Volunteering & Community Manager

Are you someone who loves bringing people together to help solve problems and realise opportunities? Do you value working with local and wider communities through developing mutually beneficial long-term relationships?

We’re looking for a Volunteering & Community Manager to join our team.

Clandon Park was built in the early 1730s to impress and entertain. However, in April 2015 a huge blaze gutted the house, leaving it open to the skies. The fire destroyed much of the house’s interior – revealing how it was constructed and crafted by people and materials from across the globe.

The project seeks to bring the house back into use, creating a place to explore the history and making of a great house that once drew people together. We want to re-establish the relevance of Clandon Park to people today, rooted in a heritage rich in global stories, craftmanship and arts.

It’s one of the biggest heritage challenges the National Trust has ever tackled, and we’re proudly ambitious and creative in our approach. 

Contract: Fixed Term until 30/11/2025 - 4 days a week, with possible extension.

You’ll work in collaboration with experts in construction, heritage, communications, curation and visitor experience, helping us realise and develop our new strategy for meaningful long-term community engagement and involvement.

Your contractual location will be Hatchlands (near-by National Trust property where the Operations Team are based) and there will be an expectation for you to attend the office. However, there is flexibility on where you are based at other times. You will be required to work at a National Trust location for 40-60% of your working week. This will be discussed in more detail at interview.

You'll be required to work flexibly in order to develop relationships with communities, volunteers and stakeholders that are required for the success of the project. Due to the location of Clandon Park and Hatchlands, access to a car may be preferable for you, although not essential.

You'll report to the Experiences and Partnerships Curator, Clandon.

You'll lead and deliver targeted community engagement and involvement, working with people to explore ideas to bring a historic house back to life, maintaining existing relationships and building new relationships with local and wider communities with a focus on young people. 

Alongside this, you'll test and develop opportunities for volunteering and community participation in the project, responding to the unique opportunities presented by the property and the project, building on the work that has already been done.

Leading on embedding our agreed participatory ways of working and plan within the Project Team and Property (Operations) Team, you'll build a realistic, achievable and sustainable participation programme that staff are confident about.

Please also read the full role profile, attached to this advert.

• Track record of embedding engagement and participatory ways of working

• Ability to engage local, wider and/or systematically excluded communities

• Experience of developing delivery partnerships with community groups and stakeholders

• Ability to meaningfully engage with and involve community groups, including volunteers, while managing project sensitivities

• Credibility and presence to enthuse and enable others to embed engagement and participatory approaches where appropriate

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Tax-free childcare scheme

• Rental deposit loan scheme

• Season ticket loan

• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Employee assistance programme

• Free parking at most Trust places

• Independent financial advice

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.