About the job

Job summary

Forest Services (FS) as part of Forestry Commission (FC) are the Government’s forestry experts. We advise nationally and locally on how to unlock the full potential of woodlands and support the forestry sector to expand, protect, improve and connect England’s valuable woodland assets.

This post sits within the Economics, Evidence and Analysis team, which forms part of the wider Strategy and Transformation team within FS. A multidisciplinary team, it is responsible for economic, geospatial and statistical analyses, and for computation and publication of key performance indicators (official statistics) and management information.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Projects Officer to help collate, compute and report statistics and other information. The successful candidate will have strong analytical and communication skills, a keen eye for detail and be competent working with quantitative data and text (and ideally maps). Able to learn quickly, they will be able to critically assess and quality assure information received, before communicating it in a timely manner.

There is more about the role of the Forestry Commission at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/forestry-commission

Job description

As Evidence and Analysis Projects Officer you will support the collation, computation, analysis, presentation and production of statistics, data and management information for Forest Services. 

KEY WORK AREAS

You will:

1. Support production of Forestry Commission key performance indicators (official statistics) through identifying, collecting, computing and validating data from a  range of sources across and outside the Forestry Commission, and helping to draft and collate text for internal and external communications.
2. Support production of Forest Services’ management information, including production of dashboards for various senior stakeholders. This will involve  identifying, collecting, computing, validating and managing statistics, data and text and working with others to clarify and refine information received. 
3. Accurately analyse and aptly present other statistics, data and text for Forest Services customers using office software (including MS Excel, MS Word and MS PowerBI). This will include for example helping to analyse and report back findings from Forest Services’ regular customer surveys.
4. Work closely with the strategy and business planning team to support Forest Services’ annual business planning cycle. Help produce quarterly dashboard reports showing progress against the published business plan ensuring synergy whenever possible with other reporting across Forest Services. 
5. Undertake other ad hoc work as required, including taking minutes for team meetings. Work consistently and in a timely way to some tight timescales within professional standards.

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

• Experience in collating, computing, validating and presenting statistics, data and associated text including knowledge and use of MS PowerBI
• Experience of developing productive working relationships with a wide range of internal and external customers
• Excellent analytical skills
• Good to attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work at pace to meet fixed deadlines

Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.

DESIRABLE

• A degree in a Geography, Mathematics, Economics or any other numerate discipline or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in applying the Code of Practice for Statistics.
• Qualification or experience in project management
• Experience in using socioeconomic and/or natural environment data

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,863, Forestry Commission contributes £8,651 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.

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. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 750 words please provide details of how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
3. A 250 word statement of the behaviour required for this job role which is Managing a Quality Service. Please see the application form for further details.

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. 

Interview/Sift

Indicative timeline (Subject to Change):

- shortlisting to take place week commencing 29th July 2024.
- interviews will be conducted the week commencing 5th August 2024.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process

At Interview you will be assessed on your Experience, Strengths and against the Behaviours listed in the advert. 

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. The dates for interview are to be confirmed.

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 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.ukstating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.