This is not one of our typical Area Ranger roles, please do read fully to understand the nature of this role.

In this hands-on role, you will enjoy leading and working alongside your team outdoors to ensure this special grade 1 registered landscape continues to be managed and presented to the highest possible standards for our visitors to enjoy. You'll also play your part in ensuring the visitor infrastructure and facilities are well maintained.

Imagine walking to work! No travel costs! As one of our key representatives, you'll live on the estate in our beautiful newly renovated 2-bedroom cottage and you'll be on a rota to provide out of hours cover for the property. This rota for the key rep role is Wednesday – Saturday. The accommodation is provided rent-free, and your council tax will be covered by the Trust. 

We may be able to assist with relocation if you are considering a lifestyle change, so are you ready for a new challenge? Then we'd love to hear from you! There is a good choice of local schools nearby. We may also have a little latitude on salary for this role.

If you have any questions about this role please contact: Steven.Howard@nationaltrust.org.uk

What it's like to work here

Cragside is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the North East, welcoming around 250,000 visitors every year. Located in stunning, rural Northumberland 15 miles from the coast, and only 30 miles from the vibrant city of Newcastle, living and working at Cragside allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds. 

The high performing property team you will be joining is experienced in a broad range of disciplines. Everyone works closely together to look after Cragside for our visitors – both present and future – to enjoy.  

Managing such an extensive landscape requires close cooperation between the outdoor departments and you will relish working closely with others, especially the Head Forester (the property’s Outdoor Lead) and the Head Gardener. Your relationship with the Facilities Manager will also be key, as well as with other heads of department, to provide a holistic and exceptional visitor experience across the property. Regional colleagues will be able to offer a range of advice and services for you to draw upon, including people services and operational risk.

What you'll be doing

As the Area Recreation Ranger, you will manage a team of staff and volunteers responsible for all the practical work needed to deliver the estate maintenance plan on the estate. At Cragside, the ranger team has a greater focus on landscape presentation, opening operations and the enjoyment of visitors in the great outdoors, than on land and nature conservation. 

Yours will be a pivotal, strenuous role in maintaining the excellent standards of maintenance, presentation, access, security, and customer service that underpin` a visitor experience worthy of one of the north east’s major visitor attractions. 

It is a hugely varied job, from maintaining footpaths/signage and managing vegetation, setting your volunteers off to clear gullies, renewing timber barriers and inspecting the play areas. With an estate open all-year round, maintaining access for visitors and residents will be your top priority, not least during the winter when your team may be out clearing snow and gritting. 

You'll be leading a team of 2 regular rangers and 3 seasonal assistant rangers, along with some great volunteers. You'll also line manage the facilities co-ordinator and 4 general cleaners who are responsible for cleaning and minor maintenance on the estate, from toilets to historic spaces.

A natural ambassador for the National Trust, you will be responsible for ensuring a wide range of audiences receive the highest standard of service. Your team act as the estate’s first responders You will build and maintain strong professional relationships with colleagues, contractors, tenants, and neighbouring landowners.

The working pattern is Tuesday to Saturday, and you will be part of the duty manager rota for daily operations on the property.

Who we're looking for

To deliver this role successfully, you will need to:

• Have practical experience of countryside/rural skills/grounds maintenance

• Be a good team leader, able to set clear objectives for your staff and proactively manage performance and development

• Be able to communicate effectively with staff, volunteers, contractors, and visitors

• Have strong organisational skills including work programming

• Have NPTC or equivalent certificates for trimmer/Brushcutter use, ride-on and pedestrian mowers, hedgecutter maintenance and use, and PA1/PA6 spraying

• Be experienced with relevant health & safety best practice

• Have a resourceful and flexible approach

• Be computer literate

• Have a full UK Driving licence 

And ideally you'll have the following experience on your CV/Application:

• Evidence of good people management 

• Competence with machinery and equipment 

• Footpath/fence maintenance and refurbishment

• A proven track record of managing compliance, and health and safety.