Role Summary & Benefits

About the role

This is a hands‑on leadership role combining frontline warden work with day‑to‑day team management.

You’ll:

• Maintain a visible, authoritative presence across protected sites, engaging visitors to raise awareness of their nature conservation importance and encouraging responsible behaviour.
• Confidently initiate conversations with site users and apply polite, assertive communication.
• Lead, support and develop a team of 5 Wildlife Wardens, setting standards, supporting effective delivery and ensuring consistent, high‑quality practice across sites.
• Collect and interpret evidence on recreation, wildlife impacts and mitigation, helping to shape operational decisions.
• Oversee rotas, absence, wellbeing and performance, with support from the Habitat Regulations Delivery Manager and HR.
• Work collaboratively with partners including Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust, RSPB and the Exe Estuary Management Partnership.

This role includes weekend and occasional bank holiday working to support peak visitor periods. You’ll also take part in operational duties, including patrol boat work on the Exe Estuary (training provided).

Click on the link to find out more about Working at East Devon District Council

Key Responsibilities

About you

• A dedicated interest in wildlife and conservation, with an excellent understanding of countryside management.
• At least two years’ experience supervising or managing staff, ideally in conservation or countryside, operational setting.
• A structured approach to your leadership, and the ability to balance operational demands with people management responsibilities, while valuing and building on the experience and expertise of an established team.
• A confident, adaptable communication style, able to engage with everyone from visitors and volunteers to partners and senior managers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, essential for public engagement activities including walking patrols, visitor events, and outreach with local communities, schools, and retailers.
• The resilience, emotional intelligence and authority needed to lead an experienced team.
• A relevant degree (or equivalent) in a relevant environmental subject, and a full driving licence.