Salary/Vehicle: Circa £42,000
Location: Home-based (with occasional travel to BASC head office)
Reporting to: Head of land and wildlife management
Closing Date: 8 November 2026
Reference: HDWM/OCT/2026
Role information
To lead BASC’s strategic approach to sustainable deer and mammal management across the UK, with deer management as the principal focus. The postholder will develop and implement BASC’s strategy, ensuring effective, responsible and evidence-based management is recognised as an essential component of responsible land management, woodland restoration, nature recovery and the sustainable use of the countryside.
The role will provide strategic leadership across BASC, strengthening practical capability and professional standards, developing the evidence base, influencing policy and regulation, supporting members, and building understanding and confidence among government, stakeholders and the wider public in the environmental, economic and social value of effective deer and mammal management.
Our vision
All BASC employees are expected to contribute to our vision:
Fight for sustainable shooting and conservation of the countryside.
Key accountabilities and responsibilities
- Strategic leadership
Lead and continually develop BASC’s strategic approach to deer management, ensuring a clear, evidence-based and credible strategy is reviewed, updated and aligned with BASC’s wider objectives and effectively delivered across the organisation. - Sustainable deer management and evidence
Lead BASC’s work to define, promote and demonstrate sustainable management of deer through robust evidence, research, data, monitoring and management approaches that demonstrate their contribution to responsible land management, woodland, biodiversity, nature recovery and sustainable land use. - Practical deer management and professional standards
Lead the development of practical capability, competence and high standards in deer management, through effective training, guidance, codes of practice and best-practice approaches that promote responsible, ethical and evidence-based deer management and stalking. - Policy, legislation and regulatory influence
Lead BASC’s policy and advocacy on deer management, influencing government, regulators and other decisionmakers to ensure that legislation, regulation and policy recognise the requirements and environmental and economic value of effective deer management. - Stakeholder partnerships and landscape-scale management
Develop strategic partnerships and collaborative approaches with land managers, government, conservation organisations, researchers and other stakeholders to overcome barriers and embed effective deer management within landscape-scale land management, woodland and conservation programmes. - Social licence, communications and member engagement
Lead BASC’s work to build understanding, confidence and support for responsible deer management and stalking, demonstrating its environmental, economic and social value while ensuring members have access to authoritative information, advice and relevant opportunities. - Venison and the sustainable use of deer
Work with colleagues and external partners to strengthen the role of venison within sustainable deer management by supporting resilient supply chains, increased consumption and greater recognition of wild venison as a sustainable food resource. - Delivery, resources and organisational leadership
Ensure the effective delivery of BASC’s deer strategy through clear priorities, plans, measures and resources, leading cross-organisational collaboration and ensuring the people, budget and governance arrangements are in place to achieve the desired outcomes. - Additional responsibilities
- Manage and promote our deer stalking scheme opportunities.
- Provide oversight to the BASC head-measuring scheme.
- Support colleagues with the delivery of a similar coherent strategy for foxes, squirrels and wild boar.
- Undertake any additional tasks as and when required.
| Experience | Essential skills, knowledge and achievements |
Experience and strong understanding of sustainable deer management and its relationship with woodland management, biodiversity, nature recovery and land management. Experience and understanding of deer management policy, legislation, regulation and the wider political and stakeholder environment. Experience and understanding of the principles of deer population management, habitat impacts, management planning, monitoring and data collection. Experience or transferrable skills of developing and implementing strategy. Experience or transferrable skills of translating strategic objectives into practical programmes of work and measurable outcomes. Experience of managing budgets, resources and competing priorities. Experience of leading or coordinating multi-disciplinary teams and working effectively across organisational boundaries. Experience or transferrable skills that demonstrate an ability to influence policy, regulation or decision-making in a contested or politically sensitive environment. Experience of building effective relationships with government, statutory agencies, NGOs, land managers and other external stakeholders. Experience of using evidence to develop policy, strategy or practical interventions. Experience of acting as a media or public-facing spokesperson. | Substantial knowledge and practical experience of deer management and stalking. Knowledge and experience of wider management of mammal species including foxes, squirrels and wild boar. Ability to build coalitions and secure support for shared objectives. Ability to understand, evaluate and communicate scientific and technical evidence. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate complex, technical or contentious issues effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience in deer management, ecology, forestry, land management, conservation or a related discipline. Appropriate deer management qualification/experience, such as DSC1 or equivalent. DSC2 or equivalent practical competence. |
General requirements
BASC head office is based in Marford Mill, Rossett, with country and regional offices across the UK.
We have an agile working approach, with our core hours being between 8.30 – 5.30 Monday to Friday. We do expect some weekend and out-of-hours working to support our membership engagement. Your working hours are stated in your contract of employment.
You are expected to be flexible, agile and willing to undertake any other duties that may be reasonably required.
All our employees must always act as a positive ambassador for the association when dealing with members or representing the association in other ways.
| Essential requirements for role | Delete as necessary |
| Driving licence | YES |
| DBS check | NO |
| Firearms certificate | YES |
| Shotgun certificate | YES |