Environmental Project Lead

Imagine shaping the future of one of the most beautiful and biodiverse landscapes in the South West - a privately owned estate stewarded by Oxygen Conservation. This is where estate management is no longer about maintenance, but about mission. This role is based on a single privately owned estate belonging to one of Oxygen Conservation’s founders, with Oxygen Conservation providing strategic oversight and estate management support. The ambition is bold: to restore habitats at scale, create thriving woodland and river systems, and steward the land with care, intelligence, and long-term thinking.

We are looking for someone bright, driven, and deeply motivated by environmental restoration. Someone ready to step into responsibility, learn quickly, and grow into a key leader on the estate.

ABOUT YOU

You are curious, thoughtful, and energised by the idea of working in a landscape that is actively being restored. You care about doing things properly. You ask good questions. You take pride in your work. It doesn’t matter whether your experience is in environmental work, agriculture, property, infrastructure, project management, or something entirely different. What matters most is your mindset: you are proactive, organised, and motivated by purpose.

Representing both the landowner’s long-term vision and Oxygen Conservation’s standards, you are just as comfortable walking the land with a contractor or neighbouring farmer as you are learning how environmental schemes and policies shape what’s possible.

You’ll bring:

• A strong interest in environmental land management, habitat restoration, forestry, farming, or rural estates.
• A proactive attitude and the confidence to take ownership of tasks and follow them through.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Attention to detail and pride in delivering work to a high standard.
• A genuine appetite to learn — especially in areas such as woodland creation, habitat restoration, grant schemes, and environmental compliance.
• Good communication skills and a natural ability to build positive working relationships.
• Financial awareness and comfort handling budgets, invoices, or project tracking.
• And let’s be honest, you must be really nice too — sharing snacks on muddy walks is part of the deal.

You do not need to arrive as a technical expert. If you bring intelligence, integrity, and enthusiasm, we will support you to build the knowledge and confidence required.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a hands-on development opportunity with meaningful responsibility from day one. Working closely with Charles Owen, our Head of Estate Management, you will help deliver the environmental transformation of a significant private estate. You will support the coordination and delivery of habitat projects, estate operations, and grant-supported schemes, learning as you go and steadily taking on more ownership.

You will spend time on the ground understanding the land, working alongside contractors, and ensuring that projects are delivered carefully and professionally. You will also help keep systems, budgets, and compliance processes organised and up to date. This is a role for someone who wants to grow, who is excited by responsibility, comfortable with challenge, and motivated by the opportunity to make a visible difference.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support Habitat Projects: Assist in the delivery of woodland planting, wetland works, and other habitat improvements. Help coordinate contractors and ensure works are completed to a high standard.
• Project Organisation: Help plan and track project timelines, budgets, and key tasks. Maintain clear records and ensure actions are followed through.
• Grant & Scheme Support: Assist with the administration of environmental schemes and grants, including record-keeping, basic reporting, and helping prepare claims.
• Stakeholder Relationships: Build positive working relationships with contractors, neighbours, regulators, and local stakeholders, representing the estate with professionalism.
• Estate Operations: Support the oversight of estate buildings, infrastructure, and land management activities to ensure everything is safe, organised, and aligned with environmental goals.
• Compliance & Documentation: Help maintain accurate records, maps, and documentation related to environmental works and estate operations.
• Continuous Improvement: Learn quickly, seek feedback, and steadily take on greater responsibility as your confidence and capability grow.

A NOTE ON EXPERIENCE

We care deeply about curiosity, character, and capability, and less about experience. Of course, a few years of experience in a relevant field will help, but we are far more interested in your potential than your previous job titles. If you are intelligent, proactive, and motivated by purpose, we can support you to deepen your technical expertise in all areas of the role. This is an opportunity to build a career in modern estate stewardship, where restoration, rigour, and long-term thinking come together to create landscapes that thrive for generations.

KEY INFORMATION

• Term: Full-time, permanent
• Location: Based in Devon on a single privately owned estate
• Accommodation: Provided
• Working Pattern: The successful candidate will need to be flexible and comfortable with travel regularly to the estate in the South West.