Unit Manager - Airfield Wildlife Hazard Management

Are you interested in aviation and / or wildlife?  Do you have experience managing teams and acting as a departmental manager, ideally in an operational environment?  Maybe you are ex-Military, Fire Service or Police or maybe you have experience working on airfields or within countryside management (game keeping etc) and you are looking for something a bit more unique?  If so, read on, as we are looking for a Unit Manager to provide day-to-day management of aerodrome wildlife control operations at RAF Brize Norton.

As well as covering operator shifts, supported by your line manager, you will provide a pivotal link between our client and the company, so that expectations are managed and realised, ensuring satisfaction with our services is maintained.   You will ensure the smooth running of the base by managing the people resource to cover all shifts and lead on recruitment, compliance and training.

Salary is £29,068.

About the Wildlife Hazard Management team:

Wildlife, particularly birds, pose a high risk to air safety, especially during critical points of flight, take-off and landing.  The purpose of the Airfield Wildlife Control Operations Team, is to eliminate the presence of birds and other wildlife on the airfield, reducing the risk to all aircraft. Wildlife is naturally attracted to the airfield due to several factors, the primary being the abundance of food.

Equipped with a 4x4 vehicle, bioacoustics, pyrotechnics and (when all else fails) an air rifle or shotgun, you and your team will deter the wildlife from settling on the airfield and encourage all bird populations to stay well clear. The entire operation is carried out within the strict guidelines of Natural England, the Police and Local Airfield Management.

You and your team will record all movements and activities in a digital watch log, with all lethally controlled animals dispatched under licence as a last resort to preserve the safety of aircraft.

You will:

• Sustain client satisfaction as best as reasonably practical (customer first policy)
• Ensure all contract deliverables are met at RAF Brize Norton, including adherence to client led polices/orders
• Create team rotas to ensure adequate cover at all time, working shifts or utilizing zero hour contractors when needed for sickness etc.
• Provide first line support to all Brize Norton Airfield Wildlife Control Operators
• Maintain comprehensive communication with company leadership
• Ensure the company polices and individual responsibilities/duties are understood and implemented
• Liaise with the Regional Manager (RM) and Safety Manager to maintain risk assessments and H&S best practices
• Assist to liaise with local ornithological societies and obtain/maintain good rapport with local landowners to promote safer flying operations
• Ensure all equipment required for the task is available, maintained to a safe working order and that it represents the professionalism of the company at all times, reporting all discrepancies to the RM
• Lead on recruitment as required, including participating in interviews / site visits
• Support recruitment by assisting with local processes, e.g. obtaining licence and application reviews etc
• Ensure compliance with all safety procedures for weapons and ammunition
• Provide licencing authorities with the required information for the application and continuation for all licences required to sustain an effective hazard mitigation service
• Support the training and competency programme providing site specific familiarisation, assessments and one to-one training as required
• Support the retention of trained and experienced employees
• Notify the line manager of all opportunities for developing the contract

Please note – this is a working role so you will be required to contribute to service delivery by operating airside as part of the watch roster to cover sick leave and holiday as required, although we also have operators on zero hours contracts to help with this.   Duties will vary from shift to shift but we would estimate the average spilt over the year would be approximately 70% Unit Management and 30% airside Wildlife Hazard Management.

This role involves working on a shift pattern based on 43 hours per week utilising a 4 on 4 off pattern as follows (repeated):

Day 1 - 08:00 – 18:00 (10 Hours)

Day 2 - 08:00 – 18:00 (10 Hours)

Rest Day

Night 1 - 18:00 – 08:00 (14 Hours)

Night 2 - 18:00 – 08:00 (14 Hours)

Rest Day

Day Off 2

Day Off 3

Day Off 4

This is a full-time permanent role offering a salary of £29,068 per annum.  

What we are looking for:

• Previous experience within a management role
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills
• A high energy, hands on, proactive approach
• Good communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Productivity Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc)
• Located no more than 45 minutes from RAF Brize Norton
• Colour perception safe
• An ability to obtain and maintain required qualifications - Security Check Clearance – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/security-vetting-and-clearance  and Firearms and Shotgun certification - https://www.gov.uk/shotgun-and-firearm-certificates (these will be arranged once an offer has been made)  
• Full UK issued driving licence free from disqualifications
• A background in the  Police, Fire Service, Military or working on airfields or within countryside management (game keeping etc) is desirable  
• Previous firearms experience desirable
• An interest in aviation desirable