Director of Learning
THE ERNEST COOK TRUST
75,000 - 79,000 per year
Quenington
Full-time
6th April 2026
Listed today
Director of Learning Location Based at our head office in Quenington. Hybrid working considered. Regular travel to other sites within the UK Reports to Chief Executive Direct reports Head of Learning, Operations & Partnerships (North), Head of Learning, Operations & Partnerships (South), Head of Grants & Influence Hours Salary Permanent, full-time position, 35 hours a week £75,000 - £79,000 per annum The Ernest Cook Trust The Ernest Cook Trust is a landowning organisation and an educational charity - one of the UK’s foremost providers and funders of Outdoor Learning. We see a future where land and lives enrich each other, a future where anyone can find their place, purpose and potential through connections to thriving land. Our mission is to improve life chances of children and young people through a range of Outdoor Learning experiences, enabling them to learn from nature, empowering them to have a positive impact on the environment. We do this through grant support, direct delivery, research and advocacy. Role Overview As the Director of Learning, you will lead the Trust’s charitable objective of education, ensuring we make the very most of our resources to maximise our impact. Our new strategy focuses on the power of places to effect change and your leadership will ensure our land delivers a strategic learning-led purpose. We deliver learning through our own teams, grants and partnerships. Your leadership will ensure we pursue excellence in each discipline and deploy the most appropriate approaches and expertise to achieve meaningful, long-term change. You will also play a key role in strengthening the Trust’s external influence, building collaborative partnerships and sharing best practice across the outdoor learning, environmental and education sectors. Your leadership will foster empowerment and engagement in your team, creating a culture of growth and collaboration. You will be comfortable leading change and making clear decisions to maximise our impact. Key Accountabilities Strategic Leadership of Learning, Grant-making & Partnerships • Lead a culture of excellence and innovation in the Trust’s learning, ensuring it is insight-driven, impacts the largest possible relevant audience and appropriately monitored and evaluated. • Lead our strategic shift to a place-focused approach, determining and delivering strategic roles for our estates. • Lead an outward-looking culture, developing local, regional and national partnerships that strengthen the Trust’s influence, philanthropic impact and co-funding opportunities. • Position the Trust as a leading voice and convener in the sector, shaping dialogue, sharing insights and influencing practice and policy. • Work with the Learning Committee chair on the strategic and effective use of the committee to deliver the strategy, discuss performance and develop new ideas. Leadership • Lead and manage the Learning team, ensuring a collaborative, innovative and empowering work environment focussed on delivering impact through outdoor learning, land-based skills, farm-based learning and the strategic use of grants and partnerships. • Lead the development of a learning mindset across the whole Ernest Cook team. • Foster an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture internally and externally; noticing, understanding, and attending to underserved/marginalised groups and communities. Stakeholder Engagement • Build and maintain strategic partnerships that grow the Trust’s reach, reputation and significance and bring new ideas and opportunities into the organisation. • Represent the Trust externally, fostering partnerships and collaborative opportunities. Leadership Team Collaboration • Build credible and effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to deliver the strategy. • Actively participate in the Leadership team, leading the strategy and supporting good decision- making. • Collaborate on quarterly performance reporting, providing insights for the Board and Trust team. • Foster effective communication and collaboration across teams, committees and the board. Person Specification Experience and Skills • Proven experience in a senior leadership role within a charity or non-profit organisation. • Proven experience in managing learning and/or grant-making. • Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture. • Excellent strategic thinking, planning and execution skills. • Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement abilities. Personal Attributes • Visionary and innovative with a passion for empowering young people through learning and life opportunities and connecting them with nature. • Collaborative and engaging with a commitment to fostering effective long-term relationships with a • wide range of stakeholders and partners. Integrity, ethical judgement and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Working at The Ernest Cook Trust ABOUT US As both a landowning organisation and an educational charity, the Ernest Cook Trust is rooted in the land. Our mission is to cultivate deep-rooted connections