About the job

Job summary

South England Forest District manages some 46,000 (ha) of public forest estate and national parks that stretch from Sussex to Dorset, and from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight.
The varied, mixed woodlands produce some 80,000 m3 of timber each year, of which 20,000 m3 is hardwood. The land management team have responsibility for an extensive programme of habitat restoration, principally ancient woodland and lowland heath.

Much of this land is of high national importance for nature conservation and wildlife, and of international importance for biodiversity. We are responsible for land that includes Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) and sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The district is actively managed for people, nature and climate.

We are looking for a Works Supervisor for the South Downs Beat. It consists of mixed woodland that varies from pure beech to ancient broadleaf woodland, they are spread across East Hampshire and West Sussex and includes well used recreation sites, conservation areas and SSSI.

We are also looking for a Works Supervisor for the Chiddingfold beat which covers 2,800 ha of mixed woodland that varies from designated ancient broadleaf woodlands in the west, to areas of production conifer in the Surrey Hills to the east. Much of the beat area is contained within the Surrey Hills AONB’s and contains designated SSSI’s and Sites of Nature Conservation Interests (SNCI’s).

The Beat team is based at the Forestry England Operations yard just south of Farnham in Surrey, close to the Alice Holt Visitor Centre.

The woodlands are spread across Surrey and East Hampshire with a small area in West Sussex. Forest management includes ancient woodland and heathland restoration, diversifying tree species and age structure using low impact silvicultural systems.

All woods are actively managed for people, nature and the economy, including timber production

Job description

Your role will be to provide support to the Beat/DP Forester, through front line supervision and site management. You will assist in setting and maintaining standards in all aspects of forest and woodland management to help meet business plan targets.

You will:

• Assist in leading and managing staff and contractors to deliver outputs and results.
• Assist in setting and maintaining operational / Health and Safety standards.
• Assist in the planning of work programmes by attending to site and operational needs.
• Gather and present operational data as required.
• Procure labour and resources needed to deliver operational objectives.
• Act as Duty Officer providing 24 hr emergency contact cover for a period of one week in approximately every 14 weeks i.e. approximately 4 times per year.

Person specification

Essential Experience
• Relevant experience in forestry or land management or hold a recognised Forestry qualification or similar qualification to National Diploma level. Please clearly demonstrate which applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out
• Competence with a wide range of IT applications including Microsoft Office Suite.
• Competence with GIS applications.

Desirable Experience
• Good understanding of the application of Health & Safety in forest operations.
• A sound understanding in the application of contract management.

Behaviours

Managing a Quality Service
• Gain a clear understanding of customers’ needs and expectations.
• Plan, organise and manage your own time to deliver a high quality service which gives taxpayers a good return for their money.
• Act to prevent problems by identifying issues, reporting them and providing solutions.
• Keep customers and all colleagues up to date with progress.
• Show customers where to access relevant information and support that will help them to use services more effectively.

Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Understand what your responsibilities are and how these contribute to the priorities of your team.
• Consider the varied impact your work could have on individuals with different needs and from other backgrounds.
• Gather information from both inside and outside of the organisation to inform your area of work.

Making Effective Decisions
• Use guidance, analyse relevant information and ask colleagues for input to support decision making.
• Identify and deal with any errors or gaps in information before making a decision.
• Consider the diverse needs of those affected by decisions and how it will impact them.
• Provide advice and feedback to support others in making accurate decisions.
• Ask others to clarify decisions when confused and query any issues that arise constructively.

Delivering at Pace
• Always work with focus and pace to get the job done on time and to a high standard.
• Follow the relevant policies, procedures and rules that apply to the job.
• Use own knowledge and expertise to organise work.
• Keep focused on delivery and take responsibility for the quality of work produced.
• Keep a consistent level of personal performance.
• Keep managers and stakeholders updated on how work is progressing.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,534, Forestry Commission contributes £7,164 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 Personal Statement of up to 500 words. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sifting will take place in the week commencing 24/01/2024 , with interviews scheduled to take place in the week commencing 29.01.2024. Please note these dates are subject to change.

Candidates will be further assessed on their Experience and Behaviours at interview, in addition to the below Technical Skills:

Contract management
Silvicultural skills
Health & Safety

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 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 maybe 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.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.

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.

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

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 an 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.