The vacancy Full-time, 35 hours a weekStatus: Full Time, Fixed Term (until 31 March 2026)Closing date: 12noon, 16 March 2025 Interview Date: Week commencing 31st March 2025 The Role Are you passionate about wildlife conservation and skilled in communication and community engagement? We’re looking for an enthusiastic Communications & Engagement Officer to play a key role in protecting Scotland’s iconic red squirrels. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a project delivering the essential protection measures required to secure the long-term future of red squirrels in Scotland. Through collaborative partnerships it ensures systems are put in place to continue the delivery of these measures over the long term. The Communications & Engagement Officer leads on Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels regional and national communications. As part of a major conservation project, you will be instrumental in raising the project profile, through activities including supporting a network of active volunteers, delivering an annual citizen science survey through the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, an overseeing all project publicity and engagement materials to promote public understanding of red squirrel conservation and grey squirrel control. Your work will inspire and empower communities to take an active role in protecting red squirrels. Key Responsibilities and Duties include: Media & Public Relations: Oversee all project publicity, press, media, and engagement materials, promoting public understanding of red squirrel conservation and responsible grey squirrel control. Volunteer & Stakeholder Engagement: Strengthen and support a network of active volunteers and stakeholders, fostering collaboration and best practices for red squirrel conservation. Citizen Science Survey Coordination: Lead the annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, coordinating efforts to collect vital data on red and grey squirrel distribution. Community Hub Development: Maintain and enhance the Community Hub, ensuring it remains a functional, engaging, and supportive space for volunteers and community networks. Encouraging Public Involvement: Drive awareness and participation in conservation efforts by encouraging members of the public to record and report squirrel sightings. The successful candidate will be: A skilled communicator, both written and verbal, with experience in media, PR, or community engagement. Passionate about wildlife conservation and understands the importance of engaging communities in conservation work. Highly organised, responsible and able to manage small projects and campaigns effectively. Confident engaging volunteers, stakeholders and the wider public in conservation issues. Experienced in proactively generating and managing print, broadcast and online media coverage to engage and mobilise communities. If this sounds like you, please download the job description for full details of the role. We’d love to hear from you. What we offer: Salary sacrifice schemes, including Cycle to Work & Pension schemes. We have always been hugely flexible in our approach to how you wish to work and continue to offer a flexible approach. One Wellness Hour per week Enhanced Pension rate upon completion of probation Sick Pay Allowance Training and Development The Trust is a passionate employer, proactive about creating a culture of diversity and inclusive workplace that promotes and values equal opportunities for all. We welcome individuals from all networks of life, backgrounds, and experiences. About us For more than 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of its vision of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas. The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities. The Trust manages a network of over 100 wildlife reserves across Scotland and is a member of the UK-wide Wildlife Trusts movement.