you can read more here: https://www.operationturtledove.org/. One of the main causes for this decline is a loss of food on their UK breeding grounds, which is why we work with enthusiastic landowners to provide supplementary seed, ensuring they have a food source when they return after their migration from Africa in the Spring.

Supporting this is survey and trail camera work. Surveys are vital to help inform us of where Turtle Doves are, so we can best target our conservation efforts, and trail cameras help us to determine whether our supplementary feeding sites are being used by Turtle Doves.

And this is where you come in! Our ambition for Turtle Dove conservation is big, with one of the largest being to have a vast volunteer workforce working together to make the biggest impact possible. We are therefore looking for a motivated leader to support the area Conservation Officer in recruiting and coordinating volunteers involved in Turtle Dove surveys and other conservation work, like trail cameras and supplementary feeding.

This is a flexible and evolving role to help expand our impact and support the RSPB’s wider mission to create a world richer in nature. You will become part of our growing Operation Turtle Dove team of staff and volunteers, helping to build a feeling of belonging and being a part of the project and its legacy.

What will you be doing?

• Co-ordinating and managing the teams of Turtle Dove Survey Volunteers and Trail Camera Volunteers.
• Supporting the recruitment of motivated individuals to expand these teams (within reason).
• Opportunities to support the Conservation Officer with ordering and delivering supplementary seed to landowners.
• Providing volunteer administration support.
• Managing the survey process, e.g., survey locations, maps.
• Collating, storing and mapping survey and trail camera results.
• Answering enquiries from and supporting volunteers and landowners.
• Managing contact details securely.
• Opportunities to carry out surveys or work with trail cameras.
• Opportunities to organise and support Thank You Events for Turtle Dove volunteers.

The skills you need?

Essential:

• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Competence in using Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel.
• Willingness to learn new skills.
• Willingness to undertake administrative tasks.
• Flexibility – peaks in the Spring and Summer.
• Motivated to use your skills and expertise to Save Nature.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of farmland birds.
• Map reading and GIS or data analysis skills.
• Experience in people management, recruitment, training and event organising.
• Full driving licence. Only applicable for support with supplementary seed deliveries.

What's in it for you?

• A fantastic opportunity to join the team trying to save the most threatened bird species in the UK.
• Training to help you learn new skills and make sure you are prepared for the role.
• Meeting like-minded people.
• Flexibility, meaning this role works around your other commitments.
• You will be making a genuine contribution to nature conservation, so if that is your motivation, you’ll find satisfaction in this role.
• You will learn all about how the RSPB works and gain experience working for an environmental charity.
• Gain a better understanding of Turtle Dove ecology and threats (great for the CV!).

Additional information:

• Appropriate training will be provided.
• Expenses reimbursed where necessary.
• Appropriate equipment provided, e.g., laptop.
• You may be needed to volunteer the occasional weekend when required to help recruit volunteers or support Thank You Events.

Deadline: Friday 24th February 2023. Interviews: W/C 27th February 2023.

Opportunity photo credit: Abdullah Al Khlde