Job Title: Development Manager
Reports To: Head of Business Development
Salary: £38,000-42,000 (DoE)
Terms: Permanent 36 hours p/w
Location: Home based with travel to sites weighted in South of England
ABOUT THE LAND TRUST
The Land Trust is the UK’s premier green space management organisation offering outstanding
stewardship. Its vision is to improve the social and economic quality of people’s lives by creating
high quality, sustainable green spaces that deliver environmental, social and economic benefits.
The Land Trust manages a varied portfolio of over 90 sites (2,500 hectares) across England and works
with a wide range of landholders who want to pass on responsibility for the management of sites
and find bespoke long-term funding solutions for land management.
These solutions include service charges, endowment, contract managed, or a mix of funding. Our
current endowment portfolio of over £210m provides the resources to ensure our endowed sites are
well managed and contribute positively to the wellbeing of local communities. We ensure that all of
our sites, however they are funded, make a lasting positive difference and deliver social value for the
local community.
BACKGROUND
The Land Trust has an extensive portfolio of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) sites
under management and is in its second year of a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) business plan.
Alongside this we are exploring Nutrient Neutrality and Carbon Offsetting on our estate. We also
provide a wide range of stewardship models for larger housing schemes funded by residential service
charge. Through all of our work we maximise opportunities to deliver our charitable objectives to
add significant social value and build communities while enhancing environments.
The post holder will lead on growing pipeline of endowment funded sites (primarily SANG) and
support the growth of BNG projects and exploring other nature-based business opportunities. Site
acquisitions are anticipated to primarily be in the South of England based on current opportunities
but BNG and other environmental initiatives will have nationwide coverage across the Trust estate
and we are keen for the postholder to explore new opportunities nationwide. Depending on
business need and overall activity on the business development pipeline the postholder may also
support the acquisition of service charge sites.
Positioned within the Business Development Team, this role will oversee sites and projects through
to legal completion, after which responsibility for the long term delivery will be handed over to
regional Estates teams. This exciting new post will involve close working with Land Trust colleagues,
external stakeholders, panel consultants to deliver against the Trust’s Charitable Objectives that
include – Health and wellbeing, Education and learning, Environment and biodiversity, Community
Cohesion and Economic vitality.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Core – Income Generation
- Lead on acquisition of new endowment sites and helping to develop a pipeline of new
endowment and service charge sites with the Head of Business Development.
- Reporting to the Head of Business Development you will be required to work with the Head
of Ecology and BNG, Trust’s landscape cost estimator and the Estates and Finance Teams to
develop a costed management and maintenance strategy for each project which is tailored to
an agreed package of funding.
- To assist the Head of Ecology and BNG with securing BNG transactions and other
environmental initiatives.
- A key responsibility will be to ensure that the Trust’s pipeline of sites and BNG projects will
deliver long-term benefits for people and wildlife. This will require close working with local
and regional partners to deliver significant benefit to local communities.
- Develop own income generating projects, playing an active role in negotiating Heads of Terms
for transaction legal agreements.
- Oversee advisors in completing due diligence for projects in accordance with Land Trust
policies.
- Work with partner organisations to identify new opportunities to acquire new sites, undertake
new projects and to deliver the Land Trust’s charitable objectives.
- Provide the Head of Business Development with information for new projects to ensure they
are properly recorded, prioritised and actioned.
- Manage day to day relationships with consultants and development partners appointed to
help deliver the project and site across England.
- Help identify management and maintenance solutions for projects and assist in the calculation
of creation, enhancement and management budgets.
- Develop the Land Trust’s network of contacts and help communicate the work of the Trust to
potential new partner organisations.
- Maintain the necessary administrative systems to ensure effective site management and
monitoring
- Communicate the Trust’s potential role to internal staff with each new opportunity.
Support the Executive Team in Promoting the Trust
- Champion the role of the Trust in securing land to deliver sustainable communities.
- Ensure that Trust policies are promoted and implemented as part of site development.
- Identify and recommend new projects, partnerships and networking opportunities
Other Duties
- Represent the Trust at a local or regional level
- Deputise for the Head of Business Development and Head of Ecology and BNG when
necessary.
- Ensure all relevant Trust policies and procedures are adhered to e.g. Health and Safety.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Skills / Experience:
- Relevant professional qualification (degree and or accreditation)
- A minimum of 4 years experience in delivering environmental projects and/or acquiring land
- Developing and managing budgets and reporting on project delivery
- Experience with Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace and/or Biodiversity Net Gain
- Experience of working with a range of partners in developing projects including public, private
and third sector organisations
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to develop and manage relationships with
partner organisations.
- IT literate with proven skills in using MS Office packages
- Ability and confidence to work on own initiative, as well as part of a team, and to resolve
problems as they arise, remaining calm under pressure
- High level of tact, diplomacy and confidentiality
Desirable Experience:
- Professional Body membership, e.g.: RICS, CIEEM, IEMA
- Experience in GIS
- Awareness of carbon credit and nutrient neutrality schemes
- Developing landscape management plans and costed maintenance regimes
- Experience the design and development of new areas of open space and/or habitats
- Negotiating and documenting land transactions
- Supporting the development of grant funding bids
- Promoting commercial opportunities
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
This position requires the post holder to act flexibly and undertake other duties and responsibilities
commensurate with the post as directed by the Head of Business Development. Infrequent evening
and weekend working may be required, and the post holder will be required to travel as necessary to
fulfil their role effectively. Post holder would be able to take Time Off In Lieu and/or make use of the
Trust’s Flexi Policy for working above contractual work hours.
SALARY & BENEFITS
- £38,000 – £42,000 depending on experience
- A salary sacrifice pension scheme, with LT matching employee contributions up to 6%
- Flexi time
- 26.5 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays (pro rata). Rising to 31.5 days with service
- Option to purchase additional holiday
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Health Care Cash back scheme (Medicash)
- Training and Development support
- Enhanced Family Friendly Policies
- Business travel costs will be reimbursed
- Annual performance incentive plan (non-contractual)
APPLICATIONS
Please email a CV and covering letter highlighting why you believe you are ideal for this position to
recruitment@thelandtrust.org.uk
- Closing date for applications is 23 January 2026 although we may close this earlier if we
receive a high volume of applications.
- 1st stage interviews will take place on 30 January 2026 via MS Teams
- 2nd stage interviews will take place on 5 Feb 2026 either in person or face to face
Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the uk.
Please note we are not accepting applicants via recruitment agencies.
LT is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its employment policies for
recruitment are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable
treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage or civil partnership,
pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
The Land Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who has contact
with its services and colleagues.
REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS
- We require all applicants for employment to declare any conviction(s) or charge(s) still
outstanding against them in respect of a criminal offence, subject to the Rehabilitation of
Offenders Act 1974.
- The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 enables some criminal convictions to become
‘spent’ or forgotten after a rehabilitation period. A rehabilitation period is a set length of
time from the date of conviction. This means that if a certain period of time has passed since
the date on which you were convicted, the conviction becomes spent and you are not
normally obliged to declare the conviction when applying for a job.
- If you inadvertently disclose a conviction which is regarded as spent, it will be ignored unless
you are applying for employment which is not protected by the Act. Failure to declare a
conviction may disqualify you from an appointment or result in the termination of your
contract of employment
