WWT is one of the largest Wildlife Trusts and the only one to operate across the whole of the UK. In 2015 WWT had a turnover of £6.4M and a maximum head count of 130 employees, and was supported by 23,500 members and 1,004 volunteers. All these people share a common belief that wildlife is important, and that we can all do something to help nature on our doorstep. WWT’s charitable activities occur across Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. Our vision is a county where wildlife flourishes in our countryside and cities; where children grow up inspired by the sights and sounds of nature; where people live happier, healthier lives. Enriching landscapes and people’s lives with wildlife is therefore our core business, directing the care of our 70 nature reserves covering 1,000ha and our species, campaigning, education and community work. WWT’s commercial activities are undertaken by two subsidiaries: (i) Middlemarch Environmental Ltd (wholly owned) which provides professional ecological consultancy services and creative ecological solutions from seven offices across England, and (ii) Wildlife Fundraising (Central) Ltd (part owned) which provides membership recruitment services to eight Wildlife Trusts.

1. Lead the development of organisational strategy, challenging and inspiring staff and volunteers to be creative and to strive for continual improvements in performance2. Develop and implement appropriate organisational management structures, operational plans, policies and procedures3. Ensure that the Trust secures the resources needed to implement its business plan and oversee the preparation of annual budgets and workplans4. Supervise the Trust’s Senior Management Team holding them to account and guiding their personal development5. Manage the Trust’s tangible resources (land, buildings, including visitor centres and restaurants, equipment, finance, people) and intangible resources (knowledge, intellectual capital, reputation) effectively and efficiently to deliver the organisational strategy6. Ensure that positive relationships with individual and organisational stakeholders are established and maintained, influencing people and achieving effective joint working which delivers the Trust’s aims and objectives7. Operate as the public face of the Trust with members and major donors, the media, corporate partners, national and local politicians and landowners, securing support for the Trust8. Ensure that the Trustees are informed, advised and supported to enable them to fulfill the full range of their responsibilities for the governance of the charity and subsidiary companies9. Ensure that organisational risks are managed at an acceptable level, with appropriate controls in place and under regular review10. Participate constructively in the Wildlife Trusts partnership at regional and national levels

GWLL was a charity delivering sustainable development. My department consisted of 18 professional and non-professional staff working to deliver GWLL’s conservation strategy through a portfolio of community projects carried out through numerous partnerships, and a horticultural social enterprise. My main areas of work were the management of Leicester’s network of nine nature reserves and several natural green spaces, fundraising and the management of a subsidiary trading company operating two natural burial grounds.

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in Cambridge is the biodiversity information and policy support unit of the United Nations Environment Programme charged by the UN with (i) generating authoritative biodiversity information for the world’s decision-makers, and (ii) supporting national governments to fulfil their responsibilities under various international biodiversity related conventions. As the senior marine scientist I was responsible for ensuring that the marine and coastal work at WCMC supported these two functions.

Managed a 4 person UK Department for International Development and UNESCO environmental project involving extended field work on mangrove forests and coral reefs across the Caribbean.

Taught undergraduate classes, credited by Boston University, with a strong emphasis on the integration of theory and fieldwork at a remote field centre in the Caribbean.

Research into the role of zooplankton in oceanic recycling of riverine heavy metal pollutants.

Registered Merchant Seaman for short UK voyages and two trans-Atlantic crossings on a square rigged brig with trainee volunteer crews (16-24 years old).