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. The foundation of our organisation is our world-class sustainable management of the nation’s forests.

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 team is made up of around 160 people, containing a diverse range of roles - from wildlife rangers and ecologists to marketing professionals, all contribute towards the management of 46,000 hectares (ha) of public forest estate and national parks that stretch from Sussex to Dorset, and from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight.

Much of this forest is of high national importance for nature conservation and wildlife, and of international importance for biodiversity. South England Forest District is responsible for land that includes Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).

The New Forest Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme is England’s largest environmental scheme and restores and enhances the internationally-important habitats of the New Forest. The heathland, mires, bogs, ponds and streams, along with the wet heaths, wet grasslands and wet woodlands, are among the Forest’s most precious qualities. In terms of wetland habitats, the New Forest supports one of only four significant sites of bog woodland in the UK, as well as one of the six best sites of riverine woodland. Together with other scarce wetland and heathland habitats, the Forest also contains the most extensive lowland valley mire systems in north-western Europe. 

The HLS scheme has run since 2010 and so far it has:

• Restored miles of internationally-important habitats for wildlife
• Supported the historic practice of commoning, which maintains the rare New Forest landscape
• Worked to identify and protect historic sites across an area the size of 17,000 football pitches
• Inspired more than 18,000 children to cherish the area’s unique environment

Job description

As HLS Project Manager you will be directly involved in the delivery of some of the most ambitious and impressive habitat restoration projects in the country.  Working in the unique landscape of The New Forest, which is one of the most important areas for freshwater wildlife and lowland heathland in Britain, you and your team will restore areas of habitat protected under international legislation.

 Key Work Areas

• Leadership and team management

As HLS Project Manager you will lead a team of 7 dedicated and skilled members of staff.  You will ensure your team understand what they need to achieve, the value of the work they are undertaking and how it contributes to wider strategic goals.  As a team leader you will act as Line Manager for 5 team members and Reporting Officer for 2 other members of staff.  You will motivate your team and provide them with the support they need to deliver their specialist work programmes.

• Delivery of habitat restoration programmes

Working collaboratively with Forestry England colleagues and external partners you will develop a work programme to deliver habitat restoration projects across Forestry England land in The New Forest.  You will prioritise outcomes and track and report progress against agreed milestones.  Managing project governance, including providing key reports as required to the HLS Board to obtain support with effective decision making.

• Stakeholder engagement

You will work to encourage buy- in and support from our stakeholders and the public to achieve our goals.  Working with the Forestry England Communications Team you will promote the work delivered by the HLS team and encourage greater understanding of its contribution to society.  Key stakeholders include The Verderers of The New Forest, Natural England and The New Forest National Park Authority

• Budget and contract management

Through careful budget management you will ensure that public money is spent efficiently, following correct procedures and with accurate records kept.  You will lead on procurement processes for the HLS Team and contract management, ensuring that FE procedures are followed at all times.       

Person specification

Essential Requirements:

• Experience of managing medium to large-scale projects.
• Understanding and experience of budgetary control and reporting.
• Strong management and leadership skills.
• Confident in building and maintaining highly effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Degree or further education in forestry, conservation or related land-based discipline or equivalent professional/technical expertise attained through relevant work experience.
• Competent in the use of MS Office applications.

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 Requirements:

• An understanding of land management operations and project delivery by operational teams in a forestry, conservation, or recreational environment.
• Experience of restoring designated habitats.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,485, Forestry Commission contributes £10,120 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 750-word Personal Statement as follows:

• 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.
• A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 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.

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, experience and technical skills.. 

Interview

Interviews will be held in person at the King's House, Lyndhurst, SO43 7NH. We anticipate that interviews will take place week commencing 24th of June 2024 but this is 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 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.

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 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.