Senior Ranger - East Carlton Country Park and Corby Woodlands

North Northamptonshire Council; Kettering; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at North Northamptonshire Council as a Senior Ranger. You’ll manage key environmental assets, supervise a talented ranger team and engage with the community for conservation efforts. This role offers a vibrant working environment with numerous benefits including competitive salary, development opportunities, and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension scheme

Generous leave entitlement

Hybrid working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Demonstrable practical experience in managing public country parks.
• Experience in securing external funding and managing budgets.
• Knowledge of health and safety policies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the environmental management of various Country Parks.
• Supervise rangers and manage day-to-day operations.
• Develop and motivate volunteer groups.

Skills

Environmental management

Public engagement

Team management

Health and safety knowledge

Education

Relevant degree in environmental science or related field

Job description

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About the role

Are you interested in being a part of a team dedicated to the management of the most popular & important Country Parks and Woodlands in North Northamptonshire? Do you have a real interest in the natural environment, how its managed, how its protected, how its accessed and how its promoted? If so, we'd be keen to hear from you.

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Ranger who will work within our Country Parks and Woodlands Team predominately managing the important environmental assets of East Carlton Country Park and the woodlands in Corby. All sites have extensive and varied habitats including a designated Local Wildife Site and Ancient Woodland from the remnants of the Rockingham Forest.

The Senior Ranger will be responsible for the Operational Supervision of the Ranger Team as well as taking the lead role in the management of the spaces the team are responsible for. This role will require an enthusiastic individual with demonstrable practical experience in managing public country parks. Your practical knowledge must include that of managing varied habitats, health & safety and the use of a range of tools, plant and machinery associated with environmental management.

You will also require the knowledge and experience of external funding and the processes involved with relevant Countryside Stewardship schemes. Public Engagement and experience of working with and alongside volunteers is also essential.

A valid full Driving Licence is essential.

You will be required to work 37 hours per week across a 7 day week rota. Time worked in excess of 37 hours per week will qualify for time off in lieu. You may be required to work up to 3 out of 4 weekends from April to September and up to every other weekend from October to March as well as on bank holidays, statutory and discretionary holidays

Post holder will be the nominated key holder, responding to incidents/intruder alarm activations and emergency call outs as necessary for nominated site

A uniform is provided and must be worn. You are not allowed to have dogs with you whilst on duty.

For further information about the role please contact:

[e-mail]

Country Parks and Woodland Manager

What will you be doing?

Principal responsibilities:

1. Responsible for leading the environmental management of East Carlton Country Park and the woodlands in Corby including Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods, King's Wood LNR, Weldon Woodland Park and West Glebe
2. Supervising the Parks and Woodland Rangers on the operational delivery, ensuring day to day running of the parks including; buildings, grounds, habitats and public services, is in accordance with management plans, policies and procedures
3. To manage, develop and motivate the team, setting rotas and allocating tasks. To develop high quality volunteering opportunities, recruit and supervise groups and individual volunteers as appropriate to time and resources available
4. To monitor relevant revenue budgets; specify and order goods and services (within identified spending limits); oversee works; reconcile cash income for banking; process time sheets and maintain all appropriate records
5. To carry out all routine inspections of equipment prior to use and to ensure that equipment is clean, adequately greased, levels are topped up and maintained, stored and returned as directed. Along with inspecting buildings, play equipment and public areas.
6. To identify works required and produce adequate work plans to ensure the safe/compliant delivery of conservation tasks, organising colleagues, directing tasks, monitoring and reporting on performance. To ensure policies and procedures are always adhered to whilst performing any tasks across the Council's estate.
7. To work with the Lead Country Parks Estates Officers on securing funding through the Countryside Stewardship scheme and external funding applications
8. To support the Country Parks and Woodlands Manager on achieving Key Performance targets
9. To supervise, liaise, develop, recruit and maintain relations with volunteers, friends of groups, landowners, community groups and visitors. Offering resolution to first line enquiries.
10. To ensure high standards of customer service is provided, managing visitor pressures, resolving conflicts and securing compliance with the park bylaws and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as necessary

About you

We are seeking an individual who has a keen interest, understanding and enthusiasm for the environment, conservation and sustainability, and good knowledge of the local setting.

You will have excellent communication skills and enjoy working with people and sharing your knowledge with different audiences.

You will have the necessary skills to be able to manage the work and provide instructions to the Ranger team and volunteers.

You will need to be able to carry out practical site maintenance and conservations tasks, including habitat management and be able to carry out the necessary admin duties required for the role such as budget monitoring, completing reports and monitoring and recording biodiversity data.

Finally, you will have a good understanding of health and safety necessary to compile and comply with policies and procedures on health, safety and welfare.

Our benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we're transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You'll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy

Our Key Commitments

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

North Northamptonshire Council re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2024 which highlights the Council's pledge to support the Armed Forces community. The council obtained the silver status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and we are now currently working towards achieving Gold status.

We aim to be a carbon neutral Council by 2030.

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)