About the job

Job summary

Forest Services as part of Forestry Commission 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 protect, improve and expand England’s valuable woodland assets, ensuring that they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment and the economy.

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

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.

The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission have set up a joint Nature for Climate Fund (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:
- sector capacity
- planting on public land
- planting 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 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 to transform how we work together and reach new stakeholders. 

Job description

You will work closely with Policy and Regulations leads to develop grants to expand tree and woodland cover through the NCF Programme, ensuring they are effective in delivering Government’s policy aims set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, the England Trees Action Plan and Net Zero. You will ensure the grants comply with the government grant standards and subsidy control and support their implementation by the Operational Delivery Team which is responsible for delivering the grants.

Key work areas

• Work with colleagues to create products that support the detailed design and development of one or more incentives (e.g., forms and guidance) 
• Provide subject matter expertise to support the Operational team by responding to internal and external enquires or addressing complex case work – dealing with this directly where necessary 
• Contribute to projects and casework across the wider National Grants and Regulation Team team as they arise, in response to seasonal and unexpected peaks and troughs 
•  Support Incentives Development Managers with project meetings, preparing materials and minutes where required 
• Collate and present data for reporting to management and stakeholders

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

• Experience of delivering tasks across multiple processes/projects 
• Experience of communicating new/modified processes to different audiences, or a demonstrable ability to do so 
• Experience of using the MS Office suite of applications to deliver tasks, particularly Excel 
• Confidence in working with numerical and financial data to spot gaps and errors, and monitor progress

DESIRABLE

• Degree-level or equivalent in any subject area 
• Knowledge of forestry and land management, particularly in relation to forestry incentives in England 
• Qualification in project or programme management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,779, Forestry Commission contributes £7,529 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.

1 x Fixed Term Appointment ending 31st March 2025, 1 x Fixed Term Appointment ending 31st July 2024. Possibility but no guarantee of extension/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 office location.

Applications will be sifted week commencing 15th January 2024. This date is subject to change.

Interviews will be held week commencing 29th January 2024. This date is subject to change.

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 highest scoring candidate will be offered the post ending 31st March 2025. The second highest scoring candidate will be offered the post ending 31st July 2024.

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

This role is advertised as a minimum of 37 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.

The Forestry Commission is actively working to reduce the carbon emission of official travel and applicants should be aware of the broad principles which are being applied to reduce carbon emissions to less than 50gCO2/km. Travel options include:

Use of private car: some Officers chose to use their private car and receive payment for the miles they drive on official business. To register your car from 1 April 2022 it must emit less than 115gCO2/km if you wish to use it for official travel and claim mileage. These emission level requirements will reduce to 100gCO2 by 26/27, 80gCO2 by 27/87,  60gCO2by 28/29, 50gCO2by 29/30. At the point where a car already registered reaches the CO2 limit, it can be driven for 2 more years for business mileage. 

• Use of CAPES (lease) Cars: after an employee has successfully completed their probation they can opt for a CAPES car. All CAPES cars must emit less than 50gCO2/km.

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.