Project Manager

You’ll work closely with our operational teams who manage the day-to-day operation of these special places, as well as have the support of a project board and governance process to support you.

Your base location will be the office hub of Rowallane Garden, Saintfield, but flexible working arrangements are in place to support our people during the pandemic. Some travel may be required during the pandemic as deemed essential for the delivery of the project, but we encourage video calls and virtual meetings where possible as the default.

Pay: £40,171

Contract: Fixed term, 24 months with the option to extend for a further three years subject to successful funding application

Interview Date: Expected April 23rd – Subject to change

We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund who have generously provided a grant to fund this project post.

What it's like to work here

We’re bigger than you think, we’re more complicated than we appear and we’re larger scale than you’d imagine. We’ve got passionate people in all our teams, and we’ve got so much more we want to achieve. We’re for ever, for everyone and we really mean that.

The Belfast Portfolio is a thriving, diverse and special collection of places across the Greater Belfast Area, stretching from the windswept coastlines of Islandmagee, to the stunning Victorian era Rowallane Gardens. We look after around 2500 acres of countryside across the edges of Belfast City Centre, including the 2000-acre Divis & The Black Mountain which is where this project is focused. Divis and The Black Mountain, situated on the edge of North and West Belfast, forms a backdrop to the city, often overlooked or ignored due to the lack of access from the city which sits under its shadow.

What you'll be doing

We have secured the first of a two-phase investment in Divis & the Black Mountain that will total over £3m across 5 years. You’ll be leading the day-to-day delivery of this project, managing the project from mobilisation, through to detailed design, and through the second application process before (subject to a successful application) managing the three-year delivery phase. This isn’t just any typical investment project, and you’ll be working across physical improvement works, large-scale nature conversation initiatives, in-depth community engagement & partnership, and inspiring interpretation of the social, cultural & natural heritage. For the first two years you will have a small project team to support you, with the ability to draw on the expertise of your colleagues in our internal consultancy service, as well as appoint third-party suppliers. You’ll also be balancing the need to deliver the project alongside the day-to-day operations and existing initiatives that are continuing.

Who we're looking for

• To be responsible for liaising with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to provide quarterly project reports and grant payment requests.

• Experience of planning and delivering major infrastructure processes and a good understanding of planning, associated legislation and how it relates to the National Trust.

• Experience and/or understanding of heritage or environmental protection process and legislation, including planning projects involving the natural and built environment.

• Project management experience and knowledge of project management processes including budget, plan & delivery tracking – demonstrable experience of project management tools and techniques, awareness of working within Project Management Frameworks and project management reporting processes.

• An ability to work with complex information – experience in understanding and processing complex data and information, able to effectively prioritise and make clear recommendations for leadership teams and demonstrate the links of these recommendations to the strategic aims of the project.

• Experience of working directly with communities to engage, consult and partner with to achieve aims that not only further the strategy of the National Trust, but the objectives of the community, local authorities, and partner agencies.

• Practical and successful experience of widening and deepening relationships with existing and new audiences and developing innovative approaches to audience engagement

• Good communication skills – evidence of good written and oral communication.

• Significant experience of stakeholder management – experience of leading and managing stakeholder relationships to deliver outcomes and maximise the Trust's influence and harness opportunities.

• An APM (Association for Project Management) or equivalent qualification.

The package

Benefits for working at the National Trust:

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Free parking at most locations

• Discounts in high street stores, cinemas, National Trust properties and cafes.

• Free entry to our properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Generous annual leave

• Subsidised health cash plan

• Free 24-hour support service

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

• Training & Development tailored to you

• Up to 5 days of paid volunteering for you.