Dartmoor Headwaters Officer (Historic Environment)

Grade 5: £35,570 – £40,444 per annum (pro rata)
Part-time 0.5 FTE (18.5 hours per week)
Fixed-term contract until October 2029

This position is available on a fixed-term basis until 31 October 2029. Subject to project funding, we anticipate the opportunity to extend until 2033.

About Us

Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) works in partnership with local and national stakeholders to conserve and enhance Dartmoor as a vibrant, living, working landscape and community, teeming with natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage.

DNPA have launched an ambitious new nature enhancement strategy to restore natural processes at a catchment scale. The health of Dartmoor’s rivers, peatlands and wetlands is core to this. The Dartmoor Headwaters Programme will enhance rivers, peatlands and wetlands for environmental and societal benefits, to reduce flooding and increase biodiversity by working with natural processes in priority headwaters.

Dartmoor is an internationally important archaeological landscape with human activity leaving permanent reminders of the people who have lived here over thousands of years.

The Role

The Dartmoor Headwaters Officer (Historic Environment) will work with the Dartmoor Headwaters Officers (NFM) to deliver natural flood management schemes that benefit nature recovery and are compliant with historic environment designations. They will help to balance the competing priorities of nature restoration, climate resilience and protection of historic features, making sure that these considerations are incorporated into the scheme designs. Ultimately, the post will help ensure that the historic environment is considered, protected and managed appropriately alongside natural environment priorities.

The post holder will support the team to produce specifications and tender documents for bespoke historic environment surveys and work with contractors on-site as and when needed. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with DNPA’s archaeologists to build knowledge and learn more about the special character of the place.

The Benefits

• Salary of £35,570 – £40,444 per annum (pro rata)
• Generous annual leave and flexitime policies
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to electric vehicle pool car fleet
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Beautiful office location on National Trust estate, with free parking and café on site
• Discounts at National Park Visitor Centres
• Free parking in our car parks on Dartmoor

About You

You will have significant professional archaeological experience including expertise in archaeological fieldwork surveys and desk-based assessments. Ideally, you will have a proven track record of building positive working relationships with a range of organisations and stakeholders, including statutory agencies, local authorities, interest groups, farmers and landowners. Experience of working with contractors to deliver high-quality outcomes is also essential.

Although an awareness of natural flood management is desirable, there will be opportunities to learn about this as we deliver the project. You will be comfortable promoting key messages to a range of audiences and building positive relationships with stakeholders and the project team.

When applying for this post, please highlight your suitability by referring to the essential and desirable requirements set out in the Person Specification. This information will be used in deciding those to be shortlisted.

The post is based at the Authority’s head office at Parke, Bovey Tracey, but will involve travel to other sites within the National Park.

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, please contact Kendal Archer, Dartmoor Headwaters Manager.

Closing Date: Sunday 13 September 2026.
Interview Date: Thursday 24 September 2026.

Dartmoor National Park Authority is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment.

So, if you’re seeking your next challenge as a Dartmoor Headwaters Officer, please apply via the button shown.