Park Manager – Hadleigh Castle Country Park

The Opportunity

We’re on the lookout for a passionate and experienced Park Manager to join our dynamic team at
Hadleigh Country Park. If you’re enthusiastic about nature conservation, habitat management,
and creating memorable visitor experiences, this could be the perfect role for you!

Essex is a diverse county with some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country through
to highly affluent communities, which gives us a wide variance in life expectancy and quality.
Culture and Green Spaces deliver exceptional customer experiences, demonstrating the benefit of
Essex’s strategic location, with the objective of developing a financially sustainable
operation.

The Park Manager is responsible for all operational management of Hadleigh Country Park and
contributing to all activities that develop the Park and effectively manage the green space as
a hub of biodiversity. The Manager will develop and implement a plan to ensure the correct
level of habitat management is achieved, undertaking duties to effectively manage the land,
including nature conservation, increase resilience against climate change, landscape, and
horticulture.

Responsibilities

Park Operations

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the country park, ensuring a safe and enjoyable
  experience for visitors.
• Ensure the smooth operational running of the site and its facilities.
• Guarantee a safe and clean environment for park visitors and users.
• Liaise with and manage partners, stakeholders, community groups, volunteers/volunteer
  groups, contractors, and third-party commercial franchises.

Conservation and Environmental Stewardship

• Lead conservation efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment within the park.
• Collaborate with environmental agencies and stakeholders to implement sustainable
  practices.
• Responsible for the development of robust Park Management Plan (PMP), taking into
  consideration the unique requirements of the park, the impact of climate change, good practice
  green space management, whilst contributing to county-wide park management planning process.
• Be a visible ambassador for Country Parks, developing effective relationships and
  partnerships with stakeholders including borough and district councils, landlords, Natural
  England, Historic England, ECC’s Place Services, parking partnerships, and other key
  stakeholders.

Team Leadership

• Responsible for creating and maintaining an effective park team, by line management of the
  whole park team providing guidance to Rangers, Park Operation Assistants and other site staff.
• Lead, manage and motivate the team to ensure service objectives are met.
• Responsible for recruitment, induction, training, work planning, evaluating performance,
  managing conduct and disciplinary matters.
• Accountable for implementation of consistent processes, controls, ways of working and
  operating practices within the park.
• Responsible for providing robust analysis of performance information, including financial
  and quality data to inform business decisions with the Country Parks Manager.
• Manage third party commercial relationships and tenancies, with support from ECC corporate
  functions.

Budget Management

• Accountable for budgetary control for the park, ensuring compliance with all financial
  processes and good practices.
• Ensure control of general expenses and ensure the park is managed within budgeted
  guidelines and to the agreed high standards.
• Produce regular financial and non-financial performance reports against key performance
  indicators.
• Contribute to the submission of grant applications for additional funding and ensuring work
  and reporting is completed in the agreed timeframes to receive monies, whilst highlighting
  further funding opportunities across the site. Deliver against all commitments under all grants
  received, including Countryside Stewardship and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to degree level in land management, countryside management or equivalent by
  experience in country park management.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and people management skills including experience of
  managing teams of staff.
• Good understanding, knowledge and experience of ecological/habitat management and
  conservation issues.
• Understanding of the ‘Country Park’ ethos and commitment to promoting enjoyment of the
  countryside.
• Excellent attention to detail, ability to use initiative and to spot and resolve problems
  efficiently.
• A good understanding of project management and experience of managing multiple projects
  simultaneously
• Good IT skills – working knowledge of various computer software programs (MS Office).
• Flexibility.

Why Essex?

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from
Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional
seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest
– Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town,
they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place
for your career.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview
all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the
minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable
adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum
requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you.
Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you
will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all
registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the
status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for
ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to
www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and
vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.