About the job

Job summary

In the face of the climate emergency, the role of trees and forests has never been more critical, offering sanctuary for both people and wildlife and improving climate resilience. The UK government is dedicated to significantly increasing woodland coverage by the end of this Parliament, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, and achieving broader environmental targets. The Forestry Commission, in collaboration with the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), is at the forefront of expanding, protecting, improving, and connecting woodlands across the country.

The Forestry Commission (FC) are the Government’s forestry experts responsible for enabling landowners and managers, businesses, civil society organisations, and local communities to protect, improve and expand England's woodlands. It achieves this through regulation, incentives and advice.

We seek a motivated economist to join us for 12-months, with the possibility of extension. This role is a unique opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary team that is shaping the future of forestry in England. Positioned within Forest Services (FS), the role involves providing analytical support to help develop effective forestry and woodland policies.

If you're passionate about the role of forestry in creating a sustainable future for England and eager to contribute to this vision, we'd love to hear from you.

Job description

The main purpose of this role is to provide economic analysis and input to support the development of future forestry policy. This role offers the unique opportunity to join a dynamic and passionate team in this high profile area of work.

The post will appeal to an economist, with experience or interest in natural resource management, who wishes to apply economics to practical policy and management issues and who relishes working in an interdisciplinary environment.

In this role, you will blend economic analysis, policy support, and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities include:

• Contributing to economic analyses and research to inform forestry policy development and government initiatives.
• Assisting in the preparation of economic cases for funding bids and policy proposals.
• Collaborating with policy, analysis, and grants experts in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Identify the need for, commission and manage evidence and analysis work to develop the evidence base surrounding forestry economics.
• Present complex economic information accessibly to various stakeholders.
• Engaging in projects that support the Nature For climate Fund, England Woodland Creation Offer and the Environmental Land Management schemes. Supporting grant/incentives design, updates, and evaluation.
• Responding to quick turnaround requests for information, drawing on existing work and modelling. Balancing ad hoc work such as this with ongoing, longer term responsibilities.
• Working with both internal and external stakeholders, including Defra, to support evidence-based policy development.
• Increase awareness and communicate the use of economic analysis, data and research in the Forestry Commission and the wider Defra group.
• Support as required on Woodland Carbon, Nature Markets and Green finance analysis.
• Collaborate with fellow economists in FC, Defra and Cross border.

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

• Ability to quickly grasp new concepts and work proactively.
• Strong analytical and quantitative analysis skills. Have the ability to perform high quality analysis to strict deadlines which can be used to draw policy recommendations.
• Clear communication skills, with the ability to explain economic concepts in an understandable way.
• Background in economics, evidenced by education (degree with at least 50% of the modules economics related) or relevant experience.
• Experience applying economic theory, such as assessing market failures, competition impacts of policy etc, and adapting this theory in the face of real-world complexities.
• Experience of economic appraisal, development of evidence-based business cases, and evaluation.
• Proficient in using Excel and other relevant software packages.

DESIRABLE

• Familiarity with natural resource, natural capital, or environmental economics principles.
• An understanding of, or interest in, policy development related to land management or forestry.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,260, Forestry Commission contributes £11,738 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.

Fixed Term Appointment until 31st March 2025 with possibility but no guarantee of extension or permanency.

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 750 words showing how you meet the criteria of the person specification evidence and your preferred location.

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

Indicative timeline:

- Applications will be sifted w/c 15th April 2024.
- Interviews will be held w/c 22nd April 2024.

Please be aware dates may be subject to change for both sifting and interviews.

We will be conducting online interviews with the use of Microsoft Teams or equivalent online communication methods. Candidates would therefore require access to a computer and internet at interview stage.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 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 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 (minimum 30 hours per week). 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.

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 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.

Successful candidates if using their own private vehicle for business travel will need to comply with the Forestry Commission travel policy on CO2 emissions (115g maximum CO2/km from April 2022).

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.