Site Manager – North

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Site Manager – North to join us. This role will be responsible for approximately 30 Woodland Trust Sites in the Eastern part of North Yorkshire. This includes Scar and Castlebeck, a large SSSI woodland in the heart of the North York Moors and Robson Spring- a Plantation Ancient Woodland Site close to Helmsley, and a well distributed portfolio of Woodland Trust sites across the rest of the county.

The Role:

• Lead the sustainable management of a diverse portfolio of high-profile woodland sites, including ancient woodland, designated habitats, veteran trees and secondary woodland, ensuring compliance with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
• Develop, implement and review long-term woodland management plans, using woodland condition assessments and monitoring data to drive conservation and operational outcomes.
• Plan, procure and manage woodland works programmes, including preparing specifications, tendering contracts and monitoring contractor performance on site.
• Create safe, welcoming woodland environments by carrying out tree safety inspections, risk assessments and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.
• Deliver annual work programmes and budgets across multiple sites, overseeing woodland management activities, financial performance and grant funding opportunities.
• Build strong relationships with local communities, stakeholders, partners and public bodies, promoting positive engagement and supporting the Trust’s reputation and objectives.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across forestry, engagement, communications and fundraising teams to deliver projects, secure funding and achieve strategic goals.
• Recruit, support and inspire volunteers, while acting as an ambassador for the organisation through events, site visits and public engagement activities that raise awareness of woodland conservation.
• This is a homebased role, requiring regular travel to locations across the North, 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. Please note that our Company Vehicle Policy is under review as part of our Job Families and Contract Review project, so eligibility criteria may change.

The Candidate:

• Proven experience in forestry, conservation, land management or a related sector, with responsibility for managing woodlands and sites of high conservation value.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects, managing multiple workstreams, budgets, resources and reporting requirements to achieve successful outcomes.
• Experience procuring, managing and monitoring contracts and contractors, including developing specifications, tendering works and overseeing delivery on site.
• Strong knowledge of woodland ecology, forestry legislation and best-practice woodland management, including dealing with tree pests, diseases and invasive non-native species.
• Experience working with deer management programmes, government agencies and regulatory bodies to deliver conservation objectives, secure grants and obtain statutory consents.
• Sound understanding of health and safety management in outdoor and remote working environments, including tree safety inspections, risk assessments and safe systems of work.
• Effective people leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, contractors, volunteers and external partners.
• Relevant qualification in forestry, land management or a related discipline (HND, degree or equivalent experience)
• Full UK Driving License and willingness to travel around the required region.

Benefits and Wellbeing:

Joining our team means you’ll be part of our fight for a greener, healthier planet for people and wildlife. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• 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.

Apply now:

If you’re ready to make a difference and grow with us, apply today. We might close advertising 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 progress, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will take place via teams on the afternoon of the 16th and 17th of September 2026. Interview questions will be provided before the interview to help you prepare.

For queries about this role, reasonable adjustments, or support with your application, please contact: [email protected].