Introduction
We are creating a new in-house role for an Estate & Hotel Manager in Perthshire to provide land and hospitality management services across a range of rural enterprises including a luxury hotel, holiday lets, residential, sheep farming, forestry, hydro electricity, country sport and other activities.
The Estate
South Chesthill has been owned by the Ramsay family since 1978. It covers a little over 6,000 acres in Glen Lyon, 12 miles west of Aberfeldy, Perthshire. Most of this is open hill, with the remaining a mix of improved and unimproved in bye grassland, commercial forestry and native woodland.
Glen Lyon is often described as one of the most scenic glens in Scotland.
The Fortingall hotel (10 bedrooms, 40 cover restaurant, 16 cover pub) was acquired in 2024, closed for renovation, and reopened in May 2025 to great acclaim, with inclusion in The Times 50 Best Places to Stay in the UK 2026. We will shortly embark on Phase 2 of the plan which includes adding more bedrooms.
The Estate’s other holiday properties are Chesthill House (nine bedrooms) and Gardener’s Cottage (two bedrooms). Inverinain lodge is to be let residentially, and three other properties retained for use by Estate staff.
The main sporting interests are red deer stalking and salmon and trout fishing. The majority of available sport is normally let with accommodation. The Estate culls c.50 stags and 100 hinds per year. Salmon fishing is on six miles of single and double bank fishing on the River Lyon, with more than 30 named pools. The Estate also has brown trout fishing on the River Lyon and a hill loch. The owners would like to improve conditions for red grouse.
Sheep farming is undertaken by a local farmer under contract and c.500 acres of forestry is managed by a forestry agent.
Further information may be found at southchesthill.com and fortingall.com, and do take a look at The Fortingall’s recent Google Reviews.
Vision
The overall vision is to build on our position as a top quality, traditional, profitable, and environmentally healthy Scottish estate, and for The Fortingall to be a Top 10 Scottish Boutique Hotel. To achieve this we commit to the following principles:
● Guests come first. Meet guests with a smile and delight them from then on.
● Happy community. Helpful and pro-active co-operation between all members of the team. Be willing to offer help and humble to accept it; embrace change; share and use best practice; be honest, respectful, and selfless.
● Professionalism. Always look to learn and improve, be positive and proactive not reactive; pay attention to detail; have high standards for the environment, internal and external maintenance; be tenacious to achieve incredible results; be energetic; go the extra mile; and have fun!
Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include:
- Take over and centralise responsibilities from the hotel management consultant, land agent, hotel manager and managing partner and manage the business day-to-day, consistent with the vision and principles.
- Work with the managing partner and hotel franchisor on an annual operational and financial plan, and report monthly on implementation.
- Lead the team which includes the Hotel staff, full-time Keeper & Caretaker, part-time fencer/handyman, local contract farmer, forestry agent, contracted gardener, stalker, ghillies, and book-keeper/administrator. Within the hotel, you will work with two experienced team members who will report to you: a Reception & Marketing Manager and an Operations Manager.
- Ensure the efficient running of the estate through effective day to day management of budgets and resources, ensure organisation structure, policies and processes are optimal and followed.
- Management of property, gardens/grounds, infrastructure, vehicles, farm and estate maintenance, including project management, procuring of cost-effective equipment, materials and external contractors as necessary, for safe, efficient and effective operation.
- Develop strong working relationships across the estate including employees, tenants, guests, visitors, contractors, suppliers and neighbours. E.g. between the hotel and the estate for provision of activities and supply of produce.
- Promote and represent the estate, hotel, pub and restaurant in the local area and associations.
- Maintain legislative compliance on property and sporting matters as required and liaising with outside bodies, deer management group, authorities, agencies, and utilities as necessary, including annual reporting (e.g. game returns).
- Farming and forestry management, including keeping up to date with opportunities and regulations that are likely to affect land use; applications to and compliance with agricultural, forestry, environmental and other rural support schemes. Opportunity to shape and implement our environmental policies.
- Co-ordinate the operations & maintenance of our three hydro-electric projects.
- Ultimate responsibility for guest experience across hotel, holiday lets and activities.
- Negotiation and writing of employment contracts, leases, rent reviews, licences, agreements and other rights over land and buildings, and ensuring the most economic return.
- Responsibility for Health & Safety, including staff training and equipment, owning the risk register, and providing responsive emergency support to guests and colleagues if required.
- Process invoices and approval of payments.
- Ensure insurance information is kept up to date and requirements implemented, including participation in annual renewal.
- Carry out any other reasonable duties as required by the managing partner.
Key skills and experience
Essential:
- Proven success in working in a similar estate and/or hotel management role, even if in a more junior capacity.
- Strong work ethic, practical, reliable, organised, methodical and self-motivated.
- High professional and ethical standards.
- Positivity and strong people/leadership skills.
- Problem solving skills with the ability to plan and manage projects / property maintenance, budgets and priorities, and respond to issues quickly and effectively.
- Literate and numerate, with good written and verbal communication.
- IT literate, with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite.
- Proof of right to work in the UK.
- Full driving license valid in the UK.
Desirable skills that could be learned by the applicant or performed by others as we recognize this is a diverse role and will consider applicants who don’t possess the full range of experience, and there is potential for specialist agricultural, forestry, environmental or health & safety consultant input where required:
- Education to degree level, with land/estate and/or hotel/hospitality management qualification/s.
- Knowledge of Scottish land use practices, policies and subsidy regimes.
- Understanding of the Scottish property system, legislation and policy.
- An understanding of finance and budgets along with a willingness to embrace new systems.
- Hotel / holiday let management. To be clear, hands-on experience as a hotel manager isn’t required, although would be an advantage.
- Health & Safety legislation and best practice.
- Marketing.
- Property and grounds maintenance.
- Environmental enhancement including management for red grouse.
- Experience of electronic mapping software.
- Operating and maintaining relevant vehicles, equipment and tools.
- First aid at work training.
Benefits
- A unique environment and a challenging and rewarding role with the opportunity to contribute to the Estate/business’s operational efficiency, environment, and its long-term strategic direction.
- Opportunity to live and work in a beautiful part of rural Perthshire, with Glen Lyon having been described as "Scotland's most beautiful glen" (Trout & Salmon Magazine).
- Accommodation options (if required) include a bedroom, a 1/2/3 bedroom cottage in Fortingall or a rural 4 bedroom house, with arrangements re Council Tax, energy and services costs, subject to successful candidate’s requirements.
- We can offer assistance with your cost of moving to Fortingall, if applicable.
- Competitive salary, negotiable dependent on experience.
- Annual bonus, based on profit share.
- Long-term bonus plan, based on value creation over a minimum of four years.
- Learning and development opportunities.
- Company vehicle, or vehicle allowance, for business use.
- Gym usage at off-peak times.
- Equipment, hardware and software as necessary.
- Clothing allowance.
- Statutory pension provision.
- Compassionate leave.
- Option for unpaid leave.
Pay: £40,000.00-£80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Gym membership
- Housing allowance
- On-site gym
- Profit sharing
- Relocation assistance
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Aberfeldy PH15 2LJ: reliably commute or be willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (required)
Experience:
- Estate Management: 2 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
