Internally, the culture is highly hierarchical and, at times, authoritarian. While the working environment may seem positive initially, this changes quickly if you begin to ask questions or are not fully aligned with senior management and long-standing ways of working. At that point, employees may be labelled as “difficult” and can experience subtle but persistent bullying.
Several members of senior management have been in post for decades and appear reluctant to adapt to modern media landscapes or contemporary working practices. There is little appetite for change, and conformity is often valued over constructive challenge. Excessive deference to leadership seems to be rewarded more than independent thinking or innovation.
Salaries, particularly at middle-management level, are not commensurate with the level of responsibility, workload, and expectations placed on staff.
Overall, the organisation feels stagnant, with limited internal innovation or genuinely forward-thinking work in the conservation space.