Location
Home-based in the South of England with frequent travel to RSPB reserves and other sites for meetings.

Hours
Full Time - 37.5 hours per week

Salary
£43,095 per annum

About the Role
Do you have the passion, skills, and experience to help develop and deliver complex nature conservation and infrastructure projects in the South of England? We’re looking for a well-organised, solutions-focused individual who can adapt their skills to the development and delivery of a diverse range of projects. This is an exciting opportunity to join the England Project Management team as a dynamic, skilled, and passionate Project Development Manager, working primarily in the South of England.

The England Project Management Team manages a wide variety of projects, from species recovery at a landscape scale to infrastructure repairs and commercial developments. Each day is different: you might chair a project team meeting one day, visit a construction site the next, and negotiate with contractors the day after.

As a Project Development Manager, you will directly manage some of the most ambitious and complex projects within the RSPB. You will work closely with the Operations Director and Area Managers in the Southern region to develop and oversee a pipeline of projects, ensuring they are well-managed. Project teams include colleagues from various disciplines as well as external consultants and suppliers. Building strong relationships across internal and external stakeholders and motivating others to keep projects progressing smoothly will be key.

Key activities include:
- Developing and managing one or more complex projects simultaneously, including budget, stakeholder, risk management, and contractor procurement.
- Leading and motivating project teams to achieve success by focusing on common goals.
- Developing and overseeing a pipeline of projects aligned with strategic priorities in collaboration with regional and country management teams.
- Providing support and advice to management teams to effectively use the Project Management Framework (PMF) and ensure project assurance.
- Line managing junior project management team members.
- Advising colleagues on project management best practices to build capability across England.
- Advocating for Cora, the RSPB’s online project management system.
- Undertaking project reviews to ensure lessons are learned, best practices shared, and capability increased.

Experience
- Proven project management skills in planning and managing complex projects, including risk, cost, and time management.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary project teams.
- Strong influencing, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Knowledge of project management methodologies and ability to support junior colleagues.
- Ability to work under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances.
- Demonstrable experience in partnership working to achieve shared outcomes.
- Problem-solving skills that are quick, efficient, and creative.
- Cost and budget management expertise.
- Excellent time management and organisational skills.
- A tangible passion for the planet.

About you
We seek a solutions-focused, adaptable, and motivated individual who thrives in a dynamic environment. You will be able to build collaborative relationships and motivate diverse teams to deliver ambitious projects. You are organised, resilient, and passionate about nature conservation and infrastructure development.

Qualifications
- Desirable: Project or Programme Management Qualification (APMP, PMQ, Prince2, MSP).
- Desirable: Experience with habitat creation/restoration, building renovations (especially visitor facilities), multi-partner projects, and community engagement.
- Desirable: Line management experience.