Job Description

Closing date: Sunday 11 January 2026
Salary: 36,900 FTE
Contract type: Fixed term / Working hours: Full time
Location:
Taunton, Somerset
Opportunity for hybrid working. Part time hours could be considered.
The Wilder Communities Manager is a critical post developing and leading the delivery of our Wilder Communities workstreams, ensuring that diverse communities across Somerset are supported to take practical and meaningful action for nature's recovery. This is core to the ethos of "Team Wilder" and a goal 2 of our strategy.



This Wilder Communities Manager manages a team of engagement and community officers and the "Wilder Communities" workstreams which covers volunteering, community organising, advocacy, community networks and advice, individual actions for nature (e.g. gardens), training and resource development.



The key priorities for this maternity cover role will be:



Ensure consistent and supportive management of the team (currently 4 colleagues)



Excellent project management. Oversee and report on funded projects, including partnership projects.



Oversee, update and "hold the fort" on core/business as usual workstreams including maintaining key community and stakeholder relationships.



Work alongside the Head of Engagement to support project pipelines, including the development of new funded projects and potentially recruitment of new roles, in line with core delivery goals.



We are looking for someone with experience working with volunteers and communities to deliver environmental projects or enabling people to take action for nature, and a good knowledge of Somerset's geography, communities, demographics and wildlife. You should be a competent manager of people and projects, with a passion for the work of Somerset Wildlife Trust.



This is a maternity cover post expected to begin as soon as possible from mid-February 2026, for a period of 12 months.
Managing the "Wilder Communities" workstreams which cover: volunteering, community organising, advocacy, community networks and advice, individual actions for nature (e.g. gardens), training and resource development.



Managing a team of engagement and community officers and working closely with colleagues from across the Trust to identify and develop opportunities to enable, support, inspire and coordinate communities to manage public and private land to benefit biodiversity and enhance Somerset's Nature Recovery Network. Working with funders and managing projects to enable the delivery of our strategic goals.



Working closely with the Wilder Lives Manager to proactively look to engage across diverse groups of people and deliver benefits for people as well as wildlife, and move people from engaging with nature to advocating and taking action for nature.

The key priorities for this maternity cover role will be:

Ensure consistent and supportive management of the team (currently 4 colleagues with potential for further recruitment) Excellent project management. Oversee and report on funded projects, including partnership projects. Oversee, update and "hold the fort" on core/business as usual workstreams, including maintaining key community and stakeholder relationships. Work alongside the Head of Engagement to support project pipelines, including the development of new funded projects and potentially recruitment of new roles, in line with core delivery goals.

Responsibility 1: Wilder Communities and action for nature

Take a lead role in the development and delivery of SWT's Team Wilder vision of inspiring and empowering 1 in 4 people to take action for nature by engaging new and inclusive audiences to take action for nature. In collaboration with colleagues, support peer-to-peer community connections online and offline with a particular focus on delivering our annual community forum, Wilder Together. Support, facilitate and contribute to networks as required, including the PCNR Network, Wilder Churches and Specialist Group Forum. Inspire and support existing and new community groups to become Wilder Communities, facilitating, training and enabling them to contribute to the Nature Recovery Network. Support Wilder Leaders - individuals in their communities, businesses, schools and elsewhere to act as our advocates for nature recovery and inspire action where they live and work. Train and support Wilder Champions, SWT volunteers who will work with you to deliver Team Wilder. Organise and deliver an annual training programme as part of the SWT event programme including face-to-face and online training workshops to enable people to develop skills to take action for nature including; species ID and recording, practical skills and community organising. Manage a team of delivery officers who will help you deliver on the ground, managing budgets and ensuring projects deliver planned objectives. Project manage both core workstreams (e.g. wilder gardens) and funded projects delivering community action and engagement priorities. Project manage the

NHLF 30 x 30 Wilder Communities project

, including staff and budgetary management and working directly with the NHLF fund manager. Support staff with the conclusion of contracts (March and May 2026), ensuring wellbeing of staff during transition periods, and smooth conclusions and handovers of the project. Complete both the funder's evaluation report and external documentation, managing the contracted designer to deliver a high-quality product. Work closely with the Wilder Lives manager who manages the youth workstream of this project. Project manage the engagement of the

Two Moors Pine Martens Bounce Back project.

