Senior Project Manager - Wareham Arc

We seek an energetic, creative and enthusiastic person to help us deliver landscape-scale change that benefits people and nature.

Wareham Arc Senior Project Manager
Reference: FEB20230681
Location: Arne, Wareham
Salary: £33,600.00 - £37,275.00 Per Annum
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Fixed-term ending 31st Dec 2024
Benefits: Pension, Life Assurance, 26 days annual leave

What's the role about?

The RSPB has been awarded government funding to develop a Landscape Recovery Scheme in south east Dorset centred on Wareham to the west of Poole Harbour. We, alongside our project partners, will have two years to explore how we can support and fund nature’s recovery across over 3,700 hectares of land. The project is known as Wareham Arc.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to oversee the development phase of this project.

You’ll recruit and spearhead the project team delivering the Wareham Arc project, including a Project Officer, Finance Officer, Community Engagement Officer and Senior Administrator. You will also have oversight of other project team members who will be recruited and line managed by other RSPB teams.

Critically you will deliver the commitments made in the project’s successful DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) bid, using the project’s granted two-year development phase to position the project for future success in its proposed 20 year delivery phase. You will work closely with the project partners, a range of external consultants to the project and others.

We need someone who is highly organised and has a good attention to detail. This role requires a collaborative approach, that combines the ability to adapt to changing priorities and under pressure, while working under your own initiative to achieve results and to tight deadlines.

This is a stimulating role which represents an important opportunity to make a significant and direct contribution to addressing the nature and climate emergencies, as part of the suite of DEFRA funded Landscape Recovery projects underway in England.

The Senior Project Manager will lead on the following activities:

• Liaising with project partners and key stakeholders, including the steering group.
• Managing contractors and consultants to deliver project outputs on time.
• Communicating with DEFRA and reporting on project progress.
• Managing risks, issues and change as required.
• Coordinating the production of legal agreements, delivery plans, finance models and stakeholder management plans that set out how partners will manage the 20- year implementation phase.
• Writing the Project Management Plans for the Development and Implementation Phases.
• Establishing and managing a high performing project team.

Essentials:

• Leadership ability
• Flexibility and ability to manage changes
• Problem solving skills and ability to find solutions
• Proven time management and organisational skills
• Logical and methodical in approach
• An able communicator
• Experience of standard Project Management approaches
• Experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams
• Cost and budget management

Desirables:

• Experience of working with external stakeholders and contractors
• Experience of working with partners to achieve shared outcomes
• Experience of complex projects
• Line management experience

Additional Information
The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We will consider flexible working arrangements. The role could be primarily office-based at RSPB Arne, Dorset, a project partner’s office or a hybrid working model of office and home-working.

We will be running online open briefings for those interested in applying for this role.

This advert can be made available in a more accessible format on request.

We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments ahead of the interview.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people on nature's side and more diverse people. People of colour and disabled people are underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sectors. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

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