Countryside Manager

We have a rare opportunity on the Isle of Wight for a Countryside Manager to lead our countryside team and help deliver our vision for the nature and the climate crisis. Opportunities like this come along very rarely and this is a great time to join the National Trust as we move in to a new 10 years strategy period.

Salary range £36,621-£38,961 depending on experience.

Leading a team of highly experienced, world-class rangers, you'll be supported by property and consultancy colleagues including an Ecologist, Farming Advisor, Nature Conservation Advisor, Senior Estate Manager, General Manager and the wider portfolio leadership team.

Reporting directly to the General Manager, you’ll be part of the Property Leadership Team, helping shape the Isle of Wight for future generations across internationally important chalk downlands, wetlands and coastal areas.

We have a plan in place that will drive us to continue delivering significant landscape conservation across almost 6,000 acres of National Trust land spread across the island, including a National Nature Reserve at Newtown and the iconic Needles headland. In addition, we’ll work in partnership with our tenants and graziers to shape farm businesses with nature at its heart and with other organisations, such as National Landscapes and the Wildlife Trust.

To find out more about this location, please click here. For more information about the role, please read the attached candidate pack.

As the Countryside Manager you'll lead your team to help support our vision. It's an exciting challenge, as we're managing change to ensure the landscape is resilient to the impacts of climate change and able to help respond to the nature crisis.

You’ll work at a strategic level to lead and deliver our plans to enhance the landscape, whilst balancing this with growing demand from our supporters to access and enjoy the outdoors.

Your team will play a lead role in managing and improving access, delivering conservation projects and engaging with our visitors in the outdoors. Given the changes to how people use the outdoors, you'll review how your team operates to ensure we are best placed to engage.

A key aspect of your role will be to work together with a range of organisations and our tenants – we cannot do everything ourselves and if we are to work at pace we must collaborate with others. 

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all of the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

• a deep understanding of nature conservation
• experience of leading a well-qualified and knowledgeable team
• ability to effectively communicate at all levels
• strong presentation skills
• demonstrable ability to manage change and lead a team towards delivering results
• confidence in managing budgets, projects, finances, income generation, environmental land management schemes and contracts
• knowledge of health and safety requirements and other compliance issues relating to the countryside

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

•Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

•Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

•Rental deposit loan scheme

•Season ticket loan

•EV car lease scheme 

•Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

•Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

•Flexible working whenever possible

•Employee assistance programme

•Free parking at most Trust places

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.