This is a partnership project led by Devon Wildlife Trust, concluding in March 2027. Manage the Exmoor Pine Marten Engagement Officer, ensuring effective time management and delivery of agreed outputs for this NHLF-funded project. Work closely with DWT colleagues and wider partners, including sitting on appropriate working groups. Encourage and support an ongoing countywide network of communities and leaders contributing to the Nature Recovery Network, including the delivery of core events (Wilder Together and Wilder Matters), supporting regional network and forums, and cultivating a culture of reciprocation and the "Team Wilder ethos" both amongst communities and colleagues.

Responsibility 2: Resources, advice and communications

Work closely with the Communications Team to engage diverse audiences to grow a community of people taking action for nature, developing creative content that inspires people to take action through the use of digital channels, magazine and press. Oversee the Team Wilder inbox. Managing and supporting colleagues to handle enquiries, triaging land advice enquiries to other colleagues, directing to resources and offering initial community and land management advice. Manage the community ecologist and community officer to offer initial site visits and baseline assessments for schools and community sites, in collaboration with nature recovery colleagues, volunteers and SWTC. With your grounding in ecology, you will be able to support colleagues to deliver appropriate advice for a community context, and have an understanding of the function and remit of different teams within SWT. Work with other staff, volunteers and external experts, to oversee the creation, delivery and direction of training resources including written advice, courses and webinars that meet the needs of Wilder Communities and Leaders. Lead on the creation of high-quality and engaging content for various newsletters and other external communications to inform audiences of what we are doing and how they can take action for nature. Act as a strong advocate for the Trust and Team Wilder in external communications, highlighting the importance of nature for wildlife and people and promoting pro-environmental behaviours.

Responsibility 3: Impact and influence

Work with the Head of Engagement and others to deliver impact and outcome monitoring frameworks that highlight people's values and behaviour change over time, supporting data collection and analysis. Sit on the Wildlife Trust movement-wide meetings and collaborations to represent SWT, share, learn and improve. Work collaboratively with partners including councils, neighbouring Trusts and other NGOs, to deliver key partnership projects and strategies in Somerset. Work closely with colleagues in the Nature Recovery Team, Reserves Team and Somerset Environmental Records Centre to ensure "Team Wilder" delivers Somerset's Nature Recovery Network and citizen science programmes that contribute to Somerset State of Nature Provide leadership and guidance to others within SWT to enable them to understand their role in "Team Wilder" and support them to deliver on this strategic goal within their work area. Ensure our work is representative of our communities and proactively looks to engage across diverse groups of people and is fully inclusive, helping us to deliver our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. Contribute to wider fundraising and bid writing, to build capacity to deliver Team Wilder across the county.

This is a Full-time position (37.5 hours per week), but we will consider part-time (3-4 days a week) for the right candidate with responsibilities revised accordingly.



This role is not suitable for job sharing.



Based at our Taunton office with opportunities for home working. Evening, weekends and county-wide travel occasionally required.

Application Process

Please complete the application form below and send with your CV to recruitment@somersetwildlife.org



For further information on the role contact Becky Fisher, Head of Engagement becky.fisher@Somersetwildlife.org.



We offer some fantastic benefits including:


7% employer pension contribution Life assurance An annual professional institution subscription if applicable Flexible and agile working Wellbeing support - EAP, wellbeing champions Diversity networks through RSWT/TWT Paid volunteer days Continuous Professional Development opportunities 33 days of holiday (25 + bank holidays) Staff social calendar and events

The opportunity to make a real and positive difference to nature, communities and the climate

Associated Documents

SWT Application Form and EDI Survey_2025 (1).docx * Maternity Cover - Wilder Communities Manager Nov 25.pdf