Community Manager

This role is based in the New Forest, with the reporting office at The King’s House, Lyndhurst. Flexible and hybrid working options are available. You will be expected to work in and travel across the New Forest regularly.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Community Manager to lead engagement activity across the New Forest, delivering impactful programmes that balance recreation with the protection of a nationally important landscape and support delivery of our operational work.

You will manage the New Forest Ranger team and provide strategic and operational leadership for engagement, volunteering, and partnership working in a complex stakeholder environment. The role plays a key part in influencing visitor behaviour, supporting operational delivery, and enhancing the experience of those who live in and visit the New Forest. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring regular presence on the ground.

You will contribute to the duty roster, including weekend working, supporting frontline engagement, responding to incidents (such as wildfires and fly-tipping), and contributing to enforcement activity including Public Space Protection Orders.

Responsibilities

• Lead, plan, and deliver community engagement activity across the New Forest, ensuring programmes are effective, evidence-led, and aligned with organisational priorities.
• Manage and develop the New Forest Recreation Ranger team, providing clear leadership, direction, and support, and ensuring a strong culture of health, safety, and wellbeing in all aspects of delivery.
• Ensure all community engagement, volunteering, and ranger activities are delivered safely and in line with organisational health and safety policies, including risk assessment, safe systems of work, and incident reporting.
• Support the District volunteering team and New Forest volunteer task supervisors, overseeing the delivery of high-quality, inclusive volunteering opportunities, ensuring appropriate supervision and training.
• Work collaboratively with partners and stakeholders (including the National Park Authority, Police, Fire Service, Verderers of the New Forest, and local organisations) to deliver coordinated campaigns and joint operational activity.
• Support recreation site teams to deliver consistent, high-quality visitor engagement and interpretation.
• Coordinate Forestry England’s presence at selected local events, specifically leading on delivery of the Forestry England area at the New Forest Show.
• Work closely with the New Forest District Recreation Manager to review and improve community engagement approaches, priorities, and delivery, embedding best practice and innovation.
• Contribute to reducing anti-social behaviour through engagement, partnership working, and support for enforcement activity (the post holder will receive delegated authority for the enforcement of two Public Space Protection Orders).
• Contribute to the Duty Ranger roster, working at least one weekend per month and a share of bank holidays, providing visible leadership on the ground and responding to incidents such as wildfires, fly-tipping, and public safety issues.
• Support operational teams in providing engagement opportunities and ensuring a positive and safe visitor experience across the estate.
• Be available for occasional evening and weekend community engagement events (e.g., parish council meetings, guided walks, fire station open days, community conservation days).

Requirements

Essential

• Proven experience of planning and delivering effective community engagement programmes.
• Experience of working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments and delivering partnership-led campaigns.
• Demonstrable success in influencing behaviour change, particularly in outdoor or protected landscapes.
• Experience of leading an operational team, including staff management and development.
• Experience of delivering and overseeing volunteering programmes.
• Experience of promoting and embedding a positive health and safety culture, including risk management and safe systems of work in an operational setting.
• Competent IT user with experience of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook).
• Comfortable with lone working and working in an outdoor setting.
• Degree in a relevant subject or significant experience in a countryside/recreation management role as a lead Ranger or Ranger Manager, or comparable community engagement/operational leadership experience.

Desirable

• Experience working in a protected landscape (e.g., National Park, AONB) or similarly sensitive environment.
• Experience of resource planning, including budgets and workforce management.
• Understanding of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) and their enforcement.
• Experience of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices.
• IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent health and safety management qualification.

Benefits

• Salary of £37,537.
• Employer contribution of £10,874 towards the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• Flexible working options.
• Inclusive and diverse culture.
• Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.

Schedule

• Regular weekend and bank holiday working (at least one weekend per month).
• Occasional evening and weekend community engagement events.
• Hybrid and flexible working options available.