About the job

Job summary

Never has there been a more important time for trees and forests to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife. We aim to at least treble tree planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament, reflecting England’s contribution to meeting the UK’s overall target of planting 30,000 hectares per year by the end of this Parliament. This acceleration in current planting rates in England will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to government’s wider environmental targets. This is supported by the £640m Nature for Climate Fund announced in the March 2020 budget.

The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission have set up a joint NCF tree programme for England to support the forestry sector, landowners and communities in the delivery of these ambitions.

Forestry Commission leads the delivery of the following parts of the tree planting programme:

- developing sector capacity
- woodland creation on public land
- woodland creation on private land
- promotion and engagement

If you are passionate about the role of forestry in creating a better future for England, and want to play a key part in realising that, we want to hear from you.

By joining the Forestry Commission, you will become part of a team of passionate, committed colleagues, and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this ambitious work forward. You will be able to make your mark by helping the Forestry Commission meet these ambitious targets as part of the Development Woodland Officer programme.

The Development Woodland Officer programme is an exciting new career pathway into the Forestry Commission, the programme is a development focused opportunity for those seeking a career in forestry who many not have a wide ranging or indeed any forestry or land management experience and/or qualifications. This 3-year development programme has been developed to lead and coach those on the programme through a wide range of forestry and silvicultural experiences and learning activities to build on individuals own forestry experience and knowledge, not just from within the Forestry Commission but across the entire forestry sector.

Job description

The Development Woodland Officer role is a new and exciting career pathway into the Forestry Commission for people from all backgrounds and abilities looking to start/continue their journey to becoming a professional Forester. We are seeking ambitious, driven individuals who are eager to support our ambitious tree planting plans and protect and enhance our current woods and forests.

As part of Forest Services, Development Woodland Officers will build the skills and experience needed to be carry out incentives and regulation work, provide guidance to woodland owners and managers in Areas and promote sustainable woodland management in England. Playing a key role in helping to deliver of the Government’s current priorities for forestry in addition to the England Tree Planting Programme.

The role is development focused which will see Development Woodland Officers engaged on a formal learning programme supported by Area staff and a central programme delivery team. Development Woodland Officers will spend 20% of the normal working hours engaged in off-the-job learning lead by the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria, this off-the-job learning will consist of bi-monthly residential blocks delivered at one of the University Campuses within Cumbria or at the Forestry Commission training Centre at Cannock Chase. The remaining 80% of time will be spent consolidating skills in a real-life working environment including potential of wider sector work placements to further build on the consolidation and expansion of skills and experiences.

On completion of the programme, successful graduates will earn a Professional Forester Apprenticeship (equivalent to Level 6), a BSc (hons) as Professional Forester and the potential to gain Chartered Forester status with the Institute of Chartered Foresters, in addition to gaining 3 years work experience. Providing the building blocks to continue a career in the forestry sector as a professional forester, planning, advising, managing, and supervising forestry activities and/or operations.

Key work areas

Develop a sound understanding while supporting and assisting the work of Woodland Officers within Forest Services Area Teams, in: 

1) Expanding woodland cover: 

• champion the multiple benefits of new woodland as business opportunities for landowners and as natural capital (including biodiversity, water quality, flood management, carbon sequestration, etc) for the wider environment and society; 
• facilitate the design and delivery of new woodlands optimising the benefits they can deliver to the owner and as natural capital; 
• administer the forestry Regulations relating to woodland creation (Environmental Impact Assessment); and 
• administer/process applications for grants. 

2) Protecting our existing trees and woodlands: 

Administer Forestry Regulations to include: 

• Forestry Act – Felling Licences, to ensure that tree felling is carried out in accordance with the principles of the UK Forestry Standard. 
• Environmental Impact Assessments – deforestation, forest roads and forest quarries, and 
• Habitats Regulations – re forest operations within Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation, 
• advise on the links with other legislation such as those pertaining to European Protected Species; and
• provide specialist advice to planning authorities re the impact of proposals on existing woodland and how new trees and woodland, as well as locally sourced timber and wood, could be used to enhance new developments.

3) Improving the condition and resilience of our existing woodlands and wider treescape: 

• champion the benefits of actively managed woodland; 
• support woodland owners and managers in responding to key challenges of pests and diseases including Chalara ash dieback, oak processionary moth, deer and grey squirrels; 
• work to increase resilience within woodlands to the challenges of a changing climate; and 
• facilitate closer working across the forestry sector – for instance between markets, contractors, managers, etc 

4) Engaging partners, stakeholders and the public: 

• encourage, enthuse and support key partners and stakeholders to help facilitate the expansion, protection and improvement of our woodlands and treescape; and champion the many values of trees and woodland to the wider public helping them understand and appreciate the importance and values of active management. 

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

• Passion for sustainable woodland and land management with the desire to learn the key principles of the subject.
• Strong desire to learn through on-the-job training. 
• Good interpersonal and influencing skills demonstrating the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal colleagues and our customers.
• Competent IT user with experience of the MS Office suite of applications.
• Good verbal and written communication skills

DESIRABLE

• Knowledge and experience of sustainable woodland management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £23,098, Forestry Commission contributes £6,260 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, Strengths and Experience.

This is a Temporary Appointment for 3 years with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

As part of the application process, you will complete the following:

1. A tailored CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2. A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the criteria of the person specification evidence and your preferred location.

3. You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements relating to the Behaviours being assessed.

Applications will be sifted weeks commencing the 19th February - 29th March.

Interviews will be held weeks commencing the 22nd - 29th April.

Please note:  these dates are subject to change

Interviews for this role will be conduct via an Assessment Centre, an assessment centre combines several tasks and activities that test candidates suitability for the role. Giving candidates the ability to demonstrate a wider range of skills than would be assessed during a traditional face-to-face interview.

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using a lead behaviour. This will be the behaviour which is listed first in the job advert. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses.

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 England 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 circumstances 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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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 is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

Means of transport will be provided for successful applicants to carry out the duties associated with this role

Due to the nature of this role successful applicants will be required to attend mandatory training events, equating to 1 week every other month at which time annual leave cannot be applied for. These dates for the entire 3-year programme will be made available at assessment centres.

To fully consolidate the learning within this programme sector work experience placements will form a part of the delivery model. These placements could be anywhere within England, every effort will be made to minimise travel and to take into account personal circumstances but this cannot be guaranteed and successful candidates may be asked to work away from their normal working area at times.

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.

Existing Civil Servants (excluding Forestry Commission employees) and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant.

Existing Forestry Commission employees are eligible to apply for the role but should seek advice from their Line Manager and HR in relation to applying for this 3-year Fixed Term appointment and the process at the end of the fixed term.

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.