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. 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. This is supported by the £640m Nature for Climate Fund announced in the March 2020 budget.

Forestry Commission Forest Services 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.

The East & East Midlands Area stretches from Essex to the Peak District and contains over 250,000 hectares of woodland, 86% of which is owned and managed outside of the Forestry Commission’s estate. We are full of contrasts: have the two least-wooded counties in the UK; some areas are under sea level but others over 600m; we have internationally important ancient woodlands and very productive commercial plantations; we have number of important community initiatives and valuable peri-urban woodlands.

The Area Team operates from two offices distributed over the 12 counties we cover, but most staff currently work from home. The Area Team is led by Richard Pearce (Area Director) and currently operates with more than 50 staff; the team will expand over the coming months to begin meeting the Government’s ambitions to create 30,000ha a year of new woodland in the UK by 2025.

The post includes the need to travel and will include some long journeys and overnight stays both within and outside the Area. During the induction for the role we would expect all RISOs to be spending a significant amount of their time at the Santon Downham office, with FC support depending on home location.

Job description

The purpose of the role is to:

Expand woodland cover:

1. Champion the multiple benefits of new woodland as business opportunities for land owners and as natural capital (including biodiversity, water quality, flood management, carbon sequestration, etc) for the wider environment and society;
2. Assist Woodland Officers in facilitating the design and delivery of new woodlands optimising the benefits they can deliver to the owner and as natural capital;
3. Assist Woodland Officers in the administration of the Forestry Regulations relating to woodland creation (Environmental Impact Assessment); and
4. Assist Woodland Officers to administer/process applications for grants.

Protect our existing trees and woodlands: 

1. Support Woodland Officers in the administration of Forestry Regulations:

a. Forestry Act – Felling Licences

b. Environmental Impact Assessments – deforestation, forest roads and forest quarries, and

c. Habitats Regulations – re forest operations within Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, and Ramsar sites to ensure that tree felling is carried out in accordance with the principles of the UK Forestry Standard;

d. Advise on the links with other legislation such as those pertaining to European Protected Species; and

Improve the condition and resilience of our existing woodlands and wider treescape: 

1. Champion the benefits of actively managed woodland;
2. Support woodland owners and managers in responding to key challenges of pests and diseases including: ash dieback, Phytophthora ramorum, deer and grey squirrels;
3. Work to increase resilience within woodlands to the challenges of a changing climate; and
4. Facilitate closer working across the forestry sector – for instance between markets, contractors, managers, etc

Engaging partners, stakeholders and the public:

1. Encourage, enthuse and support key partners and stakeholders to help facilitate the expansion, protection and improvement of our woodlands and treescape; and
2. At shows and events champion the many values of trees and woodland to the wider public helping them understand and appreciate the importance and values of active

Person specification

Essential:

• Ability to prioritise and manage a varied workload.
• Good interpersonal and influencing skills demonstrating the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal colleagues and our customers.
• Proven ability to be innovative, enthusiastic, and prepared to work on your own initiative.
• Comfortable and experienced in using verbal and written communication to engage with stakeholders or customers.
• A minimum of 5 GCSEs/Standard Grades or equivalent (A-C Passes) including English Language & Maths is required.
• Good computer skills with experience of MS Office.

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:

• Experience and knowledge of forestry practice in the UK or a similar forestry environment.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,175, Forestry Commission contributes £8,085 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 31st March 2025 with possibility of extension or permanency, but no guarantee.

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

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Personal statement – in no more than 500 words please provide details of how you meet the Essential relevant experience and criteria as set out in the person specification.
3. You will also be asked to provide a 250-word statement relating to the Behaviour 'Delivering at Pace'.

Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour. This will be the behaviour which is listed first in the job advert. 

Applications will be sifted week commencing 20th May 2024. Date subject to change. 

Interview Stage

For candidates successful for interview, we will be assessing you on Experience, Behaviours and Strengths. Interviews planned for the week commencing 29th May 2024. Date 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 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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. The RISOs are provided with an FC fleet vehicle that can only be used for business mileage.

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.