Ranger

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Season ticket loan

EV car lease

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Job summary

The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is seeking a Ranger to lead practical conservation work across the Sherborne Estate. Based at Sherborne, you’ll work with volunteers, deliver woodland management, habitat restoration and site maintenance, reporting to the Countryside Manager.

You’ll need hands-on conservation experience, a full UK driving licence, and a proactive approach.

Qualifications

• Practical conservation experience required.
• Comfortable talking to diverse groups about the work and its importance.
• Hard-working and eager to learn.
• Able to work safely with risk assessments and guidelines.
• Experienced in managing land, access and conservation outdoors.
• Full UK driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ecological surveys and monitoring.
• Deliver habitat creation and nature restoration with project team.
• Deliver woodland operations as part of the woodland management plan.
• Carry out tree safety surveys.

Skills

Practical conservation experience

Public speaking & engagement

Willing to learn

Risk assessment & safety

Land and access management

Driving licence

Job description

Rangers have been a part of the National Trust since the beginning - the voice of our landscapes, conservation champions and lovers of all things outdoors.

This is an exciting role delivering for nature and access at one of our key sites. You’ll be one of a team of five Rangers based at the Sherborne Estate. From this base, we also cover Bibury and the North Cotswolds properties: Dover’s Hill, Littleworth Wood and Broadway/Clump Farm. You’ll be responsible for delivering the practical work within the property group work programme, ensuring excellent standards of care, presentation and conservation work.You will also deliver on objectives in the woodland management plans and projects to restore nature.

Salary: £27,612 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Hours/ working pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week. This role will include working some weekends, bank holidays and evenings.

Start date: Monday 23rd November, TBC depending upon notice period of successful candidate

This is a wonderful opportunity and a really fulfilling role for someone with the skills, experience, and motivation to make an impact and deliver with enthusiasm, pace and passion. In return, you’ll receive the training and development opportunities to continue to grow your career in conservation.

What it's like to work here

The Cotswolds National Landscape is an amazing place to work, and we care for a diverse range of sites. The area has a rich history, and you will experience this through the landscape, the communities, and the built environment. With nationally important grassland and woodland, numerous tenanted farms and several large projects to restore nature, there's a lot to get excited about – which is why we have such an enthusiastic and motivated team!

The Sherborne Estate encapsulates the wider diversity of the area – limestone grassland, parkland, broadleaved woodland, water meadows, arable farmland, pasture, and rivers – we have an incredible range of landscapes spread across 1672 hectares. The size and diversity of the estate support a vast range of wildlife; it is a place of unique and unspoilt countryside.

Dover’s Hill and Broadway/Clump Farm sit on the Cotswolds escarpment where visitors can experience incredible views from the Cotswold Way which runs through the properties. Littleworth Wood is a small but important property, managed through coppicing to provide excellent wildlife value. Bibury is home to the famous Arlington Row as well as a wonderful wet meadow and Cotswold stream and river habitats.

The properties are cherished and enjoyed by the local community and visitors from further afield and an extensive network of access paths and trails ensure access linking into the wider landscape.

What you'll be doing

You’ll be supported in this by a team of committed volunteers who you will be responsible for leading and managing. A further five Rangers and a farm team of three are based at the Ebworth Estate near Stroud and, together, we care for countryside properties across the Cotswolds Countryside, including some nationally and internationally important sites.

Working within the Cotswolds National Landscape, come rain or shine, your love of the outdoors and nature will inspire others. Reporting to the Countryside Manager and Sherborne Area Ranger you will be key to delivering the management of Sherborne and the North Cotswolds properties primarily and supporting across the wider group of Cotswolds Countryside properties. You’ll work alongside other rangers, volunteers and the local community to enhance and protect a Cotswolds landscape. The role is varied, and no two days will be the same but will involve:

• Conducting ecological surveys and monitoring.
• Working with a project team to deliver habitat creation and nature restoration.
• Delivering woodland operations as part of the woodland management plan.
• Carrying out tree safety surveys.
• Maintaining high levels of presentation across the estate including footpaths, fences, gates and car parks.
• Supporting with compliance tasks such as bridge and footpath inspections.

Please also read the full role profile, attached to this advert.

Who we're looking for

We’d love to hear from you if you’re:

• practically experienced in conservation work, to protect and improve habitats and landscapes
• happy to talk to all kinds of people about the work you’re doing, and why it matters
• hard-working and willing to learn
• able to work safely, using risk assessments and following guidelines
• experienced in managing land, access and conservation, and working outdoors
• able to use machinery and equipment, with relevant certificates
• a driver with a full UK driving licence

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)
• 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.

National Trust place

Sherborne Park, Sherborne, Cheltenham, GL54 3DW

Documents

Ranger - Career Level B.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Additional information

Closing Date: 18th October 2026

Interview date: Wednesday 21st 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.