Countryside Ranger - Durlston

Durlston is a vibrant and inspiring location, welcoming thousands of visitors each year through day visits, education, events, weddings and tourism. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with children and families, creating opportunities to play, learn and make lasting outdoor memories, while also engaging and inspiring visitors of all ages.

As the engagement ranger, you will play a key role in promoting and sharing the site’s unique natural, cultural and historical assets, helping to increase visitor numbers and satisfaction through meaningful and engaging activities.

Key responsibilities include:

Events & Education

• Create and deliver a programme of children’s and family events, including weekend and school holiday activities and trails
• Delivering informative and inspiring guided walks, talks and tours
• Lead and deliver an education programme for schools and groups, including managing bookings, external visits and liaising with teachers
• Create sessions and lesson plans, prepare risk assessments, and monitor and evaluate of outcomes

Interpretation & Promotion

• Develop and produce promotional materials, including posters, videos and social media content, working alongside the Council’s graphics and communications team
• Create content for newsletters, press releases and local publications, and supporting wider marketing campaigns and media features
• Support and attend external events to promote the work of the Country Parks service
• Create accessible and engaging interpretation to inspire visitors

Visitor Centre Services

• Acting as a duty ranger in Durlston Castle visitor centre, welcoming visitors as the first point of contact
• Supporting the day‑to‑day operation of the visitor centre and park, including retail, facilities, bookings and general administration.

Practical countryside skills are not essential; however, the role does involve tasks such as installing children’s trail resources and assisting with exhibition, room hire and wedding setups.

This role supports the continued success and strong reputation of the Dorset Council Country Parks service and requires good organisation, excellent customer service skills and the ability to manage a varied and rewarding workload.

For an informal confidential discussion about this role, please contact Katie Black 01929 424443 or via email; [email protected]

Interviews to be held at Durlston Country Park, the interview is likely to include formal interview, short presentation and 'paperwork/computer' based tasks associated with the job role

This post will involve working on a 4week rota to average 37 hours per week over 4 weeks, but part time hours can be considered as a job share, to include regular weekends (2 of 4), evenings and bank holidays. 

You must be willing to work during school holidays and weekends and to wear a uniform. Due to the nature of the role a DBS check will be required on employment.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders. 

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.