About the job

Job summary

What could be better than working outdoors in the nation’s vast and varied forests, taking on challenging tasks, and making a tangible difference? Our Forest Wildlife Rangers use their broad range of skills and ongoing training to directly shape the land we manage, building the future for wildlife, people, and the climate. The work is varied and would suit a person who is self-motivated, well organised and able to demonstrate initiative to undertake tasks in a safe and efficient manner.

Job description

Background

Forestry England is part of the Forestry Commission. West England Forest District is responsible for the sustainable management of over 38,200ha of the public forest estate in the west and south-west of England. The North of the District extends from woodlands just to the north of Shrewsbury, southwards to the majestic oak and beech woods of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire and south-west as far as Idless Woods near Truro in Cornwall. The District is managed from the District Office at Coleford, in the Forest of Dean, supported by 13 local Forest Beat or Recreation Hub delivery teams dispersed across the Forest District covering specific territories. These local teams are responsible for the delivery of agreed work programmes assisted by a team of business support staff.

The Mortimer & Shropshire hills area is split into two beat teams each with a beat forester supported by a work supervisor. A community ranger, a wildlife ranger (post holder) and two forest craftspeople work across the beats. 

This post will be based at the office in Ludlow and cover both the Mortimer and Shropshire hills beat. The beats cover an area of the Welsh borders extending from Knighton in the south to just north of Shrewsbury. The woodlands are a mix of secondary woodland, plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) and ancient woodland. Forestry England staff work closely with a variety of partner organisations to ensure woodland management is beneficial to species of local and national importance.

Annual production from thinning and clear-fell harvesting operations is approximately 20,000m3/annum which is expected to increase by 3-5,000 m3/annum during the next five years and beyond. There is a corresponding restocking and forest management programme that involves both restocking of secondary woodland, the restoration of PAWS sites and the developing implementation of low-impact silvicultural systems of woodland management. The annual deer target is around 150 animals but is expected to increase significantly, the cull is predominantly Fallow and Roe with Muntjac becoming a growing component.

Purpose of the job

Undertake safe use and maintenance of firearms to be an effective Wildlife Ranger operating within the nations forests - managing populations of wild deer in accordance with national best practice and Forestry England guidance to ensure the forests and woods of West England Forest District are sustainably managed to UK Forest standards which deliver the Forestry England strategy. 

Provide ecological advice to colleagues and ensure priority species, habitats and designated sites are managed in accordance with wildlife legislation, policy and best practice guidance.

You can expect to spend around at least two thirds of your time outdoors, often independently and remotely and you will usually be expected to manage your own time to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. Dawn and dusk working is required therefore split working days are to be expected. 

Key work areas

Operational Delivery

Deliver effective deer management operations to meet local cull targets, producing deer carcass to the highest standard and maintain a high level of cleanliness in the larder.

Work with Beat teams and District staff to ensure operational plans and recreational activities comply with protected species legislation and provide advice on a range of ecological constraints and opportunities associated with forest management interventions.

Work with contractors, volunteers and partner organisations to achieve shared objectives. Utilising existing groups, agreements engaging with and facilitating groups and individuals to aid habitat management and species monitoring.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the interview process:

• Seeing the Bigger Picture 
• Working Together 
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Person specification

Essential

• Good team worker, highly self motivated with the ability to work alone using own initiative.
• The candidate must hold valid police shotgun and firearms certificates.
• The candidate must have Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 (to include Large Game Meat) and Level 2, awarded by Deer Management Qualification Ltd at time of application. 
• Experience in forestry and/or land management
• Good understanding of the ecology of woodlands and how wildlife management can help deliver sustainable forest management
• A good understanding of Health and Safety in the workplace
• Competence use of IT including MS Office applications
• Full Driving licence

Desirable

• Current certificates of competence in the use of all- terrain vehicles / quad bikes, 4x4 off road vehicle driving.
• Evidence of recent firearms training
• Evidence of recent deer carcase preparation training
• Emergency at Work First Aid Certificate plus F
• Demonstrable evidence of achieving challenging deer culls
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to bring people together.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,832, Forestry Commission contributes £8,055 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. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV and personal statements. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.  

Successful candidates will be invited for interview expected 16/17th January.

The interview will be scored on Experience, Technical and Professional Expertise and Behaviours. 

Those successful at interview will be required to carry out a Deer Stalking Level 1 Firearms shooting skills test at Castlemaine Depot, Forest of Dean GL15 7HL W/C 22nd January. 

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 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.

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.

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 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.