Key Notes
- The permanent Looe Island Manager role pays £32,569–£39,923 a year and includes island accommodation.
- Partners may live on the island and job-share applications are welcome, but rates and some bills are excluded and pets are not allowed.
- Applications close at midnight on November 15, with first interviews planned for the week beginning November 30.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust is recruiting a live-in manager for Looe Island, offering a salary of up to £39,923 a year and accommodation on the nature reserve. The permanent role combines wildlife conservation with running visitor experiences on a small island off the south coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom.
The vacancy closes on Sunday, November 15. The advertised salary band is £32,569–£39,923, and the trust will consider applications from one person or from a couple or two friends who want to share the job.
A Home on the Island, With Some Costs Excluded
Island accommodation forms part of the employment package, and a partner can live there too. The recruitment pack specifies that rates and some bills are excluded. Pets are not permitted on the island.
For a joint appointment, the trust would agree hours, responsibilities and salary with the successful applicants. The published pay range is for the Island Manager role; the job-share package would be reviewed to reflect the arrangement.
Conservation, Visitors and Daily Operations
The manager will oversee conservation work, lead staff and volunteers, support visitor and accommodation operations, organise tours and coordinate property maintenance. The role also includes income targets and the practical logistics of supplies, utilities and boat access.
Applicants need conservation or environmental-management experience, leadership skills, commercial awareness and strong customer service. A full UK driving licence is listed as essential. The working pattern includes evenings, weekends and seasonal demands, and candidates must be comfortable living remotely in basic conditions, sometimes alone.
A Small Reserve With a Busy Wildlife Calendar
The nine-hectare nature reserve sits within the Whitsand and Looe Bay Marine Conservation Zone. Woodland, maritime grassland, rocky shores and shingle provide habitats for seabirds and coastal wildlife, with a small flock of Shetland sheep helping manage the vegetation.
The island is home to nesting cormorants, shags and oystercatchers, as well as Cornwall’s largest breeding colony of great black-backed gulls. Grey seals can also be seen in the surrounding waters. Protecting those habitats shapes both conservation work and the way visitors use the island.
Public access is carefully controlled. The trust’s visitor information says landing is permitted only on official organised trips, with no independent access, including on foot. Dogs and unauthorised drones are also prohibited, reflecting the sensitivity of the reserve.
How to Apply Before November 15
Applications must include a CV, a supporting statement addressing the person specification and a completed Pre-Employment Requirements form. The vacancy page links to the documents and asks applicants to email them to [email protected] by midnight on Sunday, November 15.
First-round interviews are planned for the week beginning November 30, followed by interviews on the island in early December. Those dates may change, and the trust says it may close recruitment early if suitable applicants come forward.
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