Job Description

ESTATES & CONSERVATION OFFICER

Salary: 26,793 | Full-time | Permanent | Based at Creswell Crags, S80 3LH

Are you a hands-on leader passionate about the natural environment, conservation, and heritage? We're looking for an Estates & Conservation Officer to care for our extraordinary 26-acre site -- a Scheduled Monument and Site of Special Scientific Interest -- home to rare species, Ice Age caves, and a vibrant visitor centre.

This is a unique opportunity to lead practical maintenance and ecological work, support grant-funded capital projects, and deliver biodiversity and habitat improvements. You'll manage day-to-day site operations -- from woodland paths to historic cave entrances -- while helping us meet our strategic goals in sustainability, safety and accessibility.

You'll lead a small, friendly team and work with partners including Historic England, Wildlife Trusts, universities and volunteers. You'll be responsible for delivering the Conservation & Habitat Management Plan and Maintenance Plan, supervising contractors, managing budgets, and contributing to a visitor experience that's safe, inspiring, and welcoming year-round.

This role suits someone with practical site and building maintenance knowledge, people skills, and a strong interest in environmental or heritage conservation. You'll be part of a dedicated charity team working to protect this special place and share its stories with thousands of visitors every year.

About Creswell Crags

Creswell Crags is a unique and dynamic place to work. A museum with an important archaeological and palaeontological collection, some of the oldest pre-history cave art in the UK and a well-loved visitor attraction offering scenic walks, cave tours, a special events programme and a welcoming visitor centre with cafe and gift shop.

Creswell Heritage Trust (CHT) is an independent registered charity and company limited by guarantee, which can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. You will work alongside a dedicated, friendly team with our sights firmly set on building a bright future for the special place we look after.

Context

CHT is looking for an inspiring Estates & Conservation Officer to manage our 26-acre site and visitor centre to a high standard and deliver our Conservation & Habitat Management Plan and Maintenance Plan.

Creswell Crags is where big history meets everyday life -- from schoolchildren exploring Ice Age caves to families walking the dog, grabbing lunch, enjoying the museum, and taking home a souvenir. We care for a truly special gorge of caves, cliffs and ancient stories, and we work hard to make it safe, welcoming, and inspiring for all. Whether through research, conservation, or simply offering a great day out, we help people connect with the past and feel better in the present.

Open to visitors seven days a week from February to October and weekends only from November to January, we also welcome school visits throughout term time, year-round.

As both a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM), Creswell Crags is protected by strict conservation and heritage legislation. Caring for the landscape and infrastructure isn't just a legal duty -- it's central to our Strategic Aim: Caring for Our Place. The site is a hub of biodiversity with a range of highly specialised habitats that are home to nationally rare species. We value conserving the landscape beyond the scope of the designations to ensure Creswell Crags remains as valued a habitat in the local landscape as it was when Woolly Mammoths roamed the gorge. Climate change and biodiversity are entwined with our core narratives and the protection and improvement of the gorge and surrounding environment are key to our delivery of these narratives.

As an independent charity without guaranteed core funding, we need to make every penny count. That includes securing best value across utilities, waste, cleaning, materials and our safety systems -- all part of this role.

We align with the investment priorities of Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, including environmental and social responsibility. That means prioritising conservation, accessibility, and ethical tourism -- goals this role will help deliver. In Autumn/Winter 2025/6 we are starting grant-funded capital works to replace the visitor centre heating system and repair the Crags lake dam wall - this role will be part of the team overseeing these works. You will also feed into our Development Plan, shaping long-term improvements to parking, storage, and site security.

About the Role

You'll lead a small, hands-on department, supported by a management team and senior leadership team. You and your two direct reports look after buildings, car-parking, pathways, a dam, a meadow with a pond, stream, picnic and play areas, trees, woodland, grounds and being the contact for cleaning and maintenance contractors as well a broader group of volunteers and student interns.

Day to day, the work is varied -- a mix of indoor and outdoor activity, from planned maintenance to quick fixes and problem-solving. You'll make sure the site is safe to open each day and support projects that improve infrastructure and visitor experience.

On a strategic level, you'll be co-ordinating the management of the 26-acre site to deliver the aims set out in the Conservation and Habitat Management Plan, employing a data-informed approach to the land management strategies. You will be responsible for co-ordinating the annual collection of ecological data for a variety of species groups to produce biodiversity reports and measure success of management strategies. You will also be responsible for delivering and developing the Maintenance Plan, ensuring the building and infrastructure are maintained to a high standard.

Role Profile

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Planning

Line management of direct reports. Weekly task planning and efficient job grouping. Selection, development and supervision of student interns. Overseeing capital work projects e.g. heating system and dam repairs from Autumn 2025. Planning and hosting corporate volunteer working parties (e.g. raking, tree planting). Attending the Commercial & Operations Committee (Trustee level). Contributing to quarterly departmental updates against the charity's Action Plan. Identifying and meeting departmental training needs, from toolbox talks to specialist training.

Health & Safety Compliance

Managing site service contracts Completing regular safety checks Ensuring a safe and secure environment for staff, contractors and visitors.

