Park Operations Development Manager

About Us

The Royal Parks (TRP) is a charity created in March 2017. We manage over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London. These are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park, St James’s Park, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

We also manage other important public spaces, including Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens. Our eight Royal Parks and other iconic green spaces are among the most visited attractions in the UK with tens of millions of visits every year.

We are now looking for a Park Operations Development Manager to join us on a permanent, full-time basis, working 36 hours per week, including some weekends and evenings. Agile and hybrid working options are available.

The Benefits

• Salary of £59,000 - £64,000 per annum depending on experience
• 26 days’ annual leave plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after three years’ service
• Pension scheme (3% employee contribution; up to 10% employer contribution)
• Hybrid/agile working options
• Private medical insurance and healthcare cash plan
• Employee assistance programme and access to mental health first aiders
• Learning and development opportunities
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offices in a beautiful location

This is a rare opportunity for a high-calibre landscape, amenity horticulture or park operations professional to step into a pivotal role within our exceptional and vital organisation.

You will have the chance to influence and operate at the heart of vital work to evolve how park operations are delivered, supporting sustainability and resilience and ensuring we are equipped for the future.

You will be enabled to enhance your professional profile, gaining experience that adds weight and depth to your portfolio while continuing to strengthen your core expertise.

The Role

As a Park Operations Development Manager, you will seek to improve and optimise park operations at Richmond Park by leading a programme to bring them in-house.

Specifically, you will manage the programme of Landscape Maintenance Teams, leading the move from contractor-run services to an in-house team and supporting recruitment where needed. You will put clear team structures and ways of working in place and arrange the purchase of the equipment, machinery and services required to deliver the work safely and effectively.

Working closely with colleagues across HR, Procurement, Health & Safety, Finance, IT and Park Management, you will create a clear plan and timetable for the programme and ensure everyone understands their role. You will manage risks, maintain clear communication with stakeholders and provide regular updates to senior leaders to ensure the programme stays on track.

Additionally, you will:

• Lead the continuous improvement of operational processes
• Co-ordinate the project team and related activity
• Work with HR on employment arrangements for new in-house teams
• Maintain clear reporting throughout the programme

About You

To be considered as a Park Operations Development Manager, you will need:

• Extensive experience in landscape, amenity horticulture or park operations, including contract management
• Experience developing operational delivery structures and plans
• Experience specifying fleet vehicles, plant, equipment and machinery for horticultural or land management operations
• Experience of financial management and report writing
• Knowledge of Health and Safety principles, roles and responsibilities
• Good communication, interpersonal, relationship-building and negotiation skills
• Knowledge and competence in Microsoft Office (including Excel), with the ability to learn new systems such as Geographical Information Systems
• A qualification in horticulture or land management

Other organisations may call this role Parks Operations Manager, Landscape Operations Manager, Horticultural Operations Manager, Park Services Manager or Estates Operations Manager.

We want to put everyone in the best possible position to succeed and use Recite-me accessibility software. At the top of the application page, there is an “Accessibility Tools” button which you can use to complete the application form in a way that works for you. If you think that you may need more support to complete our application process, please do get in touch.

The Royal Parks is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

So, if you are interested in this unique opportunity as a Park Operations Development Manager, please apply via the button shown. Successful candidates will be appointed on merit.