Reference: OCT20252894
Location: Orkney Native Wildlife Project – Kirkwall Office
Salary: £33,027.00 - £35,259.00 Per Annum
Contract: Fixed Term until the 31st of December, 2029
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Stoats threaten the Orkney vole, and many birds. Scat detection dogs and passionate leadership are integral to our success, so we are looking for an experienced conservation detection dog team manager to join our team.
The Role
You will play a vital role in supporting the stoat eradication operation and biosecurity efforts across the Orkney Islands. This includes advocacy and media work as needed. A key responsibility will be housing one or two trained stoat detection dogs. You’ll bring experience in organising training, setting up work programmes, implementing a quality strategy, and overseeing the operations of a detection dog team.
You will lead the delivery of dog team operations in line with project methodology, you’ll also be responsible for agreeing and implementing a quality strategy for detection dog work, including regular reviews, updates to procedures, and ongoing training and assessment of dogs.
A critical part of your role will be ensuring all handlers maintain their dogs’ capabilities.
Strong communication and collaboration will be essential. You’ll keep all stakeholders fully informed, communicate progress and challenges through the Eradication Operations Manager, and work professionally within a large team.
Essential behaviours required:
* Encourages team collaboration and a sense of shared purpose
* Focus areas and activities are regularly evaluated to ensure meaningful impact is being achieved
* Acts as a champion for making decisions and leading from the front
* Promotes a culture of strong communication and positive relationships with our team, partners and wider community
Essential skills, experience and qualifications:
* Experience of utilising conservation detection dogs following strict guidelines and policy.
* Experience managing a diverse group of people, with a focus on integration, and high quality work outputs.
* Proven experience in developing and delivering a training programme for detection dogs, and/or handlers.
* Demonstrable experience line managing staff
* IT literate including Microsoft office programmes.
* An ability to produce clear written communications
* Ability to lead change and work under pressure to deliver time sensitive outputs
* Experience of working with local communities
* Excellent problem-solving skills
* Attention to detail and ability to understand financial systems
* Full Driving licence
Closing date: 2nd November 2025
Interviews from 12th November 2025
Apply HERE
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