Red Squirrels in South Scotland

Job Title Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project Officer South West Scotland with special responsibility for surveys

Location Of Job Dumfries / Dalbeattie – or other suitable location in Dumfries & Galloway

Dept/Region Conservation: Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project, incorporating Red Squirrels in South Scotland

Reporting To Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project Co-ordinator

Overall Purpose of the Job  Implement the Red Squirrels in South Scotland (RSSS) project to expand, support and maintain a comprehensive grey squirrel control network to arrest the spread of Squirrelpox virus in Dumfries and Galloway.  Collate and manage RSSS’s many streams of data, and develop an expansion of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) survey scheme to monitor red and grey squirrel distributions across South Scotland.

Key Internal and External Contacts  Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project Co-ordinator  Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project Manager; work closely with the SWT Biodiversity Data Manager and the SSRS Project Surveyor  Red Squirrels in South Scotland Grey Squirrel Control Officers  Red Squirrels in South Scotland Steering Group, consisting of Borders Squirrel Management Group, Red Alert South West Scotland, Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group, northern England squirrel groups, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Southern Upland Partnership and Buccleugh Estates  SWT Fundraising Manager  Liaise with researchers and scientific and academic institutions.

Main Duties Grey Squirrel Control  Implement the RSSS Phase IV project plan in South West Scotland, including Dumfries & Galloway and parts of Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire, to prevent the further spread of squirrelpox virus in Scotland.  Liaise with and recruit land owners/managers and partner organisations to create a co- ordinated grey squirrel control network  Support land owners/ managers with Scottish Rural Development Programme funding recipients with their funding claims and their reporting of control effort and catch to the Project.  Assist in the running of a project trap-loan scheme to assist land managers to carry out grey squirrel control in a co-ordinated control network in south west Scotland; support recipients to report control effort and catch to the Project.  Assist in the monitoring of squirrelpox outbreaks and the distribution of seropositive grey squirrels; liaise with RSSS and FCS Grey Squirrel Control Officers, landowners, the Moredun Research Institute, the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies and the RSSS Project Co-ordinator on squirrelpox testing. Data Collation and Survey  Co-ordinate data collection and collation on trapping effort, control totals, trap-loan scheme, landowner co-operation, surveys, squirrel distributions and other key information and report these quarterly to the SWT Data Officer; assist in producing reports for local funding bodies.  Recruit volunteers to assist with annual standardised squirrel surveys in accordance with the SSRS programme to monitor broad trends in squirrel abundance and distribution; support volunteer surveyors; co-ordinate their activities and collate results.  Promote the recording of squirrel distribution records in South West Scotland; maintain a regional database of squirrel distribution records. Public Relations  Provide talks, guided walks and events and provide publicity to promote conservation of red squirrels and grey squirrel control.  Provide support to the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group in their activities  Contribute to promotional literature and updates for the project website. Strategy, Organisation and Sustainability  Maintain strong partnership working with the RSSS Steering Group and all local stakeholders to deliver the priorities outlined in the RSSS project plan.  Support the SWT Fundraising Team and the RSSS Steering Group in fundraising efforts aimed at long-term sustainability.  Liaise with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, the Scottish Squirrel Group and other national stakeholders to deliver a Scotland-wide red squirrel conservation strategy.  Liaise with squirrel conservation projects in North England to ensure effective cross-border control of squirrelpox spread.

Personal Specification Essential Qualifications  Degree in ecology, biology, geography, countryside management or related discipline  Experienced in carrying out standardised wildlife surveying, with firm grasp of scientific method.  A proven aptitude for meticulous collating and manipulating large and varied datasets.  Experience of working with community groups and volunteers both at a distance and in direct contact. Essential Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  Knowledge of wildlife ecology and conservation, particularly relating to mammalian population management  Knowledge of the principles of systematic wildlife survey and monitoring.  Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to communicate with staff, stakeholders, landowners, gamekeepers and estate staff, foresters and the wider public.  Highly motivated and able to work on own initiative and manage own time-table with minimal supervision with the drive and focus to see that project targets on data collection are met.  Understanding of estate management, gamekeeping and shoot management, and able to work in harmony with the needs of the land management in areas where surveys are located.  Full, clean driving licence. (Vehicle provided.)  Some out of normal hours working will be required Advantageous  A working knowledge of GIS systems for data input.  A working knowledge of Scottish wildlife and environment issues  Knowledge of current legislation relating to mammals  Experience in fundraising.

Date 12/05/12 Author Mel Tonkin Position Project Manager Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels