Project Manager - Mourne Park

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Project Manager (Mourne Park) to undertake the successful delivery of The National Lottery Heritage Fund project, Mourne Park - 500 years of undiscovered natural heritage. 

The Role:

• Achieve the targets agreed with the Estate and Projects Manager, based on the programme of works, and provide monthly progress updates.
• Maintain full project management control and budget responsibility across the programme, ensuring all Heritage Fund/WTNI reporting and recording systems are kept up to date, work programmes are delivered on time, and confidentiality is always maintained.
• Direct the project team delivering all access projects and on site interpretation, ensuring alignment with the Access & Interpretation Plans and the Diversity & Inclusion report.
• Oversee all procurement undertaken by the project team for access, interpretation, woodland creation and related projects, ensuring compliance with Heritage Fund/WTNI requirements and agreement from the Site Manager. Provide effective management and supervision of contractors and support the project team in doing the same.
• Coordinate and provide leadership to the project team, overseeing implementation of heritage conservation projects identified by the wider programme, including writing management plans when required. Promote good practice in landscape design and the conservation of landscape features.
• Liaise closely with partners, interested organisations, local communities, visitors and the media, fostering strong working relationships. Identify, review and meet with potential partners whose objectives align with the project, and attend meetings, forums and events to promote the project, the Woodland Trust and funders.
• Carry out data collection, surveys, research, appraisals and information gathering, producing monitoring reports as required.
• Support the Conservation Officer with practical “on the ground" work and assist the Community Development Officer with engagement activities such as events and volunteer tasks. Additionally, supporting the Community Development Officer in their work with children, young people and vulnerable adults across local community and educational settings.
• Develop an exit strategy for the project programme to enable the Trust to continue delivering at Mourne Park following the end of National Lottery Heritage Fund support.
• This is a homebased role, requiring regular travel to Mourne Park and around Northern Ireland, sometimes to remote locations. Occasional travel to regional offices and overnight stays will be required. You would be expected to live within reasonable travelling distance of your area of responsibility.
• This is a fixed term contract until December 2029. 

The Candidate:

• You’ll have proven programme and project delivery experience across complex, multi disciplinary workstreams, coordinating internal and external expertise to deliver on time and within budget.
• You’ll be experienced in forestry or conservation land management, including volunteer coordination and community engagement.
• You’ll have a strong track record in land management and partnership projects, with strategic planning, long-term visioning and budget forecasting skills.
• You’ll be an experienced, motivating leader who is able to inspire, develop and hold accountable multi disciplinary teams while fostering collaboration across dispersed colleagues.
• You’ll be skilled in public facing communications, including consultations, media engagement, lobbying and event management.
• You’ll have demonstrated success delivering access infrastructure and interpretation projects on public and private land to enhance visitor experience.
• You’ll be commercially aware and opportunity focused, able to balance organisational benefit with cost, deliver value for money, and identify cost-effective ways to advance partnership aims.
• You’ll be innovative, collaborative and professionally qualified, preferably educated to HND/degree level in a relevant field, able to work across diverse teams. You will also hold a full driving licence for necessary travel across a wide area.
• The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Background Check, as part of our pre-employment screening.

Benefits and Wellbeing:
Joining our team means you’ll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 Days Plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d for part-time)
• Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme
• Enhanced Parental Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme

About Us:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees.  
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. 
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.

Application 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. Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply.

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. 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. 

Apply Now:
If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams May 5th and May 6th.