Upton Country Park Operations Officer

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

We have a fantastic opportunity for a customer focused individual to join the team as Upton Country Park Operations Officer. Through your passion and knowledge of the outdoors, you will inspire a team of dedicated staff and volunteers to maintain and enhance our varied landscape, wildlife and infrastructure whilst supporting our thriving day to day operations at the award-winning Upton Country Park, Poole. 

Through innovative park management, community engagement, and sustainable initiatives to enhance visitor experience and operational efficiency, you will contribute to the strategic development, management, and promotion of Upton Country Park, meeting challenging financial targets and ensuring consistent quality customer service is maintained.  

Main Responsibilities

1. Manage the day-to-day grounds operation, which includes equipment, vehicle and infrastructure maintenance and servicing, habitat management, ecological monitoring, as well as built infrastructure like car parks, play elements, interpretation and general site presentation.
2. Manage, maintain and improve the informal and formal grounds, to maintain a high standard (e.g. Green Flag) by liaising with colleagues, outside organisations and contractors, ensuring compliance with the relevant legislation and/or best practice. 
3. Supervise and develop staff and volunteers, maintaining up-to-date training records and provision of suitable Personal Protective Equipment.  
4. Maintain and update associated H&S documentation including outdoor structures, play equipment, site inspection checks, chemical storage, ladders checks, vehicle and machinery/equipment maintenance.
5. Manage, monitor and report on the associated Operations budget.  Procuring goods, equipment and services in line with standing orders to meet agreed specification and standards, ensuring accurate records are maintained and financial regulation met.
6. Alongside UCP Visitor Services and Catering, support the supervision and delivery of concessions, events and activities as appropriate to the business needs and seasonal programme.
7. Oversee and participate in the 7-day duty rota to meet the needs of the customers and service delivery, actively participating in the Estate Management Team to support the operational delivery of the site as a heritage attraction.
8. Support the long-term strategic planning, contributing to develop and deliver innovative park management, community engagement, and sustainability initiatives to enhance visitor experience and operational efficiency.

The Ideal Candidate

With a background in land management and a good understanding of horticulture we require an experienced individual to nurture and support our award-winning Upton Country Park.  

Weekends, school holidays and bank holidays are our busiest times, so you will be comfortable working regular weekend and occasional evening, including Bank Holidays, as part of a shared rota.  

Ideal candidates will be able to demonstrate 

• Certificate qualification (or equivalent) in countryside management or related discipline, with practical and managerial land management experience across a range of formal and informal habitats (including horticulture).
• Management and development of operational staff and volunteers.
• Budget and administration management.
• Working and promoting engagement with a range of community groups and volunteers.  Organising and leading a variety of volunteer activities, practical tasks and events.
• Communicating with the public, customers and partners, including written reports.
• First aid at Work certification or willingness to undertake training.
• Health & Safety training or willingness to undertake training.    
• Working knowledge of health & safety at work & safe working practices.
• Working knowledge of horticulture, ecology and landscape management.
• Working knowledge of facility management.
• Ability to use machinery (including tractor/trailer), alongside practical DIY skills.
• Well-developed literacy and numeracy skills.
• Competent working knowledge of ICT including Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• Full valid UK manual driving licence, with permit to drive trailers.
• Able to work outdoors in all weathers. 
• Available to work regular weekend and occasional evening, including Bank Holidays, as part of a 7-day duty rota. 

The role is required to work with vulnerable groups and any offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory Basic DBS check. 

Uniform will be provided, and a short medical is also required. 

Interviews will be held on either Thursday 1 May 2025 or Thursday 8 May 2025 at Upton Country Park, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7BJ  

Please contact Roger Brewer, Upton Country Team Leader on 01202 118568 for an informal chat about this position. 

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package to colleagues. Find out more on our website.

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We have been in a process of collective bargaining since 2019 and have positively worked forward to reach an agreed position with the unions for the new contractual offer. This has taken longer than we hoped and therefore we are having to consider all alternative avenues available to enable us to remove inequality in the organisation as a result of bringing together 3 councils. 

We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation, and all colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. We want to reassure everyone that whichever route is taken to reach the new terms and conditions, we can honour continuous service and there will not be any job reduction as a result of the implementation of Pay and Reward.  If you have any questions at all about this process, please feel free to raise this with the hiring manager.