Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Supervisor leads and coordinates field-based wildlife management programs that conserve, monitor, and enhance wildlife populations and habitats. This role combines technical wildlife biology expertise (population monitoring, capture and handling, habitat restoration), operational leadership (staff supervision, scheduling, equipment and fleet management), regulatory oversight (permits, endangered species and migratory bird compliance), and stakeholder engagement (public outreach, interagency coordination, grant administration). The Wildlife Supervisor establishes program priorities, ensures rigorous data collection and analysis, enforces safety and humane handling practices, and represents the organization to partners and the public.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wildlife Technician / Field Biologist
Habitat Restoration Specialist
Natural Resource Technician

Advancement To:

Wildlife Program Manager
Natural Resources Manager
Conservation Director / Regional Wildlife Manager

Lateral Moves:

Park Manager
Fisheries Supervisor
Environmental Compliance Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of regional wildlife management plans and annual workplans to meet conservation objectives, population targets, and habitat restoration goals.
Supervise, mentor, schedule, and evaluate a multidisciplinary field crew (wildlife technicians, biologists, interns, contractors), including hiring, performance reviews, discipline, and professional development planning.
Design and execute population monitoring and research programs (transect surveys, point counts, camera-trap arrays, mark-recapture, distance sampling, point-intercept vegetation surveys) and ensure methodological rigor and reproducibility.
Oversee capture, handling, restraint, sedation, transport, and release operations for native wildlife in accordance with permitted protocols and institutional animal care guidelines; coordinate veterinary care and post-release monitoring as needed.
Prepare, submit, and manage state and federal permit applications (capture, banding, take, rehabilitation, endangered species incidental take) and ensure team compliance with permit conditions and reporting.
Ensure program and field activities comply with relevant legislation and policy (Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, state wildlife codes), NEPA processes, and agency SOPs; coordinate environmental reviews when required.
Implement and supervise habitat restoration, invasive species control, wetland enhancement, prescribed grazing or burning (where applicable), and habitat connectivity projects, working with restoration contractors and volunteers.
Oversee telemetry, GPS, and remote sensing programs including satellite/GPS collars, VHF telemetry, acoustic tags and receivers, and automated data retrieval; ensure data integrity and proper calibration of equipment.
Develop, manage, and reconcile program budgets; prepare budget forecasts, requisitions, purchase orders, and manage procurement of vehicles, boats, ATVs, traps, telemetry gear, camera systems, and PPE.
Write, submit, and administer grants and cooperative agreements; track deliverables, budgets, and produce required technical and financial reports for funders and stakeholders.
Author, review, and deliver technical reports, scientific deliverables, management plans, GIS maps, and peer-reviewed manuscripts; present results to agency leadership, partner organizations, and public audiences.
Implement and enforce field safety programs and emergency response protocols (vehicular, water, remote work, wildlife encounters); provide or coordinate staff training in first aid, ATV/boat operation, confined space, and hazardous materials procedures.
Manage nuisance wildlife response and conflict resolution programs (urban wildlife, depredation, livestock interactions), coordinating permits, humane capture/relocation, or mitigation actions and communicating outcomes to landowners.
Coordinate interagency and tribal consultations and partnerships; represent the organization at regional working groups, technical advisory committees, and public hearings to align projects and policy.
Design and maintain data management workflows and QA/QC processes for biological data (database schema, metadata, backups); ensure timely entry of field data into central repositories and adherence to data standards.
Supervise contracting and oversight of external consultants for specialized services (genetics, telemetry analysis, vegetation mapping, helicopter captures) and ensure deliverables meet scope, schedule, and quality.
Oversee long-term monitoring and adaptive management frameworks that use empirical results to update objectives, sampling intensity, and restoration approaches; develop metrics and KPIs for program performance.
Lead community outreach, educational programming, and volunteer management (training volunteers, public programs, school partnerships) to build local support for wildlife conservation objectives.
Maintain and service field vehicles, boats, ATVs, safety gear, traps, and research equipment; implement inventory control, preventative maintenance schedules, and coordinate repairs.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training materials for field techniques, capture protocols, data collection protocols, and health/safety procedures; ensure staff complete mandatory training.
Investigate wildlife mortality events and disease outbreaks; coordinate necropsies, sample submission to diagnostic laboratories, and implement biosecurity measures and mitigation strategies.
Support adaptive regulatory and policy development by providing technical input into ordinances, land-use decisions, and wildlife management guidance; prepare testimony and technical briefings for decision-makers.
Lead and participate in emergency wildlife response operations (oil spills, wildfire evacuations, flood rescues), including rapid assessment, triage, stabilization, and coordination with emergency responders and rehabilitation centers.
Monitor and evaluate contractor compliance on restoration and mitigation projects; conduct site inspections, document compliance, and issue recommendations to ensure ecological outcomes are met.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and curate GIS layers, spatial databases, and maps supporting project planning, reporting, and permit applications.
Support long-term species status assessments and conservation prioritization efforts by contributing field-collected data and analysis.
Facilitate internal cross-training and knowledge transfer sessions to build field capacity and institutional knowledge.
Participate in strategic planning initiatives to align wildlife programs with organizational goals and partner priorities.
Contribute to public-facing materials (web content, media interviews, fact sheets) and social media outreach to communicate program activities and conservation successes.
Coordinate with procurement and logistics teams to ensure field supply chains and seasonal staffing needs are met.
Assist with seasonal forecasting and resource allocation for peak field operations (breeding seasons, migration windows, fire seasons).
Advise land managers and planners on minimizing wildlife impacts during infrastructure projects and participate in project/site-specific monitoring.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Wildlife ecology and population dynamics — design and interpretation of surveys, demographic modeling, and adaptive management.
Animal capture and handling techniques — live-trapping, netting, chemical immobilization oversight, safe restraint, banding, marking, and humane release.
Regulatory and permitting expertise — familiarity with ESA, MBTA, state wildlife laws, and permit application processes and reporting requirements.
Telemetry and tracking methods — proficiency with VHF/UHF telemetry, GPS/satellite collars, automated receivers, and related data processing.
GIS and spatial analysis — ArcGIS/QGIS proficiency for mapping, habitat modeling, and spatial planning; experience with GPS data management.
Field data collection and database management — mobile data collection apps (Survey123, Collector, Fulcrum), relational database experience, and QA/QC protocols.
Statistical analysis and data visualization — experience with R, Python, or similar tools for analysis of monitoring data and producing visualizations and dashboards.
Project and program management — budget development, scheduling, contract management, and vendor oversight.
Equipment operation and maintenance — safe operation of ATVs, boats, trucks, trailers, chainsaws, and field laboratory equipment; routine maintenance scheduling.
Grant writing and reporting — preparing competitive proposals, managing awards, and submitting performance and financial reports.
Emergency response and biosecurity — wildlife triage protocols, sampling for disease surveillance, and coordination with public health or wildlife rehabilitation partners.
Technical writing — preparation of environmental assessments, scientific reports, SOPs, and public-facing documents.

