General Manager in Newtownards

Summary

We're looking for a General Manager to join us at our East Down portfolio in an exciting role caring for some of the treasures of Northern Ireland, including Mount Stewart House and Demesne and Strangford Lough.

It's a rare opportunity to lead at a regional level - we're looking for an accomplished leader who is committed to people, driving performance and elevating customer experience.

This is the key leadership role within the property, which you’ll operate with a significant degree of autonomy, leading from the front, inspiring and motivating your team, turning strategy into reality and delivering across a broad range of operational areas.You’ll support an inclusive and positive culture, where everyone feels a sense of belonging. And you’ll do this for an organisation you can really believe in, as we continue to look after special places for everyone, forever.

What it's like to work here

The East Down portfolio has a dedicated and committed team, with ambitious plans underpinned by a strong sense of purpose. Find out more about what it's like to work here in the Information Pack attached to this vacancy.

Your contractual place of work will be the National Trust office at Mount Stewart. Our hybrid working policy means you can balance office and home working with site visits and meetings at other National Trust places. We’ll talk about this in more detail at interview, but you should expect to be at a National Trust site for 40-60% of your working week.

What you'll be doing

This is a role where no two days or weeks will be the same. As well as having an eye on the day to day, you'll have a plan for the future in line with the national and regional strategy.

As part of a successful wider General Manager team across Northern Ireland, you’ll work with our internal Consultancy and external partners to achieve our goals and champion our cause message.

You’ll manage a Property Leadership Team, each with their own specialty, using your motivational style to inspire them to deliver outstanding results across all areas of the portfolio, generating the funds to invest back into further conservation and development.

Who we're looking for

You must be able to drive and direct change across a diverse remit. The scale of this role means you'll need to be brilliant with finances, people and projects. You’ll need to know when to delegate, and when to take ownership. Everything you do will be in harmony with our values and ambitions, but it will also make perfect commercial and financial sense.

With a wide range of skills in your toolkit, you'll need to demonstrate the following skills and experience;

•A forward-thinking approach with the ability to share your vision in a clear and compelling way.

•You'll be a natural motivator and coach with an ability to set stretching targets and drive performance, helping your Property Leadership Team achieve their full potential

•You'll be adept at prioritising and the sort of person who can keep a cool head while balancing the urgent with the important

•Both conservation and commercially minded, you’ll have an understanding of what makes a great visitor experience and will be keen to make sure your high standards are evident in all parts of the operation

•You'll need to be a confident communicator, accomplished decision-maker and natural collaborator, adept at building effective working relationships with a wide variety of people particularly the local community.

•You'll be comfortable managing operational risk, understand the underpinning need for compliance and know what it means to hold others to account

The package

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

•EV car lease scheme 

•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