Area Monitoring Warden

The Dorset Heaths Partnership (DHP) is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team in a rewarding part-time role supporting visitor monitoring across the beautiful Dorset Heaths.

About Us

DHP is a unique collaboration of 10 organisations, including local authorities, conservation bodies, and emergency services. Hosted by Dorset Council, we work together to protect internationally important heathland habitats and mitigate pressures from further urban development upon heathland sites across south east Dorset.

About the Role

As an Area Monitoring Warden, you’ll play a vital role in helping us understand how people use the Dorset Heaths and how we can better protect these special environments.

Working alongside our Monitoring Officer within a friendly, multi-disciplinary team, you will:

• Organise and collect visitor data across a range of heathland sites
• Maintain and analyse datasets, including:
• Remote people-counting sensors
• Visitor surveys
• Car park monitoring transects
• Record and map incidents using GIS-based systems
• Contribute to ongoing assessment and management of heathland pressures

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys both fieldwork and data analysis, and who is passionate about conservation.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds a qualification in ecology, countryside management, or has relevant experience
• Has (desirable) experience in visitor data collection or analysis
• Works well both independently and as part of a team
• Has strong organisation and communication skills
• Can travel across the partnership area as required

A DBS check will be required prior to appointment.

• Fixed-term contract until 31 March 2028
• Part-time: 22.5 hours per week

Find Out More

For further details, please refer to the context statement or explore the monitoring work on the Dorset Heaths website: Monitoring - Dorset Heaths Partnership (dorsetheaths.org.uk)

If you’d like an informal chat about the role, contact:
Chloe Lewis – [email protected] 

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.