Soft Skills

Leadership and team development — ability to motivate, coach, and evaluate field staff across diverse technical skills and cultural backgrounds.
Clear oral and written communication — explain technical information to non-technical stakeholders, prepare briefings, and represent the program publicly.
Stakeholder engagement and diplomacy — experience working with landowners, tribal governments, conservation NGOs, and regulatory agencies to achieve consensus.
Problem-solving and adaptability — make data-driven decisions in dynamic field conditions and re-prioritize operations under changing constraints.
Attention to detail and organization — maintain rigorous documentation, inventory, and compliance records.
Time management and prioritization — manage concurrent projects, seasonal workloads, and competing stakeholder demands.
Mentoring and capacity building — provide hands-on training and safety oversight to junior staff, interns, and volunteers.
Conflict resolution — de-escalate landowner disputes and negotiate solutions that balance conservation and community needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Natural Resource Management, or closely related field.
Professional certifications preferred (e.g., Certified Wildlife Biologist® through The Wildlife Society, Pesticide Applicator certification where relevant).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wildlife Biology
Conservation Ecology
Natural Resource Management
Environmental Science
Forestry
Zoology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

4–8 years of progressive field experience in wildlife management, research, or resource conservation with demonstrated leadership responsibilities.

Preferred:

5+ years supervising field staff and managing operational programs, experience with permit acquisition and interagency coordination, proven track record in habitat restoration and long-term monitoring programs, and prior budgetary/grant management experience.