Site Manager

Site Manager - Newport Wetlands
Reference: APR20255795
Location: RSPB Newport Wetlands, NP18
Salary: £39,205.00 - £41,856.00 Per Annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Benefits: Pension scheme (7%), Life Assurance scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays)

Are you a dynamic leader with the energy and experience to shape the future of one of the RSPB’s most important visitor sites?

We’re looking for an inspiring and inclusive leader with experience in visitor operations and land management to oversee the visitor facilities at RSPB Newport Wetlands on the Gwent Levels.

As Site Manager, you’ll be responsible for delivering site objectives alongside a high-quality visitor experience. With over 70,000 visitors a year and a thriving membership recruitment operation, Newport Wetlands is a key site for connecting people with nature. You’ll lead and inspire a highly committed team of staff and volunteers to deliver excellence, therefore line management and leadership experience are essential for this role.

You will also work alongside a variety of colleagues from across the RSPB in a matrix structure, including (but not limited to) consultants within the Visitor Operations Team, health and safety, rural surveyors, ecology, fundraising, project management, communications and policy.

Newport Wetlands is a gateway site within the Living Levels landscape partnership, which is a strong and aligned partnership that is driving a range of ambitious initiatives across the Levels.

The successful candidate will be a capable manager who works well with a wide range of people and can collaborate effectively with partners at all levels. Your strong programme and people management skills will help the team achieve the best possible outcomes against our priorities.

You’ll lead work programmes and projects, so enthusiasm, initiative, and diplomacy are key. You’ll need to communicate your passion for nature to others and have a hands-on approach to solving practical challenges.

You’ll need experience of managing income and expenditure budgets and have a commercially minded approach to ensure that we deliver a great visitor experience and generate a profit. You’ll also need to be a good, clear communicator and have an eye for detail, be able to manage systems and processes to ensure that they are all legally, financially and organisationally compliant.

As Site Manager you will:

• Manage day to day operations for people, visitors, finance and legal compliance, habitats and species
• Inspire, lead and develop the dedicated team of staff and volunteers
• Be responsible for the review, update and implementation of the site business plan
• Act as the main point of contact for the local community, neighbours, and partner organisations in order maintain good relationships
• Enjoy the support of a very experienced local team, area manager, visitor operations consultants, ecologists, rural surveyor, safety advisor and other specialist RSPB staff.  

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Visitor operation management experience
• Line Management experience (staff and/or volunteers)
• Experience of working within a multi-functional team
• Excellent Interpersonal and communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Knowledge of the ecological requirements of key species and habitats
• Land management experience
• Health, Safety, Environmental and Land management compliance experience
• Experience of managing contractors
• Effective project and budget management skills
• Practical Problem-solving skills
• Time management, organisational and prioritisation skills
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• IT, database and GIS skills

Desirable qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

• Degree level qualification in a relevant subject
• Reedbed/wetland management experience

Closing date: 23:59, Monday, 26th May 2025
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 5th June 2025.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

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, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving 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.

As part of this application process you will be asked complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

No agencies please.