Project Manager, Program ​/ Project Manager

In line with our redeployment policy, we’ll prioritise applications from employees who are under formal notice of redundancy.

The Common Connections project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are recruiting for a Project Manager.

Are you passionate about restoring nature at scale? We're embarking on an ambitious journey to create a thriving, connected landscape along 37 km of the Cotswold escarpment — connecting habitats from Cleeve Common to Selsley Common - the Commons Connections project.

We are seeking a Project Manager to work on the development phase of the Common Connections project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. As Project Manager, you will be working for an exciting new partnership between the Cotswolds National Landscape, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust. You will play a pivotal leadership role in the partnership to make the vision a reality by identifying long‑term solutions for change that will help shape and deliver this transformational landscape‑scale project – enabling both people and nature to thrive.

This role is delivered in partnership with Cotswold National Landscape and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Representatives from these organisations will be actively involved in the shortlisting and interview process to ensure a collaborative approach and shared vision for the role.

Hosted by the National Trust, you’ll be joining a fast‑paced and motivated team committed to landscape‑scale conservation – a commitment shared by our partners at Cotswolds National Landscape and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. You’ll work closely with the partners, always being ready to go the extra mile and supporting the partnership to achieve great things.

This is a brilliant opportunity for you to bring your project management and experience to make a positive difference to the Cotswolds landscape. Your enthusiasm, pace and passion for your work will shine through in all you do.

You’ll have a passion for developing high‑profile nature and landscape projects alongside quality stakeholder engagement. You will build positive partnerships and relationships with others, including landowners and community groups. You’ll also have a strong eye for land management practices and business modelling, identifying external funding opportunities and commissioning reports as part of feasibility work.

People also play a big part in the landscape, and you’ll help the partnership to understand the disconnect between people and nature by engaging with communities to help shape the Common Connections project.

Reporting to the National Trust’s Restore Nature Delivery Manager and the new Partnership Board, you’ll work closely with and alongside the three partners to build resilience and capacity to lead the delivery of this Lottery‑funded project. You will work directly with the partners and facilitate cross‑organisation working, bringing positivity and energy. Being a people person, you’ll manage relationships with specialist contractors, staff, volunteers, trustees, visitors and community groups.

The key deliverable of this project is to prepare and submit the full Commons Connections application to the Heritage Fund. In doing so you will:

• Establish and finalise governance structures for a full Common Connections application with Cotswolds National Landscape, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, including convening a project board.
• Complete an information audit among project partners.
• Develop a project vision and theory of change for a full Common Connections application.
• Explore different volunteering models and opportunities.
• Consult with communities and visitors to understand what people value about the area, what the barriers to access are, and how people want to engage with the landscape.
• Appoint a consultant to complete a feasibility study of conservation grazing services.
• Appoint a consultant to help finalise the full Common Connections application.
• Appoint a consultant to complete an evaluation of the project and measure capacity building impact.

You will be…