with the land, through outdoor learning and experiences in nature. We believe that land can deliver multiple benefits united by a unique ability to enrich both lives and livelihoods. Through our learning programmes, collaborative partnerships, and progressive land management, we are working to change the way people across the UK understand and experience land and nature. This is not an opportunity for the few – land is for all of us. The Trust’s Estates The Trust owns and manages over 9,000 hectares of land and property made up of mainly let farmland but also 584 hectares of woodland, houses, cottages and a growing commercial portfolio. Land is owned in six counties: Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire. These rural landholdings are managed for income return and capital growth, whilst seeking ways to improve the environment and important habitats, evolving and protecting the landscapes. Active management dictates that we are constantly looking for new opportunities and ways to evolve and improve our income stream in support of the Trust’s overall charitable object, which is education. These already include long-term housing development proposals, natural capital and carbon, and biodiversity net gain projects alongside other long-term ambitious plans. Take a look at our website for more information: www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk OUR VALUES The unique spirit of The Ernest Cook Trust is best expressed through our values: Cultivating Connections At the heart of our work lies the belief that meaningful and lasting change happens through the cultivation of connections. We value the relationships we build with the people and communities we serve, as well as each other and the partnerships we form with like-minded organisations. We understand that these connections create the conditions for people and places to flourish. Freedom to Try We embrace a culture of innovation and resilience, where both our team members and the individuals we serve have the freedom to try new things. This value encourages a dynamic and adaptable approach, nurturing trust and courage in ourselves and others. Progressive Stewardship We believe in responsible, forward-thinking management of our outdoor resources, as places where diversity can thrive. By actively caring for the environment, we ensure that the beauty and benefits of the outdoors are accessible to all, changing lives through individual and shared positive experiences. How this role links to our values: Cultivating Connections • Build and maintain strategic partnerships to expand the Trust’s impact • Foster collaboration within teams to share insights and strengthen connections Freedom to Try • Encourage innovation in programmes, grant-making, and partnerships • Support new initiatives for Outdoor Learning and nature connection Progressive Stewardship • Lead sustainable Outdoor Learning programmes, enhancing biodiversity • Promote diversity and environmental care in all initiatives How to Apply Please submit a CV with an accompanying letter to briefly introduce yourself and why you think you are suited to this role. This should be addressed to Ed Ikin, Chief Executive. Please state where you heard about this role. Upload your letter and CV to: https://hr.breathehr.com/v/director-of-learning-45753 Closing Date Monday 6 April 2026 at 23:59 Please note that this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline if sufficient applications are received 1st Interviews Monday 13 April 2026 via Microsoft Teams 2nd Interviews Tuesday 21 April 2026 at Head Office, Quenington, Gloucestershire, GL7 5BN What3words: https://w3w.co/many.cakes.daffodils We look forward to hearing from you. WHAT TO EXPECT Join our growing team at the Trust for a friendly and rewarding experience. We offer competitive salaries, a range of benefits plus a training budget for your personal growth. We currently have around 55 members of staff based either at our Gloucestershire head office, across our UK landholdings and in our regional hubs (Gloucestershire, Cumbria/Lancashire, Leicestershire) or working hybridly. Enjoy our generous benefits: • 10% employer pension contribution (5% from employees) • 27 days annual leave, plus statutory holidays • Life Assurance • Access to Employee Assistance Programme, providing 24/7 support for health, mental wellbeing, and more • Dynamic, creative, and welcoming work environment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Embracing diversity is an essential part of the work of The Ernest Cook Trust. We are committed to treating everyone as a unique individual, fairly and with respect, irrespective of race, disability, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, or religion. We are committed to ensuring equality, respect, and safety for all, and prioritising the wellbeing of the children, young people and vulnerable adults we support. Our safeguarding policy can be found here. The appointment will be subject to satisfactory background checks including Disclosure and Barring Service and relevant online searches to comply with best practices in Safeguarding, and proof of the right to work in the UK.