About the job

Job summary

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. The Government has committed to establishing a Nature Recovery Network to improve, extend and connect wildlife-rich habitat, and introduced a range of incentives to recover nature for wildlife, climate and people. 

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are a new statutory system of spatial planning for nature introduced under the Environment Act 2021. They have been specifically designed to ensure environmental funding streams work together in a coherent way to deliver for wildlife and for wider environmental outcomes including climate mitigation, flood management and access. 

The Forestry Commission has a critical part to play in delivering this landmark initiative. We are seeking a highly motivated and collaborative individual with skills and experience in nature conservation and sustainable forest management, who is passionate about nature and nature-based solutions, to work as a Nature Recovery Advisor within our Area team. 

As a Nature Recovery Advisor you will support the roll out of Local Nature Strategies in the north east area. You will work with Responsible Authorities, alongside staff from Natural England and the Environment Agency, providing knowledge, advice, data and evidence to ensure that the Strategies deliver Government commitments for woodland, wildlife and other environmental benefits. You will champion the role of sustainable woodland management and creation, working with colleagues to ensure statutory protections are maintained. You will build strong partnerships within your national and Area teams, within Defra, with the Responsible Authorities and with external stakeholders and delivery partnerships.

You will also support the work of the Nature Returns Programme, a cross-departmental research programme funded through HM Treasury's Shared Outcomes Fund. Providing advice, data and evidence to support projects delivering nature-based solutions, champion the role of woodlands, and work to connect projects with local ecosystem markets to ensure their long-term sustainability.

You will be an ambassador for woodlands and forestry as a critical part of supporting and expanding a sustainable, wildlife-rich Nature Recovery Network and embedding nature recovery within forestry activities.

The post-holder will be based in the Yorkshire and North East Area team, with a focus on the North East. The role is based in Newcastle, other Forestry Commission or partner offices within the area of responsibility may be considered. This role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

Job description

The Nature Recovery Advisors will be responsible for:

Ensuring outcomes for woodland and trees are effectively integrated into LNRSs, by:

• Championing the role of trees and woodlands in nature recovery across the region, leading to the expansion, protection, improvement and connection of woodlands.
• Negotiating outcomes for trees and woodland, challenging the views and advice of others, including senior advisors and managers as required, and using latest evidence.
• Supporting Responsible Authorities and statutory partners, responding to their requests by providing knowledge, advice, data and other evidence (including case studies), involving Area Team members as required.
• Providing content for the emerging strategies, and reviewing them in order to identify opportunities and pitfalls for woodlands.
• Ensuring alignment with other key local strategies and initiatives with a spatial planning or prioritisation component for woodland, including Tree and Woodland Strategies, Climate Action/Net Zero plans, Green Infrastructure strategies and Biodiversity Net Gain.
• Working proactively with woodland stakeholders to agree priorities for woodlands and trees.
• Identifying potential tensions between different environmental and planning outcomes, or where deforestation is proposed, and seek strategic solutions (zoning, prioritisation, offsetting) that can be delivered at LNRS scale.

Working with other Area Team members to translate opportunities for nature recovery into action on the ground, by:

• Contributing to the Area team pipeline for large scale projects, including woodland creation and management and species recovery, aligning FC funding with funding from non-FC sources.
• Developing and delivering communication and information, designed to inform wider teams about LNRS and the wider nature recovery agenda, working with the local learning programme manager as appropriate.
• Overseeing the development and management of Nature Returns projects (and other large-scale projects delivering multiple outcomes) in your area, by:
• Championing the role of trees and woodlands, supported by evidence and high quality advice. Aligning projects with other nature recovery work across the region.
• Connecting projects to other delivery mechanisms and to existing and emerging incentives and markets, including ecosystem markets.
• Contributing expert advice, data and evidence to the Nature Returns projects.
• Summarising and disseminating research from the Nature Returns projects in your area and influence work related to ecosystem market development.

Supporting the national team in provision of advice, guidance and review of progress for LNRS and nature recovery, by:

• Reporting to national teams on progress, critical success factors (against FC outcomes), expenditure, risks and issues.
• Contributing to the development of national guidance to support LNRSs or nature recovery more broadly.

You will be expected to work closely with FC Area Team Advisors and may also be asked to support other partnership or delivery activities within the teams and to support outcomes for nature and nature-based solutions.

You will be an excellent ambassador for woodlands and forestry, and an active listener. You will work in a highly collaborative manner, within your team, FC, the wider Defra family and with external stakeholders.

You will also be capable of absorbing and understanding a substantial volume of evidence and analysis, in order to engage in policy discussions and give sound advice.

You will be able to work from home or your parent office (see note on blended working below), with frequent travel to face-to-face meetings with LNRS teams, and occasional overnight stays for example, for national meetings. A full driving license is strongly preferred, although alternative arrangements may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Person specification

Essential

Knowledge, skills and qualifications:

• Degree-level qualification (Level 6 or above) in nature conservation, environmental management, forestry, land management or similar OR a related qualification at Level 4 or above with significant experience of successfully working at a strategic level to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving.
• Knowledge of the woodland management, nature conservation issues and relevant stakeholders or partners in your geographic Area.
• Evidence of working at a senior and strategic level to influence, and if necessary, challenge decisions about land management.
• Ability to prioritise effectively, maintain their own level of specialist knowledge and proactively bring people together to solve problems.
• Competent and effective IT user with experience of MS Office and also including remote working and associated communication tools (e.g. MS Teams).

Experience

• Relevant experience of working on land management in a strategic or advisory role.
• Significant related experience in partnership working centred on land management and/or tree and forestry issues.
• A track record of establishing and managing successful working relationships and networks with a range of internal and external stakeholders, to influence others and deliver shared outcomes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with experience of presenting to a range of audiences, both verbally and written.

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 -

Knowledge, skills and qualifications:

• Qualifications and/or experience in both nature conservation AND forestry.
• Professional membership, or working towards membership, of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (MICFor), TCPI, CIEEM or other relevant chartered body.
• Good understanding of nature recovery principles, nature-based solutions recent policy developments and how they relate to woodland.
• Knowledge of natural capital or ecosystem accounting

 Experience:

• Experience of integrating forestry and biodiversity issues.
• Experience of handling and analysing data. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,870, Forestry Commission contributes £9,721 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.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment until 31 March 2025 with the possibility of extension or permanency, but no guarantee.

 As part of the application process, you will complete the following:

1. A tailored CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be split into 3 parts and requests: Job History, Previous Skills/Experience, and Full Qualification Details.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 750 words showing how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

At interview, you will be assessed against Behaviours and Strengths and will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.

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.

Indicative timeline:

• Shortlisting to take place w/c 4th March 2024 
• Interviewing to take place w/c 11th March 2024

Dates may be 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.

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 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.

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 full time but flexible hours/compressed hours can be discussed. 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.

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 2023).

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. From starting with FC you will have a 2 year grace period and then your private car must comply with reducing emissions levels if you wish to use it for official travel. The allowed emission level will reduce from 115gCO2/km (1st April 2023) to 100gCO2/km on 1st April 2025 and then reduce further each year after that.

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.

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 includes grade on return.

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

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.