Site Manager - Northern Ireland

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Site Manager to join our Northern Ireland team. Our passionate and committed Site Managers are at the root of everything we do at the Woodland Trust. The Site Manager will manage the Woodland Trust’s sites to high standards, in accordance with our conservation principles, management approach, policies, procedures and contracts, to deliver our strategic goals.

The Role:

• Lead the sustainable management of a diverse portfolio of woodland sites, including ancient woodland, high biodiversity habitats, designated sites and veteran trees.
• Develop, implement and review long-term woodland management plans through site assessments, monitoring and continuous improvement activities.
• Plan, procure and manage woodland operations, overseeing contractors, volunteers and partners to ensure high-quality delivery of work programmes.
• Ensure woodland sites are safe, welcoming and compliant with health and safety requirements through inspections, risk assessments and appropriate record keeping.
• Build strong relationships with local communities, stakeholders and land management partners, promoting positive engagement and collaboration.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across forestry, conservation, communications and fundraising teams to deliver regional projects and organisational objectives.
• Manage budgets, grants and funding opportunities to support woodland conservation, enhancement and public engagement initiatives.
• Represent and promote the organisation through events, site visits, volunteer programmes and compelling storytelling that inspires support for our mission.

This is a homebased role, requiring regular travel to locations within Northern Ireland, sometimes to remote locations. You would be expected to live within reasonable travelling distance of your area of responsibility. Occasional travel to regional offices and overnight stays will be required. A company vehicle will be provided for this role.

The Candidate:

• Proven experience in forestry, conservation or land management, with responsibility for woodlands and sites of high ecological or conservation value.
• Experience leading complex projects, managing budgets and delivering successful outcomes across multiple priorities and workstreams.
• Strong contract and contractor management experience, including procurement, tendering, contract administration and performance monitoring.
• Practical experience working with deer management, tree health issues, pests, diseases and invasive non-native species to support conservation objectives.
• Confidence working with government bodies and regulatory agencies to secure grants, statutory consents and environmental approvals.
• Experience carrying out tree safety inspections and managing health and safety risks across operational and remote site environments.
• Effective people leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build positive relationships and influence a range of audiences.
• Relevant forestry, land management or environmental qualification (or equivalent experience), a full driving licence and willingness to travel across the region.
• The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Access NI with Child Barred List, as part of our pre-employment screening.

Benefits and Wellbeing:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible and hybrid working options (7am - 7pm)
• Generous annual leave - 25 Days plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part-time)
• Buy and sell holiday scheme
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee assistance programme

To support inclusivity and remove barriers for candidates, we publish all salaries upfront and proudly follow the We Show the Salary pledge. The salary listed is the set salary for this role, and we don’t ask applicants to state their current pay or expectations. If you choose to apply, we’ll take that as confirmation that the advertised salary meets your expectations.

About Us:

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. We want to see a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make a difference by protecting, restoring and creating woodland and getting more trees in the ground.

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

To achieve our mission, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.

Application information and advice:

For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and we do not ask for your CV at application. Make sure that your personal statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role. Completed applications will be reviewed by a hiring manager and/or a member of the recruitment team, and you will receive an update on the outcome of your application via email.

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.