Staff and board

The Park Authority staff team and board play a key role in ensuring that both the natural environment and the local communities within the National Park are cared for and sustained for current and future generations to enjoy.

Working together, staff and board develop a National Park Partnership Plan, which is the key document that shapes all activity in the National Park for a five-year period.

The overall purpose of the Park Authority board individually and collectively is to provide leadership, direction, support and guidance to ensure the Park Authority delivers its functions effectively and efficiently, and in accordance with the aims, policies and priorities of the Scottish Ministers. The board is made up of 19 members. Five are elected locally, seven are appointed by Scottish Ministers, and a further seven are nominated by the five councils in the Cairngorms National Park, these being Highland (two), Aberdeenshire (two), Moray (one), Angus (one) and Perth and Kinross (one). Members normally serve between 18 months and four years and are currently paid a day rate of £239.67 (for 2.6 days per month).

Achieving the ambitious aims set out in the National Park Partnership Plan is only possible with a dedicated team of staff. From countryside rangers and conservation experts to planning officers, our specialist teams are passionate about delivering on the ground, with a shared vision to make the Cairngorms National Park an outstanding place where people and nature thrive together.

We have around a hundred members of staff operating out of our headquarters at Grantown-on-Spey and our office in Ballater, working across our Nature and Climate Change, Planning and Place and Corporate Services directorates. They are led by our Chief Executive and three directors.