Countryside Careers

Summary

In 2014 I achieved a 2.1 Honours Degree in Natural Sciences (with Biology) at the Open University.  Although I have been primary employed in accounting roles, it is my ambition to change career direction towards a role within the Environment/Science sector at an assistant or graduate level. Recently my choice to undertake temporary assignments has been to learn new skills as well as  to find the right opportunity for career development and many of my assignments have lead to offers of permanent employment. My professionalism and adaptability is essential in changing and challenging roles for different employers.  I have a friendly, helpful and determined nature and enjoy learning new skills

Outline

I have gained many years experience of working within the Wildlife Conservation sector through my employment at The Sound Approach, The Birds of Poole Harbour Charity, as well as with Butterfly Conservation. Much of my work within this sector has involved both verbal and electronic communication with office and remote staff at all levels to ascertain official authorisation of outgoing expenditure and clarification of how monies/grants are to be allocated to conservation projects.

 During my employment by the Birds of Poole Harbour, I was involved with coordinating, assisting and working with four volunteers to undertake educational Bird Boat trips within Poole Harbour for local schools and Colleges. This involved effective communication with people of all ages from 7 to 70, with pupils, volunteers, managers, and teachers.

 Having participated in, and worked for the voluntary sector for many years both at a professional and person level, I think I have a good understanding of what volunteers hope to achieve from their volunteering, and how important it is to different people for many different reasons. Through my own voluntary work, I have undertaken Otter, Butterfly and Small Mammals surveys for over 6 years for different organisations. For this, I  worked autonomously, was self-organised, self-disciplined and submitting official results to a specified methodology. It also involved collecting biological samples and sending them to a DNA testing laboratory.

 As part of my work with The Sound Approach, I was frequently tasked with assisting in the design and production of promotional material for forthcoming book launches and events. I also was asked to provide ideas on how to drive projects forward, both for The Sound Approach and Lush Wildlife Campaigns. 

As part of a much larger project for The Sound Approach, I was tasked with managing the digitisation, identification and cataloguing of Bird song and calls from old vinyl records. Mostly working autonomously and balancing my time between my accounts duties, I was often self-managing.  I had to learn how to use a sound editing program (Audacity), as well as undertake a great deal of research and liaised with the Sound Approach experts to correctly identify bird species.

I have played a major part in organising The Sound Approach’s public stall as part of the three-day Bird Fair event in Rutland. Working very closely within a small close-knit team, we designed and constructed a purpose made stall that presented the Sound Approach ideas, methodology and science to the general public, as well as to experts in the field.  Clear concise communication at the correct level was essential to ensure that different audiences understood our approach to sound identification or “Sound Approach”.        

Through over 15 years of working within busy accounts departments, I have had to work closely with my colleagues as a part of many different-sized teams. I have very good excel and numerical skills, as well as a keen eye for detail. Working as part of a successful team that share the same overall goal: month and year-end accounts, has been  crucial to every successful accounts department I have worked in. I have played a major part in both permanent and temporary assignments to achieve this, often implementing my own ideas and being proactive rather than reactive. Remaining calm under deadline date pressure and good communication skills has been vital in achieving successful outcomes. 

Through my studies at Exeter and The Open University, I developed very good report and essay writing skills. This was a skill that was central to my dissertation on the Epidemiology of Bovine TB. Researching and reviewing over 100 scientific papers on the subject, I developed my own deductions and conclusions to develop a greater understanding on this huge complex and controversial issue. My goal was to clearly and effectively communicate the complexities of biological science relating to Bovine TB and contrasting the different geographic challenges  across the UK  and included statistical analysis.  

 I have worked on a voluntary basis for many years with the marketing departments of Dorset and Hampshire Wildlife Trusts as well as The New Forest Park Authority to produce photographic media for their websites as well as books, magazines, articles, leaflets, newspapers and even a van.  This has involved working to tight deadline dates for publishers and occasionally undertaking specific photographic projects for the Trusts.

The National Trust (2008 – 2016) - Reptile Surveying, Botanical (Habitat) Surveying – include rare Plants, scrub monitoring & vegetative surveys. 

Butterfly Conservation Trust (2008 - present) Purbeck Butterfly Transect Surveyor. Habitat photo-monitoring.

Dorset Mammal Group (2010 – 2017) Otter Surveyor. Dormouse Surveyor 

The Mammal Society & Dorset Wildlife Trust (2009 - 2017)

Mammal monitor/Surveyor – (2008- 2015) nationwide survey scheme for Field Mice and Bank Voles.

 

Available for Work in the Following Sectors

• ✓Countryside
• ✓Wildlife Conservation
• ✓Ecology

Interested in the Following Hours

• ✓Full Time
• ✓Fixed Term
• ✓Seasonal
• ✓Temporary

Qualifications

Open University (Oct 2006 – June 2014)  


Honours Degree in Natural Sciences (2.1). Diploma in Life Sciences.  Certificate in Natural Sciences.


Theoretical modules included:  Evolution, Biology, Oceanography, Ecosystems  and Environmental Science.


Practical modules included: Investigative biology. Biological Surveys.


Exeter University (Oct 2007 – Feb 2008) Ecology and Wildlife Conservation module level 1 – merit pass.


Peter Symonds College (Sept 2005 - May 2006) AS level in Environmental Science Grade (B).


Southampton Technical College (Oct 1988 – July 1991)


1st Diploma in Construction and Civil Engineering (full time) – Merit pass.


National Diploma  in Construction and Civil Engineering (full time) – Merit pass.


Wyvern School (July 1983 – July 1988)  


GCSE:  Mathematics (B), English (Language) (A), Biology (A), Physics (B), Chemistry (C)



Craft Design and Technology (B) Technical Design (A) French (A).

Additional Qualifications

Driving

• ✓Driving Licence

Machinery

Chemicals

NGB Awards

Animal

RHS Qualifications (or Equivalent)

Outdoor Education

Other

Preferred Employment Location

• ✓England - South West

Experience

The Sound Approach - Identifying, digitising and archiving birds sound and song. 

Ecological Agency - Field surveying for breeding birds. 

Butterfly Conservation - admin/accounting.

8 years of voluntary ecological experience with the following organisations: Dorset Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, Dorset Mammal Group, The Birds of Poole Harbour, Hampshire Wildlife Trust.