Job Description

Job Category: Operational, Professional & Managerial
Degree Level: Associate Degree
:
Job title: 1001-315 Living with Wildlife Officer | Grade: D | Vacancy type: Permanent | Hours: 35 hours | Salary 38,616 (Pay award pending effect from 01 April 2025) | Location: Lochgilphead, Oban, Dunoon, Bowmore, Uist or Stornoway (home and hybrid working possible) | Closing date: Midnight 20 October 2025 | Internal Interview date: 3 November 2025; External Interview date: 10 November 2025
Job Purpose Summary
NatureScot is Scotland's Nature Agency. We work with partners from across Scotland's public, private and environment sectors to address the climate and nature emergencies, by protecting and restoring nature and inspiring others to value our natural world.
Sitting within the National Operation West team this new 'living with wildlife' role will contribute to the delivery, coordination and promotion of our varied wildlife management work. Building resilience and flexibility across the team, the role will require a good understanding of the principles of wildlife management and will involve considerable teamwork with internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
The successful candidate will spend approximately 50% of their time on the sea eagle management scheme, working alongside the scheme manager and key stakeholders to deliver its objectives. Additionally, this post will provide a flexible resource to support the wider wildlife management team to deliver current and future policy objectives.
We are seeking an experienced and resilient individual with proven influencing skills; agile in approach with good team working skills and ready to deliver high quality outputs. This new post is in an exciting area of work with the ability to influence positive outcomes for nature by working directly with farmers, crofters and other key stakeholders.
The post holder should have a relevant higher education degree or equivalent qualification with transferable skills. Alternatively, you should be able to demonstrate suitability for the post through relevant practical experience.
Areas of responsibility
Approximately 50% of this post will assist the SEMS project manager in the coordination and delivery of the sea eagle management scheme across Scotland. The role will act as a point of contact for and liaising directly with farmers and crofters participating in the SEMS and will contribute to SEMS communications such as responding to media requests, preparing website updates and providing briefing material.
Additionally, the post holder will work closely with the Wildlife Management Manager and associated Policy Leads to deliver our corporate priorities in a flexible and coordinated manner. Tasks and responsibilities will vary across the year depending on priorities, but could include the following:

• Assisting policy leads in the development of future wildlife management policy and delivery mechanisms.
• Supporting research and development, including project management and tendering contracts as required.
• Providing wildlife management advice and support to colleagues and customers as required.
• Representing NatureScot at key stakeholder meetings and conferences.
• Developing best practice guidance and contributing to learning and development opportunities.

We are looking for flexibility across the balance of the areas of work, depending on the skills and experience of the individual and of other team members. Training and mentoring will be provided on the technical aspects of the post.
Knowledge and Skills required (please refer to these in your supporting statement)

• Good understanding of agriculture and land management, especially hill sheep farming, on the West coast of Scotland and why it's important for NatureScot to work with these stakeholders.
• Good understanding of the Sea Eagle Management Scheme and how we work with a range of local and national stakeholders
• Good verbal communication, influencing and engagement skills, demonstrating an ability to take forward NatureScot's aims and ambitions with external stakeholders.
• Creativity and versatility in approach to work, with a proven ability to embrace new ideas and progress independently with new areas of work.
• Good project management skills and the demonstrable ability to prioritise work in the face of competing workloads and demands.
• Knowledge and experience of different types of habitats and species, including conflict species, across the west of Scotland including their protection, enhancement and management.
• An understanding of Scottish Government agri-environment support schemes and agricultural reform.
• Clear written skills and a proven ability to coordinate contributions from a range of interests into coherent advice to customers.
• A willingness to travel, particularly to the Hebrides and Northern Isles
• A good level of fitness and willingness to visit upland farmland and associated habitats.
• Driving licence or other means of transport.
• A team player that demonstrates empathy and understanding of the views and positions of others, while also showing commitment to overall team performance and the organisational objectives of NatureScot.

Prerequisites Required

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan

Working for NatureScot - what we offer you

• NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme.

including below: * An environment with flexible working options

• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions)
• 41.5 days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January
• Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave
• A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis
• Death in service benefits
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes
• Access to an employee discounts scheme
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity .

Application Process
Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.
Before applying for this post;

• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
• External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide

If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.
Interviews
External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.
NatureScot's Net Zero commitment
Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.
For information regarding the vacancy please contact
Colin MacFarlane, Operations Manager - West
E-mail:
Please feel free to contact Colin for a chat about the role in advance of an application.
Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.

Skills Required