Introduction 

We are looking for a talented individual who can provide advice, guidance and support to RSPB Youth Groups in England and the staff and volunteers that work with them to develop and deliver high quality activities that support RSPB strategy.

What's the role about? 

This role will be key to providing support to RSPB Youth Groups (known as Wildlife Explorer and Phoenix Groups) in England by providing direction and inspiration to help align youth group activities to the RSPB’s strategic aims. 

Through our youth groups, we want to inspire and empower thousands of young people across the UK to become advocates for nature, both now and in the future, and enable them to share their passion with others to grow a movement of people taking action for nature.

The role will deliver a recognised and respected source of expert leadership, support and advice to build the capabilities and knowledge of area/country teams engaged in or wanting to engage in working with RSPB Youth Groups. This role will be key in advocating for groups and embedding them in area teams, projects and activities to achieve agreed saving nature outcomes and meet business need.

Key areas of work:

• Supporting RSPB Youth Group operations and development by building capabilities and ensuring they have the skills and resources needed to deliver high quality activities in line with RSPB brand and strategy.
• Deliver leadership, support and advice to RSPB Youth Group volunteers to ensure they are following RSPB policies and procedures, complying with legal requirements and working within agreed RSPB Youth Group frameworks.
• Contribute to organisational planning involving RSPB Youth Groups, identifying Youth Group needs and opportunities to increase their capacity, involvement in and contribution to RSPB strategic aims. 
• Alongside UKHQ, monitor and evaluate RSPB Youth Group activities to demonstrate the positive impact of RSPB Youth Groups and their contribution to RSPB strategic aims.
• Support UKHQ to identify, develop and deliver training and resources required by RSPB Youth Groups to maximise their impact for nature.
• Lead and support RSPB Youth Group volunteers in line with best practice standards to help ensure all RSPB Youth Group volunteers receive an excellent volunteering experience.
• Champion RSPB Youth Groups both internally and externally, influencing and raising awareness of what they do through communications planning to ensure that their contribution is celebrated and valued.
• Lead, manage and support a team of country expert volunteers who assist with some or all of the above to meet RSPB’s strategic aims.

The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across four countries and UKHQ from a range of teams including Area Teams, Engagement, Education Families and Youth and Volunteering. This role will require occasional evening working as well as weekend travel within England for approx. 6 days per year to visit RSPB Youth Groups in person. This role is flexible working from home with option to work at one of our offices e.g. Sandy, Birmingham or London.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience: 

1. Understanding of best practice and sector standards in working with young people and a demonstrable track record of having successfully and effectively developed and delivered a range of activities with groups of young people.
2. Understanding and experience of volunteering through working as a volunteer and with volunteers in a management capacity. 
3. Understanding and knowledge of volunteering best practice, innovation and sector standards and a demonstrable track record of having successfully and effectively developed volunteering roles across an organisation. 
4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, successfully influencing, persuading, guiding, listening to, and negotiating with others, constructively challenging thinking where appropriate.
5. Strong skills in identifying and analysing problems, issues and areas of improvement, working collaboratively to develop creative strategies and solutions. 
6. Ability to balance a strong focus on achieving successful outcomes with the need to empower, enable, motivate, inspire and develop others
7. Experience of working in the charitable sector or in an organisation that works closely with young people.
8. Experience of providing operational advice and guidance to people at all levels and building and managing effective and productive stakeholder relationships.                                                                                                                                              This is a Permanent Full-time role for 37.5 hours per week. 

‘We are committed to making our organisation diverse and inclusive, and as such are keen to encourage applications from people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as those with disabilities or neurodivergent.’ 

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on Thursday 1 September. For further information please contact lisa.green@rspb.org.uk

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As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form please provide detail on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

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This role will require completion of a DBS in addition to the standard pre-employment checks.

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

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.