Estates Manager

Job Description – Estates Manager

We have a unique and exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic nature lover with a qualification and experience in Estates Management, to join our small and dynamic team.

The right person will help Make it Wild continue to grow its impact on biodiversity, across North Yorkshire and beyond.

Make it Wild started as a passion project, by the Neave family, to create a haven for nature, 15 years ago. After seven years, the impact of their rewilding and woodland creation on biodiversity was so great, they knew they had to do it again. And in 2017, they set up Make it Wild, which has grown from strength to strength, with 11 sites in North Yorkshire and a growing network of partner sites across the UK.

You'll contribute to strategic decisions, with our most important colleague, Nature herself, also round the table.

Salary:
competitive hourly rate, depending on qualifications and experience

Working pattern
: days per week may be flexibly worked, permanent contract; mostly remote with a monthly meeting and occasional site visits

Location
: Mainly Harrogate area, North Yorkshire

Job Overview:
Estates Management for eleven North Yorkshire sites

Key Dates:
Closing date 17th October 2025; Interviews 5th November 2025

To apply:
by email: cv and covering letter to Helen Neave:

Please let me know if you need any reasonable adjustments for the interview process.

If you wish you may also send a short video of yourself explaining why you would be great for this role.

Relationships:

·      Nature has a seat at the table, and steers us in the right direction.

·      You'll report to our directors, and liaise with our Conservation Manager, Land Team, Partnership manager and other members of our team

About Make it Wild:

You can read more about Make it Wild here:

Make it Wild is a small but growing business, based in North Yorkshire, UK. Helen and Christopher Neave set it up in 2017, due to their concern about biodiversity loss.

With the mission statement:
"It's not our aim to protect nature, it's our purpose"
they have set about rewilding land. Make it Wild currently manages over 500 acres, which they rewild, plant trees, restore meadows, wetland and peatland; and restore and create habitats to support biodiversity.

Locations:

Bank Woods, Summerbridge, Harrogate HG3 4JR and 4 sites nearby

3 sites near Green Hammerton, York

2 sites near Hawes, Wensleydale

1 site at Chop Gate, Bilsdale.

Make it Wild offers tree and other dedications, carbon offsetting through tree planting, and nature connected activities to individuals and businesses. We invite businesses to work with us by sponsoring various habitats, or by using our barn and outdoor spaces for nature-connected events. We also have Heather Lea, a luxury eco-friendly holiday cottage. All income raised by these business activities is re-invested in rewilding and nature reserve projects.

Environment and Sustainability

Make it Wild take our responsibility for the planet very seriously. We strive to reduce our carbon footprint and produce very little waste. We have won several Sustainability Business Awards. We are signatories to the "Business Without Blood Sport Pledge". We are a corporate donor to The Rainforest Trust.

Ethos

The contributions of the team are greatly valued in making operational decisions. Make it Wild has a Code of Ethics, setting out our values. We are inclusive and flexible; we realise our people make us, and we support everyone to grow along with the biodiversity of our land.

Team

Many of our roles have been filled by people who have approached us to ask for a job, because they love what we do.

The Make it Wild team:

Two founding Directors (FT)

Partnership Manager (FT)

Estates Manager this role

Conservation Manager (FT)

Conservation Assistant (4 days)

Conservation Apprentice (4 days)

Facilities Officer (PT )

Marketing Manager (2 days)

Projects Manager / Volunteer Co-ordinator (2.5 days).

A fantastic group of volunteers help with our conservation work.

Main Duties

The role includes the following:

Liaise with Natural England, DEFRA, FiPL, National Parks Authority, Area of Outstanding Beauty ("AoNB") etc.

Co-ordinate the work of the above with partnership delivery bodies such as The Woodland Trust

Take an over view of the land management for all our land holdings, ensuring that we satisfy the requirements of all revenue and grant schemes

Manage all regulatory and legal aspects relating to land

Oversee insurance cover across the company's portfolio of land holdings, premises and vehicles

Offer advice and support to potential and actual Land-owner Partners regarding Rural Land Management aspects.

About You

You will readily demonstrate your enthusiasm and knowledge about nature, biodiversity, and rewilding.

You'll have a proven background in Estates Management.

You will have excellent communication skills, whether reporting to the directors, liaising with a potential Landowner Partner or Natural England, or presenting to a corporate client.

Qualifications, and Experience

A degree in a relevant subject

FAAV or MRICS

or able to demonstrate equivalent level of knowledge

A good level of knowledge and experience of:

o  legislation, national policy, grants etc relating to nature conservation,
woodland creation and management

o  BNG, carbon offsetting and other innovative income streams for landowners supporting nature

Health and safety and other relevant legislation

·      A knowledge of health and safety regulations and legislation

·      Familiarity with risk assessments

Skills & Abilities

Communication skills

·      Be able to represent and promote Make it Wild and our ethos and objectives professionally, enthusiastically and effectively to external individuals, businesses and groups

·      Effective writing skills including reports for internal meetings and external organisations, sponsors etc

·      Excellent verbal communication skills to effectively

IT skills

·     Computer literacy (word processing, spreadsheets, what3words etc)

·     Mapping sytems

Decision making and time management

·      Excellent organisational skills; self-motivated; can work methodically and to deadlines