Senior Manager

Thames Basin Heaths Partnership - Natural England; Woking; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Thames Basin Heaths Partnership - Natural England seeks a Senior Manager to lead a passionate team protecting one of England's most important heathland landscapes. You will spend time on site with wardens, engaging with partners and shaping a high-profile conservation programme funded through developer contributions.

You'll develop staff, build strong partnerships with local authorities, landowners, and conservation bodies, and represent the partnership at strategic boards while delivering

Responsibilities

• Leading and supporting a dedicated team of permanent and seasonal wardens
• Working with local authorities, landowners, Natural England, Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, Forestry England, the Ministry of Defence, The Crown Estate and many other partners
• Helping shape the future of a high-profile conservation programme funded through developer contributions
• Representing the partnership with councillors, stakeholders and strategic boards
• Ensuring the team delivers ambitious visitor engagement and conservation objectives
• Developing and supporting staff through coaching, mentoring and effective leadership
• Supporting major public engagement initiatives such as Heath Week and other events across the Thames Basin Heaths

Job description

Lead one of the UK's most ambitious heathland protection partnerships

Are you a people-focused leader who wants to make a tangible difference for nature? Do you enjoy bringing together partners, managing teams and shaping projects that have a real impact on the ground?

The Thames Basin Heaths Partnership is looking for an exceptional Senior Manager to lead a passionate team working to protect one of England's most important heathland landscapes.

A role with real impact

The Thames Basin Heaths are internationally important for their wildlife, including rare ground-nesting birds such as nightjar, woodlark and Dartford warbler. These beautiful landscapes sit alongside some of the fastest-growing communities in the South East, creating a unique conservation challenge.

As Senior Manager, you'll lead the partnership's award-winning visitor engagement and wardening programme, helping balance access to nature with the protection of sensitive habitats and species.

This isn't a desk-bound management role. While you'll provide strategic leadership and oversight of the programme, you'll also spend time out on the heathlands, meeting wardens on site, engaging with partners and seeing the impact of the team's work first-hand.

What you'll be doing

• Leading and supporting a dedicated team of permanent and seasonal wardens
• Working with local authorities, landowners, Natural England, Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, Forestry England, the Ministry of Defence, The Crown Estate and many other partners
• Helping shape the future of a high-profile conservation programme funded through developer contributions
• Representing the partnership with councillors, stakeholders and strategic boards
• Ensuring the team delivers ambitious visitor engagement and conservation objectives
• Developing and supporting staff through coaching, mentoring and effective leadership
• Supporting major public engagement initiatives such as Heath Week and other events across the Thames Basin Heaths

What makes this role special?

Few roles offer the opportunity to lead a project that sits at the intersection of nature recovery, recreation, planning and partnership working.

You’ll be helping to safeguard thousands of hectares of internationally important heathland while ensuring local communities can continue to enjoy and connect with nature.

One day you might be discussing strategic priorities with local authority leaders. The next, you’ll be out on the heath with wardens, seeing visitor engagement in action or joining site visits with partners.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building relationships, empowering teams and bringing people together behind a shared purpose.

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced manager who enjoys supporting and developing people, leading through change and delivering results through others.

You don’t need to spend every weekend identifying birds, but you’ll be passionate about nature and understand the importance of protecting special places while enabling people to enjoy them responsibly.

Most importantly, you’ll be someone who can inspire others, manage complexity and create strong partnerships that deliver meaningful outcomes for both people and nature.

The opportunity

• Based at Heathland House, Heather Farm, Woking, with regular travel across the Thames Basin Heaths
• Lead a well-established and respected conservation partnership
• Manage and develop a passionate and skilled team
  Work with influential partners across Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire
• Help protect one of the UK’s most important heathland landscapes

If you’re looking for a leadership role where you can develop people, influence strategy and deliver lasting conservation impact, this could be the perfect next step.