Forget about protecting the birds - 'campaigning and mobilisation' now tops agenda for RSPB leadership

                                                

Beccy Speight - campaigner

THE RSPB looks set to beef up its political campaigning despite the row over its increasing anti-Government activism.

It has emerged that the organisation is seeking to strengthen its  'Campaigning and Mobilisation' unit with three new appointments.

It is recruiting an individual to head up the department with a prospective salary of up to £50,000 per annum.

It is also seeking to appoint two other campaign officers, each on up to £30,000 per annum.

Earlier this week, the society's chief executive, Beccy Speight, apologised following a furore after  the society had posted a social media post accusing the Prime Minister and two cabinet colleagues of being 'liars'

Quizzed by the BBC's Nick Robinson on Radio 4, Ms Speight denied his suggestion that the organisation was being "used to run political campaigns".

The RSPB says the 'key activities' of the campaigning and mobilisation chief will be as follows:

•    Provide cross-organisational leadership of community campaigning and mobilisation within the RSPB. 

•    Leading a high performing Community Campaigning & Mobilisation team.

•    Developing and delivering community campaigns for the RSPB, alongside direct reports and country colleagues. This role will undertake delivery work alongside their team and functional leadership.

•    Hosting and developing expertise in community campaigning and mobilisation, building an external network to further this expertise and work in partnership on key initiatives. 

•    Contributing to the definition of and ensure compliance with legal, Charity Commission, and internal policy on campaigning standards.

•    Building key internal relationships to support development and delivery of community campaigning & mobilisation. 

The closing date for applications for this position is September 14.

It is not known if Ms Speight will play any part in the selection process. 

                                            

Nick Robinson - broadcaster

The Wryneck says: Unfortunately, it looks like the RSPB is losing the plot. There is something to be said for campaigning - but only if it is precisely-targeted and, above all, disciplined. To allocate more than £100,00 per annum towards funding a ‘campaigning and mobilisation’ unit - and without identifying so much as a single project - isirresponsible. The unit will  almost certainly eat up huge amounts of time and money without having the slightest effect. Far better, surely, for the wherewithal to be spent on protection of birds and habitat creation. Or are they no longer what the RSPB is about?