Senior Ranger

National Trust; Wareham; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Free entry to National Trust places

Deposit loan

Season ticket loan

EV car lease

Discounts

Holiday allowance 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance

Free parking

Job summary

The National Trust is seeking a Senior Ranger to join the Purbeck team, leading a trio of Senior Rangers across broad countryside areas. You will jointly shape and deliver an ambitious work programme with rangers and volunteers, and manage an annual budget while collaborating with partners to protect wildlife and landscapes.

You will identify and implement work plans, connect people to Purbeck’s wild coast and country, and communicate conservation efforts to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• Experience in countryside or rural conservation work.
• Proven leadership and volunteer management experience.
• Strong communication and public presentation skills.
• Experience in health and safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a Senior Ranger team and shape work programmes.
• Manage budgets, supervise contractors and volunteers.
• Engage with local communities to share conservation messages.
• Ensure landscapes are safe, accessible and inspiring for visitors.

Job description

Summary

• INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY***

As a nature restoration champion and lover of all things outdoors, you’ll be at the heart of a team delivering work in inspirational places. Working in some of the nation’s most stunning places and spaces, your enthusiasm will inspire others as you strive to ensure that our landscapes are safe, inspirational, accessible and continue to take our visitors’ breath away.

What It's Like To Work Here

To become part of our dedicated team, you will need to enjoy working with people, love the outdoors, and where appropriate, deliver through others. We are fortunate to be skilfully supported by an experienced and ambitious property team including project staff and specialists in citizen science and engagement. We strive to be open and inclusive, working with a wide range of stakeholders including farm tenants, community environmental groups and activity providers. Landscape scale conservation requires us to also work with many partners including the RSPB, Natural England and Forestry England.

This demands energy and commitment, but the roles are equally fun and varied in a unique location. Purbeck is one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the UK with internationally important and designated habitats including: a significant area of lowland heath, coastal dunes, saltmarsh and cliffs, ancient woodland and calcareous grassland. It is our mission to connect people to Purbeck’s wild coast & country through experiences that will move, teach and inspire, and will ultimately lead people to share and develop our vision. We aim to work together with our partners and stakeholders to ensure Purbeck remains an outstanding place for people of all ages to discover wildlife and connect with nature.

For More Information About Our Property Please Visit

http://purbeckheaths.org.uk/

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/studland-bay/features/re-introduction-of-beavers-to-purbeck

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/studland-bay/features/dynamic-dunescapes-at-studland-bay

What You'll Be Doing

As a Senior Ranger in Purbeck you will be joining a team of three Senior Rangers each working over an area of broad specialism delivering our cause through our stunning countryside property. You will work closely with your peers to manage and deliver an ambitious work programme which you will shape and deliver through a team of rangers and volunteers.

The role that has become available means that you will be leading as part of the Senior Ranger team, you will have a leading role in identifying and implementing work plans for aspects of the countryside team core work programme, whilst connecting people to our amazing countryside and wildlife experiences. You will manage an annual budget against your work programme and manage contractors as part of this role. There will be plenty of opportunity to develop within role and where possible we look to build the systems to deliver through others using volunteers and community creatively. You’ll also be responsible for helping with excellent communication of our conservation work to a wide range of audiences, both new and existing, through events and engagement with local communities. You will appreciate the need for our countryside sites to bring in income to deliver our conservation work, helping, where possible, to put funding applications together.

Who We're Looking For

• Have practical experience of countryside/rural skills
• Have evidence of good people management and leadership (including with volunteers)
• Have excellent communication skills including public presentation
• Have a proven track record of managing and leading on health and safety and environmental compliance
• Have a full UK Driving licence
• Be able to manage contractors and work programmes, including costing and phasing to set realistic budgets.
• Diploma/NVQ3 or higher in countryside or environmental conservation or suitable long-term experience in this sector.

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

Corfe Castle, The Square, Wareham, BH20 5EZ

Documents

• Senior Ranger - C.pdf
• Information and role profile context.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.