Head of Strategy & Impact

National Trust; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Substantial pension scheme

Free entry to National Trust places

Rental deposit loan

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking at most Trust places

Job summary

National Trust is seeking a Head of Strategy & Impact to provide strategic leadership for developing our strategy, measuring impact, and using insight to inform decisions. You will work with senior leaders to ensure priorities are evidence-informed and focused on lasting impact, translating learning into action.

Based at our Swindon head office with a hybrid working pattern, you will guide strategic priorities, champion evaluation, and lead a talented team to deliver ambitious organisational

Qualifications

• Experience leading strategy in a complex organisation.
• Proven ability to translate insights into strategic action.
• Strong collaboration with senior leaders.
• Experience evaluating impact and learning.

Responsibilities

• Develop and review organisational strategy with leadership.
• Lead evaluation, evidence, and external perspectives to inform decisions.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders and trustees.
• Build and develop a diverse, high-performing team.

Skills

Strategy leadership

Executive stakeholder engagement

Evidence-based decision-making

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Influence and negotiation

Job description

Summary

We're looking for a Head of Strategy & Impact to join our Strategy & Governance directorate to provide strategic leadership for how we develop our strategy, measure impact and use insight to inform decision-making. You’ll help ensure our priorities are guided by strong evidence, meaningful learning and a clear focus on delivering lasting impact. Working closely with senior leaders, you'll lead the development of organisational strategy, ensuring it remains relevant, ambitious and responsive to a changing world.

We're looking for a Head of Strategy & Impact to join our Strategy & Governance directorate to provide strategic leadership for how we develop our strategy, measure impact and use insight to inform decision-making. You’ll help ensure our priorities are guided by strong evidence, meaningful learning and a clear focus on delivering lasting impact. Working closely with senior leaders, you'll lead the development of organisational strategy, ensuring it remains relevant, ambitious and responsive to a changing world.

Salary: up to £80,000 dependant on experience.

What It's Like To Work Here

Working with colleagues across our organisation, you’ll regularly engage with senior leaders, trustees and external partners. You'll join a collaborative environment where curiosity, learning and innovation are valued, and where people work together to tackle complex challenges and create long-term impact.

Your contractual location will be our head office in Swindon. However, we operate a hybrid approach to working and expect colleagues to spend 40-60% of their working week at a National Trust location. There is flexibility within this framework, and the specific working pattern for this role will be discussed in more detail at interview.

What You'll Be Doing

You'll work closely with the Strategy & Governance Director on the development, implementation and ongoing review of our strategy, and by working with your peers in the team ensure strategic priorities are translated into clear plans and meaningful outcomes. You'll use evidence, insight and learning to help shape decision-making and ensure we remain focused on what matters most.

You'll oversee our approach to evaluation and strategic insight, bringing together data, evidence, research, lived experience and external perspectives to deepen understanding of key issues and opportunities. You'll use this insight to inform strategy, support organisational learning and scale our ability to influence thinking and practice well beyond the organisation.

You'll provide strategic advice to senior leaders and trustees, identifying emerging trends, risks and opportunities and helping the organisation respond effectively. Working across teams and with external partners, you'll encourage collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. You'll also lead and develop a skilled team, creating an inclusive environment where people are supported to contribute, learn and grow.

Who We're Looking For

• Experience in a senior strategy leadership role within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience of leading the development, implementation and periodic review of organisational strategy.
• Inclusive strategic leadership and facilitation skills, with the ability to influence, challenge and build consensus at Executive, Board and senior leadership level.
• Experience using research, insight, evaluation and evidence to shape organisational strategy, inform major decisions and support organisational learning.
• Authentic relationship‑building and influencing skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and achieve outcomes through influence.
• Ability to synthesise ideas, evidence and perspectives from multiple sources into a coherent strategic vision and practical recommendations.
• Resourceful leadership with experience of developing diverse teams and creating an inclusive culture where different perspectives are valued and people can thrive.

The package

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 (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• 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

National Trust place

Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2NA

Documents

Head of Strategy & Impact - Grade 3.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Closing Date: 25 October 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here.

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.