Operations Manager

We are looking for an individual who is committed to the Food Museum’s mission of connecting visitors with where their food comes from and can help us to model this on our own land. You will have practical skills in either horticulture or agriculture, with at least five years of professional experience. You will be deeply interested and engaged with current debates on agriculture, horticulture and conservation, and committed to sharing your knowledge with others.

You will need to be an effective people manager, able to motivate staff and volunteers with a range of abilities and experiences. You will be an organised person who thrives on getting into the detail, but who also is effective at driving forward change and thinks strategically and realistically about how change can be implemented.

The Museum’s estate includes historic and modern buildings, river meadows, woodland, gardens, allotments and orchards. We have a small amount of livestock including horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for overseeing a team (currently 8 staff plus volunteers) to maintain high standards of presentation across the museum’s land and buildings. They will be responsible for maintaining our 84-acre estate through sustainable agricultural approaches that maintain soil health, enhance biodiversity, and help visitors to understand the challenges of growing food.

The museum’s estate has a lot of potential and we are looking for someone who has the knowledge and skills to help us realise it. Some of the projects that might be implemented include a regenerative vineyard, a Community Supported Agriculture scheme and a closer relationship between what is produced in our Walled Garden and our café.

They will oversee the maintenance of the museum’s buildings, commissioning repairs and managing maintenance contracts for specialist equipment.