General Manager pa

Overview

We’re looking for an inspiring leader to be the driving force behind the Bateman's & Bodiam property group. With a Growth designation, this role offers an opportunity to bring in new and diverse thinking to drive increases in visitor numbers and income. Your leadership of the recently merged teams will be vital to deliver on the future plans for this property group.

In this role, you’ll be turning strategy into reality. You’ll build an inclusive culture where everyone can feel they belong, the people who work and volunteer here, the people who regularly visit and love it, and the people who’ve never been before and don’t yet know that this place is for them too.

You’ll be working as part of the Kent & East Sussex Property Leadership Group, as well as with National and Regional colleagues, and so effective collaboration will be vital for the role.

Salary range: £54,639 - £60,762 depending on knowledge skills and experience

Potential interview dates: 3rd, 4th and 5th August. We’re conscious of summer holidays and so we are willing to be flexible to suit candidates.

Kent and East Sussex is a diverse portfolio of properties and places, and the Bateman’s & Bodiam group is no different, with two large volume visitor attractions, as well as two smaller historic houses in the form of Smallhythe and Lamb House. Set in the heart of the Kent countryside, and close to a number of other National Trust properties, there are significant opportunities for collaboration and partnership working both within the Trust and externally.

The property teams are passionate, knowledgeable and well set up to deliver on our growth aspirations.

You’ll manage several departmental heads, each with their own areas of focus such as the garden, facilities, visitor experience, curatorship and the care of precious art and objects. You’ll be working with regional teams covering commercial operations and the let estate, and with the Trust’s internal consultancy: a flexible resource of specialist skills and expertise. You'll encourage your team to succeed across all their areas, and to build the funds to invest back into improvements and conservation work here.

And you'll build plans for this place, working with others to give it a future that can benefit everyone.

You’ll provide inspirational leadership for staff and volunteers, and you’ll inspire them to create the best possible all-round experience for everyone who visits. You'll manage risk and compliance, and you’ll champion the conservation of nature, buildings and precious collections.

You’ll be working with all kinds of people and making things happen. As an ‘expert generalist’, you’ll have a diverse remit. We have high visitor and revenue targets to meet, so you’ll be experienced with finances, people and projects.

• A proven people leader with strong experience leading and motivating multi‑disciplinary teams and empowering others to work confidently and independently.
• A skilled communicator, able to build and nurture strong, collaborative working relationships with diverse teams, both internally and with external partners.
• Forward‑thinking in your approach to balancing the needs of heritage, nature, people, and financial growth.
• A confident operational leader, experienced in managing a range of risks, including health and safety, security, financial and reputational risk, with a strong grasp of compliance.
• A strong understanding of visitor expectations, and the ability to inspire and support teams to deliver welcoming, inclusive and high‑quality experiences which support financial growth.
• Experienced in leading change and delivering projects or initiatives resulting in demonstrable, positive impact.
• A leader for inclusion, who finds ways to create an inclusive culture.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to…