Regional officer jobs

As Scotland’s leading nature conservation charity, we welcome applications from individuals who are looking to join us in our journey of protecting Scotland’s wildlife for the future.

From major species and landscape restoration projects, to managing our network of wildlife reserves and campaigning for nature, we work for Scotland’s wildlife year-round.

We give a voice to wildlife through our policy and campaigning work, demonstrate best practice through practical conservation work, engage with people to take positive action through our education programmes and events, and so much more.

Title: Community Outreach Officer - Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

Status: Full time (35 hrs/week), Fixed term (until 31st March 2028)

Salary: £25,000 per annum pending review

Location: Blairgowrie Office, Perthshire (working across the Central lowlands and Southern Highlands)

Closing date: 15th June 2026

The Role:

The Community Outreach Officer will contribute to the protection of the Highland Line (HL), a coast-to-coast control zone which aims to prevent grey squirrels from moving north from Central Scotland into the red strongholds of the Highlands and Grampians. Progressed through a programme of targeted grey squirrel monitoring and control, you’ll help support the protection and expansion of red squirrel populations in accordance with the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels strategy. This role requires an approachable individual with experience recruiting, motivating, training, coordinating and managing community-based volunteers (groups and individuals) to undertake active conservation work.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Working closely with the Monitoring and Control Officers (MCOs)
• Supporting and expanding volunteer networks through volunteer recruitment and onboarding
• Data entry and digital records
• Engaging and building relations with key stakeholders, landowners and local authorities
• Providing community network support and communications.  This will include identifying opportunities to engage difficult-to-reach people and new audiences in the Central Lowlands.

Specifically, this includes:

1. Recruiting, training and supporting volunteers to carry out fortnightly feeder box monitoring surveys, ensuring they have the equipment and consumables required, and providing practical support and temporary survey cover as needed.
2. Manage and coordinate the processing of monitoring samples and resulting data. Tis includes the analysis of hair samples to identify and record red squirrel, grey squirrel or pine marten detections and sharing results with volunteers
3. Alongside the SSRS HL team, engaging with and recruit new landowners/managers to undertake grey squirrel control and monitoring on their land.
4. Developing methodologies to ensure sustained engagement and data sharing to support independent controllers across the Highland Line region
5. Engaging and building relations with new and existing stakeholders to support the project.
6. Leading strategic events, talks, and other activities to promote active community understanding and participation of red squirrel conservation in Scotland

The successful candidate will:

• Possess a relevant degree
• Have experience of recruiting, motivating, training, coordinating and managing volunteers
• A good understanding of conservation principles, invasive non-native species management, wildlife practices and legislation
• Experience of working with landowners, gamekeepers, foresters and the public is desirable
• Experience with keeping and maintaining accurate records using Microsoft packages is essential and knowledge of ArcGIS would be useful
• There may occasionally be a requirement to work out of normal working hours
• You must possess a full clean driving licence and have use of a vehicle

Closing date: midnight Monday 15th June

Interview date:  Thursday 25th June

Position: Policy and Public Affairs Officer (Scotland)
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours a per-week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home Based in Scotland
Salary: Starting from £26,384 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 1, Charity
You will start at our entry point salary of £26,384 per annum, increasing to £28,033 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £29,682 after a further 6 months.

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus. 

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information. 

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and talented policy and public affairs professional to join our team. You should have experience of working to develop policy and have the ability to communicate our position to a wide range of audiences across Scotland.

In this exciting role you will work with the MS community to influence change in public policy, continuing to make the case for improvements in the treatment, care and support of people affected by MS.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who understands the political and policy environment in Scotland, who has experience in external facing influencing roles, who is outcome-focused and delivers tangible results. The successful candidate will work closely with the MS community, the Scottish Policy and Communications team as well as key external partners such as MSPs and their teams.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Monday 1st of June

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

As Scotland’s leading nature conservation charity, we welcome applications from individuals who are looking to join us in our journey of protecting Scotland’s wildlife for the future.

From major species and landscape restoration projects, to managing our network of wildlife reserves and campaigning for nature, we work for Scotland’s wildlife year-round.

We give a voice to wildlife through our policy and campaigning work, demonstrate best practice through practical conservation work, engage with people to take positive action through our education programmes and events, and so much more.

Title: Programme Support Officer - Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

Status: Full time (35 hrs/week), Fixed term (until 31st March 2028)

Salary: £24,500 per annum

Location: Hybrid / Harbourside House, Leith, Edinburgh

Closing date: Sunday 7th June, midnight

The Role:

Are you an organised and motivated individual with a passion for nature conservation?  We are seeking a dedicated Programme Support Officer to join our Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project. Here you will be part of a passionate team making a real difference in wildlife conservation in a varied and rewarding role. This is an opportunity to be part of a vital initiative working to protect and promote red squirrel populations, ensuring their sustainable long-term future in our landscapes.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

As an active member of the project team you’ll work closely with project staff and stakeholders.  You will support the team by managing orders and supplies essential for project operations, handling enquiries from the public, providing accurate information about squirrel conservation efforts, and process and record payments including compiling reports to track project expenditure.

The successful candidate will:

This role would suit someone with exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, volunteers, and the public, and a team player who can also work independently and take initiative.  Experience in project administration, financial administration, public communications, and procurement is essential.

For further details, please download the role description here.

Closing date: Sunday 7th June, midnight

Interview date: 17th June 

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.