Rewilding Job Alert – rewilding officer

TERMS OF REFERENCE – REWILDING OFFICER FOR VELEBIT MOUNTAINS (VM)

Position:                      Rewilding officer VM (1 FTE)

Landscape:                 Velebit Mountains, Croatia

Reporting to:             Rewilding Velebit Foundation Team Leader

Location:                     Home office/Working area Velebit Mountains

Type of Contract:    Full-time permanent position with a 6-month trial period

 

 

REWILDING VELEBIT FOUNDATION

Rewilding Velebit is a foundation with the mission to make Croatia a wilder place and restore nature, mainly in Velebit Mountain landscape. Primarily, Rewilding Velebit Foundation (RVF) work focuses on implementing activities to create a wildlife corridor, restore natural grazing and support new nature-based economies. By demonstrating the benefits of wilder nature in practice we want to inspire, motivate and enable others to adopt rewilding as a path to the recovery of nature. Rewilding is an effective practical solution to the challenges confronting the continent at the intersection of biodiversity loss, climate change, and the needs and aspirations of human society.

Our mission for the Velebit Mountains chain is to be recognized as one of the finest, wildest, largest, best protected and most famous wildlife and wilderness areas in Mediterranean Europe. This will be driven by the quality of its natural environment on a global scale and the contribution it makes to the quality of life, health and prosperity of people living here.

 RVF works in close collaboration with Rewilding Europe and other partners to deliver the vision, mission, and objectives of RVF, and in delivering Rewilding Europe’s Strategy for 2030.

 

 

POSITION SUMMARY

RVF goal is to promote biodiversity, revive natural processes, and create resilient landscapes.

We are accepting job applications for the position of

Rewilding Officer (m/f)

who will play a pivotal role in shaping and conducting restoration efforts within the Rewilding Velebit initiative.

The Rewilding officer VM will carry out ecological and coexistence-related activities in Velebit, both in terrestrial and marine systems, with a focus on rewilding forests, wildlife comeback, and coastal/marine restoration. The role will involve active participation in the strategic direction to the project’s rewilding initiatives, ensuring alignment with the organization’s broader goals and the latest scientific best practices in rewilding. The Rewilding Officer will also oversee the deployment of ecological impact monitoring in the landscape, and coordinate data collection and reporting. This position requires field-based experience, a deep understanding of ecological principles, and the ability to collaborate with stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and other conservation organizations.

 

Rewilding Officer VM will work closely with the Rewilding Velebit Team Leader and Rewilding manager VM.

Rewilding Officer VM will ensure synergies with Rewilding Europe Central Office and colleagues in other rewilding landscapes.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy
• Participate in the development and implementation of the strategic rewilding plan for the Rewilding Velebit landscape.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance to ensure ecological goals are met.
• Lead the development of restoration plans, including habitat restoration, species reintroduction, and ecosystem monitoring, both on land and in the marine environment

 

• Ecological Management
• Oversee the daily management of all field-based rewilding activities, ensuring the proper execution of ecological interventions.
• Monitor and evaluate the ecological impact of rewilding actions, tracking key indicators of biodiversity and natural process restoration.
• Managing and processing data in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), together with the rest of the team.
• Ensure adaptive management practices are applied based on monitoring data and evolving project goals.
• Support marine-related activities implementation

 

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Collaborate with local communities to promote rewilding-friendly practices and foster support for rewilding initiatives.
• Engage with governmental agencies and other conservation organizations to advance RVF strategic objectives.
• Represent the organization in public forums and with external partners, promoting the landscape’s vision and achievements.

 

• Reporting & Communication
• Prepare regular reports on project progress, ecological outcomes, and financial updates.
• Communicate findings and updates to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to fundraising efforts by providing technical content for proposals and reports.

 

Expected results

• The conservation, restoration, coexistence and monitoring actions of the VM are planned and executed with technical and scientific rigor and in a timely and effective manner, in line with the objectives, timetables, and budgets of the VM’s projects.

 

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in ecology, conservation biology, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in conservation, preferably with large-scale ecosystem restoration projects.
• Previous experience with marine conservation/rewilding is an advantage
• Strategic planning experience.
• Knowledge of biodiversity conservation, ecological processes, and restoration techniques.
• – Experience working with local communities, governmental bodies, and conservation partners. Fluent in English; knowledge of Croatian is mandatory.

 

 

Skills & Attributes

• Strong team management and leadership skills
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with experience engaging diverse audiences at national and local levels.
• Ability to work independently and proactively, demonstrating flexibility, adaptability, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Passion for nature, rewilding, and fieldwork, with a strong drive to make a difference.
• Creative thinker with excellent writing skills in Croatian and English, capable of reaching a wide audience.
• Strong social skills and the ability to communicate effectively with environmental, business, and tourism sectors.
• Comfortable working in remote and challenging environments, with a willingness to travel within the project area.

 

Reporting Line

The Rewilding Officer VM will report directly to the Rewilding Velebit Team Leader

 

Contract Terms

• Full-time, field-based position.
• Competitive salary and benefits package based on experience.

 

How to apply

Applications, including your CV and a motivation letter, both Croatian and English, should arrive by March 31, 2025.

If you see yourself in the description above, and see yourself as a member of an ambitious team working on making an impact in nature protection, please apply for the position via the link below:

https://www.profesio.hr/poslovi/rewilding-officer-velebit-mountains/