Operations & Infrastructure

Overseeing maintenance and smooth running of: the visitor centre facilities including the toilets, utilities, compound, bin store, car park, meadow, bridge, gates, alarms, pathways, woodland, gorge cliffs, cave steps, cave entrances, all doors and shutters. Ordering or hiring tools, equipment, materials, and parts. Keeping departmental admin in order -- including purchase orders, invoicing, and timesheets. Monitoring contractor performance and chasing suppliers as needed. Regular reporting to the Head of Operations on issues and progress. Identifying and delivering small-scale outdoor visitor improvements. Undertaking reactive and proactive maintenance as part of the team.

Conservation & Biodiversity

Coordinating ecological surveys and interpreting data to track biodiversity trends Delivering Conservation and Habitat Management Plan Producing annual biodiversity reports to support Conservation and Habitat Management Plan Work with stakeholders to create wildlife corridors between Creswell Crags and surrounding nature reserves and develop biodiversity on a landscape scale

Working With Others

You will work in partnership with:

Head of Operations - to maintain a high-quality visitor experience and Health & Safety system Learning team, Front of House, and Business Relationships team - to support school visits safety Direct Reports - to maintain the site and deliver improvements using tools and machinery safely and effectively Senior Ranger - to implement the Conservation & Habitat Management Plan Maintenance Technician - to implement the Maintenance Plan Finance Manager - to manage site-related budgets and ensure value for money Welbeck Estate (landlord) - to communicate regularly and carefully oversee private events Historic England - to ensure compliance with regulations across the SSSI and SAM Universities and Colleges - including Nottingham Trent University, Portland College, and Landmarks, to support student placements Wildlife Trusts and Bolsover Countryside Partnership - to collaborate on habitat restoration

Other Duties

Act as a Duty Manager, occasionally being the most senior person on site - including weekends and very occasional evenings (e.g. for Bat Nights). Undertake all relevant training and proactively seek CPD opportunities. Represent Creswell Crags at sector events and with external stakeholders. Contribute to partnership work with external organisations as required (e.g. other heritage sites, universities etc.). One of the keyholder response team for out of hours alarm call-outs. During inclement weather, being on site early to make sure it is safe for staff and visitors.

Terms of Appointment

JOB TITLE: Estates & Conservation Officer

SALARY: 26,793 with pension contribution and 32 days annual leave including bank holidays

LOCATION: Creswell Crags Museum & Heritage Centre, Crags Road, Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 3LH

HOURS: 37.5 per week predominantly on-site, most often Friday to Tuesday (taking Wednesday and Thursday off) to meet operational needs and dovetail with Head of Operations, Senior Ranger, Maintenance Technician and the Senior Management Team on the 7 day Duty Manager rota

ANNUAL LEAVE: 32 working days per calendar year, inclusive of bank holidays

CONTRACT: Permanent, full time

REPORTING TO: Head of Operations

START DATE: To be mutually agreed, ideally as soon as possible.

How to Apply

KEY DATES

The application deadline is 10am, Friday 15th August 2025 Shortlisted candidates will be informed by Friday 22nd August 2025 Interviews will be held in person, at Creswell Crags, on Friday 29th August 2025

PRE-APPLICATION CONVERSATIONS

If you have questions about the role and would like an informal chat with the Head of Operations, Paul Kaye, before applying, please email paul.kaye@creswell-crags.org.uk .

[ NB Paul is on leave 24th July to 6th Aug, during which time contact our Head of Public Engagement Hannah Steggles - hannah.steggles@creswell-crags.org.uk or our Director George Buchanan - george.buchanan@creswell-crags.org.uk ]

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please email your CV and a supporting letter of application, 10am, Friday 15th August 2025, to paul.kaye@creswell-crags.org.uk. Your letter of application should be no more than 2 sides of A4.

It will help us understand:

Why this role appeals to you Why you are the right person to be our next Estates and Conservation Officer Your particular skills, strengths and experience, including any that we may not have thought to include in our person specification.
In your covering email please:

Confirm that you have the legal right to work in the UK Give the names and contacts of two referees (not to be contacted before interview) Confirm your availability on the interview date Indicate if you have any access needs for the interview Indicate your current notice period, if relevant.
It is important to the Trust that we monitor diversity of applications to our team. Please help us do this by completing this anonymous equal opportunities monitoring form (click here to download from our website) and returning it with your application.

Feedback

We will inform all applicants of the outcome of their application and can offer feedback to all shortlisted candidates.

Equal Opportunities Diversity & Inclusion is very important within Creswell Heritage Trust's work ethics. We are an equal opportunity employer and organisation committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and Board. If you need any adjustments to make the recruitment process more accessible to you, please let us know. Please note that this selection process is separate from our equal opportunities monitoring. The EO form demonstrates if our recruitment policy is encouraging a diversity of applicants and will inform future recruitment campaigns.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 26,793.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Employee discount Free parking On-site parking Store discount
Schedule:

Day shift Weekend availability
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 15/08/2025