Summary of the Estate
Dalhousie Estates are located in the County of Angus in Northeast Scotland. The estates have been in the ownership of the Earls of Dalhousie for almost 250 years. The present estates are Brechin Castle, Edzell, and Invermark, all in Angus, covering some 55,000 acres. The estates' land includes 3,600 acres of fertile agricultural land in the vale of Strathmore to the 50,000 acres of moorland at Invermark.
The wide range of business activities includes the traditional land uses associated with many rural estate enterprises – farming, forestry, property letting, shooting, fishing, and deer stalking. In recent years, new enterprises have been developed, including a garden centre, restaurant, and visitor attraction at Brechin Castle Garden Centre.
The Estates include:
- In hand Farming operation
- Let Farms (3,600 acres arable, 1600 ewes and 100 Aberdeen Angus cows)
- Forestry (1800 acres)
- Residential property (74 let houses)
- Brechin Castle, including the Brechin Castle Gardens
- Peggy Scotts restaurant and shop
- Residential property
- Holiday lets
- Sporting (Invermark and Edzell)
- Peatland and Natural Capital Opportunities
- Fishing
- Hydro schemes
Location
Dalhousie Estates, West Lodge, Maulesden, Brechin DD9 6RL
The Team
The staff at the estate include:
- Farm – 3
- Forestry and grounds – 2.5
- Gardeners – 2.5
- Works and property – 1
- Game Invermark – 8 (plus approximately 20 seasonal)
- Invermark Lodge – 1 (plus 5 seasonal)
- Brechin and Edzell Game and fishing – 1 (shoot let to All Game)
- Estate office – 2.5
- House staff - 3
The Position
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full-time Estates Director to lead the continuing evolution of the Estates, ensuring its long-term viability for the benefit of future generations of the family and the communities that live and work on the Estate.
Reporting to the family and trustees and assisted by the Estate team, the Estates Director will be responsible for managing Dalhousie Estates land and property-based enterprises by maintaining and enhancing its assets, under the employment of Savills, and with access to the full Savills network.
The Estates Director will be seen as a key representative of Dalhousie Estates and be heavily involved in dealing with employees, tenants and other residents as well as with local authorities and other organisations and local communities.
The successful candidate will be based at the Estate Office at Brechin and will be expected to live on the Estates or nearby.
Key Tasks/Responsibilities
- To drive forward the strategic direction and long-term planning of the Estates
- To deliver sound financial management, reporting budgeting and forecasting
- Line management of the Estates' departments that are run in-house: Buildings & maintenance, forestry, farming, sporting (Invermark and Edzell), hydro schemes, grounds, Brechin Castle, Gardens, Estate office.
- Lead the management teams (department heads) – these responsibilities do not including Brechin Castle Centre Ltd and any commercial enterprise and developments unless under estate management.
- Responsible for tenancies and tenant relations (farm, residential, commercial) including responsibility for all lettings, rent reviews and supervising tenants through clerk of works.
- Oversight of outside specialist consultants (environmental, buildings, etc) in conjunction with the head of the appropriate department.
- Growth: Identify opportunities to increase business income and minimise operating and overhead costs. Prioritise and monitor projects based on ROI/NPV based assessments. Also consider new land use projects in conjunction with retained consultants.
- Legal control: manage liabilities and comply with laws across all departments, monitoring and follow up of yearly inspections. Document relevant key activities and ensure key training requirements achieved.
- Grant and subsidies scheme: Maintain awareness of public funding available and the opportunity to optimise support for delivery of public goods through the business and nature based solutions.
- Health and safety: Liaise with health and safety advisors to ensure all checks and procedures implemented via annual audit. All department heads to be trained to delivery their key H&S responsibilities.
- Insurance review and cover; periodic valuations as instructed
- A good working relationship with Heads of Department; this may involve (or look towards) recruitment of key personnel as current incumbents come to the end of their career.
- HR (disputes, wage negotiations, terms of employment, the issues of tied housing, CPD/PDR).
- Quarterly estate strategy meetings (one being the traditional AGM).
- Monthly management updates
- Oversight of a period of intergenerational transition
- Oversight of efforts to capture, record and audit Natural Capital, in partnership with farm tenants if appropriate/favourable to both parties.
Qualities & Qualifications
Whilst experience and expertise in the traditional aspects of managing land estates would be helpful, it is not essential where the successful candidate can demonstrate transferable skills in management, implementation of strategy and sound financial management and control.The successful candidate must be able to provide leadership, management support, guidance, and direction to their direct reports.
Key attributes that the family and Savills will be looking for:
- A proven track record in the management of diverse business with appropriate qualifications.
- Strong leadership skills and a friendly, open-minded manner with the ability to interact well with a range of people in a variety of situations and the empathy and humility to negotiate successful outcomes for key stakeholders.
- Proven/demonstrable business management.
- Financial planning, financial control and acumen, responsibility for P&L.
- A clear and natural communicator.
- Evidence of good relationships with agencies of government.
- Sensitivity to natural and historical heritage and to the ethos of a multi-generational family estate.
- Knowledge of Scottish systems is useful.
- An awareness of the importance of the environment and social impact of the role.
- Well organised and methodical with good attention to detail.
Salary & Benefits
An attractive salary and benefits package (inclu