About the job

Job summary

We are Forestry England. We are the country’s largest land manager, caring for the nation’s forests for people, nature and the economy. 

Our four values capture how we work:

• Think beyond a lifetime - We make plans today for a better tomorrow, so our business and our forests are sustainable and fit for the future.
• Be adventurous - We approach challenges with creativity and adventure, embracing research and innovation to stay relevant.
• Do it together - We get our best results when we work with others, and we encourage diverse perspectives, so we make better decisions.
• Look out and look after - We care about our colleagues, volunteers, partners, and customers, and we take a stand against unsafe behaviour.

South England Forest District is part of the wider Forestry Commission - the government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands and increasing their value to society and the environment. We manage 46,000 hectares of the public forest estate across southern England including the New Forest.

Alongside our traditional timber production the District:

• offers recreational opportunities for people to enjoy dozens of beautiful woodlands;
• protects and enhances valuable habitats for the benefit of wildlife; and
• delivers economic growth by supporting local businesses and rural employment.

We’re looking for a Building Surveyor to be a part of this and help shape a built estate which is able to match our stunning natural environment.

The diverse property portfolio we manage may be less obvious than the trees we grow but it is just as vital in delivering our objectives. You will be:
• helping to manage two large visitor centres - Moors Valley and Alice Holt – which help host 20 million annual day visitors
• leading a small team in maintaining and developing a built estate which includes offices, deer larders and commercial yards housing our operational teams together with a let portfolio consisting of agricultural holdings, commercial premises and 89 cottages.

The role is based in Lyndhurst but covers the whole district, working alongside a wider Estates Department consisting of two Land Agents, two Assistant Land Agents, an Estates Works Supervisor and an administrative support team. You will be responsible for achieving best value for the District, providing colleagues with the work environment they need to deliver whilst driving forward the financial and environmental sustainability of our assets.

Job description

Taking a key role in the Estates Team, you will be tasked with delivering a high standard of professional property services, including planning and monitoring programmes of servicing, maintenance and work across our whole District estate. Ensuring we are complying with all statutory regulations and internal policies and guidelines, you will also see to it that all planned and emergency works fall within budget and are completed to your specifications. Your sharp business acumen will prove crucial when ensuring that value for money is being achieved, particularly when balancing your annual capital and revenue budgets.

To thrive in this enticing role, you will have the ability to work collaboratively with a number of stakeholders such as colleagues in other teams and those occupying the properties. As either a Chartered Surveyor (or working towards achieving this status with either RICS or CIOB), or demonstrable relevant practical surveying experience and capability. You will also have construction experience gained at management level, with the ability to analyse a variety of building related issues and procure goods and services. You will have developed detailed specifications and solutions to provide optimum whole life outcomes. We will also expect you to have good IT skills whilst knowledge of water supply regulations and renewable technologies would be advantageous.

Key Work Areas

• Deliver professional building management across the district including the management of utilities and services by the most efficient means and to agreed budgets.
• Plan, specify, procure (to public procurement guidelines), implement and monitor programmes of work including planned and reactive maintenance to a high standard ensuring compliance with all statutory regulations and Forestry England Policy.
• Administer Contracts using NEC4 forms of contract and undertake the role of Principal Designer.
• Undertake periodic property inspections including defect surveys, condition surveys and annual building inspections.
• Improve the financial and environmental sustainability of all property assets.
• Set and manage annual capital and revenue budgets as agreed with the Area Land Agent.
• Assist in the delivery of Forestry England's carbon reduction strategy by identifying and delivering projects within district, to decarbonise the built estate through energy efficiency, transitioning away from fossil fuels and incorporating appropriate renewable energy generation. Assist on the integration of Electric vehicle charging within the district.
• Lead on statutory and mandatory compliance of the built estates, as responsible person, working with site-based teams and contractors to ensure routine and periodic tasks are completed on time and follow up action is completed.
• To line manage and support the estates building team; works supervisor and admin officer.
• Ensure that the asset database is kept up to date and record filling is completed including transitioning to MS Sharepoint.

Person specification

Essential:

• Have achieved a building surveying degree and Chartered status with RICS or CIOB (support will be offered toward this attainment) or making progress toward chartership, or demonstrable relevant surveying and property management experience.
• You should have good and broad knowledge of building pathology and be able to analyse complex and unusual building related issues and develop detailed specifications / reports and solutions to give the best whole life outcomes.
• Fulfil the duties of Client under CDM 2015 Regulations for all built estate based construction work. Undertake the role of Principal Designer for certain projects. 
• Relevant demonstrable construction and building management experience at a management level, including tendering, contract management and overseeing projects on site.
• Experience of managing budgets and procuring services effectively.
• Understanding and management experience of statutory compliance of the built estate.
• Excellent communicator and experience of running projects with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to problem solve and work under your own direction to achieve desired outcomes.
• Competent user of MS Office - in particular Excel, Word and Outlook. Familiar with the use of AutoCAD, Sketchup or equivalent packages.

Desirable:

• Good understanding of renewable technologies, energy efficiency in buildings and general principals of sustainability.
• Knowledge of water supply regulations.
• Understanding of lease repairing obligations
• NEC 4 contract management
• Familiar with GIS mapping systems

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,870, Forestry Commission contributes £9,721 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and up to a 1000 words personal statement as follows:

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2. A Personal Statement (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience are suitable for the role, with reference to the criteria in the Person Specification.

Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential experience requirements within the application responses.

Failure to fully complete both sections (CV and Personal Statement) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. The panel will look for applications that demonstrate the best fit for the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the job description and responsibilities.

Candidates successful at sift will be invited to a face to face Interview. At interview candidates will be assess on the listed Behaviours, Technical Assessment and Experience. For the technical assessment candidates will be asked to do a short presentation, to demonstrate knowledge and skills for a given scenario (to be advised on arrival).

Interviews will be held in person at the King's House, Lyndhurst, SO43 7NH at the beginning of April. Please note the date may be subject to change. 

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Forestry Commission from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission may consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

Where a role has been identified as one which falls under the scope of the Public Sector English Language Requirements, within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Applicants will be assessed in the selection process in accordance with the requirements.

A total of 37 hours per week will need to be covered.  Applicants who wish to work less than 37 hours per week or an alternative working pattern are welcome to apply, however your preferred working pattern may not be available if the remaining hours cannot be filled, and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via FCERecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.