Head of Conservation

CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputed city organization in London seeks a Head of Conservation to oversee the management of iconic green spaces such as Hampstead Heath and Highgate Wood. The candidate will be responsible for leading a team of conservation professionals while ensuring compliance with environmental legislation. This role offers a unique opportunity to impact urban biodiversity and community engagement. Competitive salary and benefits are provided.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits package

Supportive and collaborative team environment

Opportunity to work across multiple iconic sites

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing complex public open spaces.
• Proven track record in biodiversity and land management programmes.
• Knowledge of environmental legislation and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary expert for nature conservation.
• Oversee day-to-day management of Highgate Wood and Hampstead Heath.
• Lead a team of conservation professionals.

Skills

Nature conservation management

Team leadership

Project management

Public engagement

Education

Relevant degree in environmental science or related field

Job description

About Us

The City of London Corporation manages 11,000 acres of land in and around London, welcoming millions of visitors annually. The North London Open Spaces (NLOS) section oversees c. 1,000 acres of that portfolio and includes some of the UK's most iconic urban greenspaces, including:

• Hampstead Heath (including Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Fields, and Heath Extension)
• Highgate Wood
• Queen's Park
• West Ham Park

These beloved green spaces boast spectacular landscapes and vistas, ancient woodland, diverse wildlife, world class sporting and athletics facilities, and heritage assets. We work closely with local communities and stakeholders to preserve and enhance these natural assets, helping to make London one of the most liveable large cities in the world.

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to take a senior leadership role at North London Open Spaces, and directly contribute to and make a meaningful impact in the conservation and protection of these cherished green spaces.

As a member of the senior management team, the successful candidate will serve as the primary subject matter expert at NLOS for nature conservation, conceiving and leading on initiatives, advising colleagues, and working collaboratively both internally and externally. They will have responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day management of most of Hampstead Heath and all of Highgate Wood, and will also oversee a number of services that function across and support the four open spaces (eg, arboriculture and tree management, waste and recycling, conservation, and ecology).

For the better performance of their duties, the Head of Conservation will be required to reside in accommodation that is provided on site and will be scheduled onto an on-call and duty manager rota with other colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary subject matter expert for nature conservation at Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, Queen's Park, and West Ham Park
• Oversee the day-to-day management of Highgate Wood and most of Hampstead Heath
• Oversee arboriculture / tree management, waste management, conservation, habitat creation/restoration and management, wildlife management, water body management, and climate change adaptation across North London Open Spaces
• Lead and motivate a team of 25-30 multi-skilled professionals committed to the conservation of these four sites
• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation, including environmental protection, climate change, nature recovery, wildlife protection, flood risk management, and health and safety.

About You

We are looking for a high-energy and innovative leader with a strong background in nature conservation, open space management, and team leadership.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Demonstrable experience in managing complex public open spaces.
• Comprehensive experience developing and delivering biodiversity and land management programmes and projects in a range of habitats, ideally within an urban setting.
• Significant experience managing complex conservation work and projects across varied landscapes
• Significant knowledge of biodiversity and wildlife management, including land and water management.
• Strong experience managing a diverse team of professionals in an operational environment.
• Experience of implementing legislation and policy relevant to biodiversity conservation, planning guidance, and site designation for wildlife conservation and species status designations.
• A highly creative, entrepreneurial and 'can do' approach to problem solving, with the ability to remain resilient in the face of challenges.
• Strong quantitative skills and comfort interrogating and analysing data and budgets.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to join a prestigious organisation that protects some of London's most treasured landscapes.
• Lead through a high-impact role with the opportunity to shape the future of these iconic spaces.
• Work within a supportive and collaborative team that is committed to conservation and community engagement.
• Work across multiple iconic sites.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

How to Apply

If you are excited about the opportunity to play a pivotal role in preserving and enhancing London's most cherished green spaces, we'd love to hear from you.

Provisional Interview dates: W/C 6th October & 13th October 2025

Closing date: 12 Noon on Monday 22nd September 2025

To apply please click the Apply online.

Alternatively, please contact (24 hr answerphone) quoting reference number OENV802 if you experience any difficulties. A minicom service for the hearing impaired is available on .

The City of London Corporation is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

We reserve the right to close the advert earlier should we receive a high number of applications.

Because our roles are so varied, we don\'t have a 'one size fits all' policy for workplace attendance. How many days a week you'll be required to attend your workplace will depend on the requirements of your role. It's important that you understand the requirements before applying to ensure you are able to meet them. We are committed to considering requests to work flexibly and job share. Requests will be considered by the recruiting manager in line with our policies and business needs.

For more information on our categories for workplace attendance, please view our guide .

We will be reviewing this policy and approach at regular intervals to ensure we're meeting our attendance needs.