6550 - Senior Reserve Manager, National Nature Reserve

This position is based at Castle Eden Dene, Peterlee, SR8 1NJ

Job description

Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society.

Our Role

Natural England is the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others.

Strategic Outcomes for Nature

Our strategy is framed through four strategic outcomes. Each of these outcomes reinforces and amplifies the others, and together they address environmental, social and economic actions critical to thriving nature.


• Recovering Nature– Increased scale and quality of places where nature thrives.
• Building Better Places– Greener homes and infrastructure create healthier, more investable places, recognising we live better where nature thrives around us.
• Improving Health and Wellbeing– Build nature into everyday life so people can support, access and benefit from nature, wherever they live.
• Delivering Security through Nature– Nature helps us adapt to the threats of a changing climate and improves our national security, supporting more resilient food production, healthy soils, clean and plentiful water and clean air.

Find out more about the work of Natural England at: Natural England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security - GOV.UK

Northumbria Area Team is seeking to recruit a professional and highly motivated individual to join the Northumbria Team as part of its National Nature Reserve (NNR) group of staff. Our National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are at the forefront of nature recovery and people engagement and are at the heart of achieving Natural England’s ambitions (such as Local Nature Recovery, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), NNR strategy etc.). This role is fundamental to the delivery of the NNR Management plans and the ambitions of NNRs, providing key operational delivery on the reserves, thereby ensuring the NNR series can achieve its role in delivering the Government’s ambitious 25-year plan.

Job Description:

The Senior Reserve Manager (SRM) holds a pivotal role in the comprehensive management and enhancement of National Nature Reserves (NNRs), actively promoting Nature Recovery in the broader landscape.  The role demands an understanding of land management techniques, biodiversity conservation, and strategic planning combining technical expertise with practical land management knowledge. The Senior Reserve Manager collaborates with staff, volunteers, local communities, and partners, contributing to Nature England's Vision, Mission and Aims. The role will be actively involved in the wider Area Team leadership group, working alongside other Senior staff and Managers.
The principal NNRs to be managed by this role are:
• Castle Eden Dene
• Teesmouth
• Cassop National Nature Reserves.

The post is based at our reserve base at Castle Eden Dene, Peterlee.
This is the main operational hub for the Castle Eden Dene NNR cluster and supports operational and strategic partnership working that delivers nature recovery and public health benefits across the region. It is a base for staff, volunteers, visiting schools and participants from the local community, and hosting a wide range of activities delivered by the Northumbria Area Team and partners. 
The Senior Reserve Manager will lead the development and implementation of NNR work programs, aligning day-to-day management with a long-term nature recovery vision alongside partners. The role will be responsible for their own Health & Safety and of staff, visitors, volunteers and contractors on the reserves. They will line manage reserve staff, foster a positive working culture, provide financial management alongside working with colleagues to deliver Area Team priorities and strategic projects.  

The post holder is required to have an active onsite presence and be based at Castle Eden Dene for a minimum of 3 days per week. The role may require some weekend, public holiday and evening work.