Site Manager

National Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 37,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 10%

Free NT entry for you and guest

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Employee discounts

Holiday up to 32 days

Job summary

National Trust is seeking Site Managers to support the Christmas at Dunham Massey event. You will oversee day-to-day operational management, coordinating with property colleagues and event partners to ensure a smooth visitor experience.

The role is a fixed-term contract until 9 January 2027, with 225 hours across the term and a pattern of 3–4 days per week, including up to four shifts per week during peak periods.

Qualifications

• Operational management experience in a busy customer-facing environment and/or historic properties.
• Ability to assess and manage risk with knowledge of health & safety and compliance.
• Strong people skills and ability to lead through others.
• Proven leadership experience and ability to stay organised under pressure.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative and handle varying pressures.

Responsibilities

• Lead the venue duty management rota for the event with support from the management team.
• Ensure buildings and landscape are protected while delivering a warm visitor experience.
• Oversee staff and volunteers on event nights and respond to customer enquiries.
• Promote health and safety culture, assess risk, and ensure safe, cost‑effective operations.

Skills

Operational management

People skills

Risk & safety awareness

Leadership experience

Customer service

Communication

Job description

Summary

We're looking for Site Managers to support and deliver the Christmas at Dunham Massey event. In this role, you’ll be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the event, working closely with both property colleagues and event partners.

Salary: £14.16 per hour

Contract Duration: Fixed term until 9th January 2027

Working Pattern: The hours advertised for this role is reflective of 12 months, however the actual hours you’ll be required to work across the term of the contract is 225 hours. The amount of hours you work each month may vary, however your salary will be paid in equal instalments over the term of your contract. You will work an average of 3 to 4 days per week, but exact working days and hours will vary during the pre-event and event periods. It is likely that you will work up to 4 shifts of up to 8.5 hours each week, and you’ll be required to work a proportion of the 43 event dates as one of the two Duty Managers.

Proposed Start Date: Week commencing 2nd November 2026

What It’s Like To Work Here

Dunham Massey is a 3,000 acre estate situated approximately 10 miles south of central Manchester and three miles south of Altrincham. Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford, gave it to the National Trust in 1976 and today it attracts over 500,000 visitors a year. This elegant Georgian mansion, set within a magnificent 300 acre deer park and including one of Britain’s finest winter gardens, is a very popular visitor attraction with over 100 staff.

The busy team has a strong commercial focus and a fast-paced environment. Within the park walls there is a shop, café, restaurant and ice cream parlour. On the wider estate, there are 20 farms, 100 cottages, a golf course and an award winning housing development. The house, garden and parkland hide many layers of history and have many stories to tell.

Click here for more information about this location

What You’ll Be Doing

Using your strong people skills, you’ll build effective working relationships with property colleagues and event partners, leading the venue duty management rota for the event, with support from the Dunham management team and wider property colleagues.

You’ll ensure Dunham’s buildings and landscape are appropriately protected, while maximising opportunities to share the National Trust’s purpose and work with the tens of thousands of visitors attending the event. You’ll have operational line management responsibility for National Trust staff and volunteers on event nights, and will help ensure the consistent delivery of an excellent visitor experience. You’ll also work closely with Dunham’s Business Services Team to respond to customer enquiries, provide information, and support the administration of the event.

A key part of the role is ensuring compliance with relevant national systems, policies and procedures. You’ll promote a strong health and safety culture, assess and manage risk, and help ensure the event operates safely, efficiently and cost-effective, while maintaining high presentation standards and delivering a warm Dunham welcome to every visitor.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. Youdontneed to haveallthe knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture ofwhat’spossible in this role.

Who We’re Looking For

• Operational management experience in a busy customer facing environment and/or at historic properties, with an appreciation of balancing visitor experience and revenue generation
• Experience of assessing & managing risk, with knowledge of health & safety and compliance requirements, and planning for and managing emergency scenarios
• Strong people skills, with the ability to build effective relationships, deliver through others, and make the most of shared expertise
• Ability to work on your own initiative, responding to varying pressures and managing difficult situations
• Some previous leadership experience, demonstrating your ability to make good decisions, take accountability and stay organised
• Good communication skills, including delivering excellent customer service and handling complaints effectively

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

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.

National Trust place

Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 4SJ

Documents

Site Manager - Career Level B.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Closing Date: 27 September 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.