About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join Forestry England and play a leading role in the shaping the future of the nation’s forests in Yorkshire. At Forestry England we believe the nation’s forests are a living treasure through which we can have an incredibly positive long-term impact on people’s lives, nature recovery, the climate emergency, and the green economy, all built on a foundation of world-class sustainable forestry.

The Yorkshire Forest District covers an area from Hartlepool to Spurn Head, stretching over the North York Moors National Park, to the Yorkshire Dales and Huddersfield in the west. The district is responsible for the sustainable management of a 21,000-hectare estate, and the team currently consists of over 70 employees supported by dedicated volunteers.

We are looking to recruit a Works Supervisor role in Land management based out of Dalby Forest.

Working as part of the North Riding beat team, the Works Supervisor will assist both the H&M Forester in planning and implementing operational work programmes in a safe, environmentally aware, and efficient manner to meet the requirements of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard. In planning work, the Works Supervisor will liaise with neighbours, stakeholders and colleagues at beat and district level to make informed decisions. The Works Supervisor has a key role in setting and maintaining health, safety, and environmental standards on working sites. Works supervisors may also expect to help coach and mentor colleagues, including Forest Craftspersons and volunteers on the beat.

Job description

Key work areas .

Supervision

To supervise operational sites to identify health, safety, and environmental issues, and take corrective action. To monitor progress against the contract or work schedule. To accurately record site visits and keep the Beat Forester and other colleagues informed of progress and other issues in a timely way.

Supervise the Beat Team providing appropriate levels of support and maintaining safety standards. Oversee the day-to-day management of the beat facilities including environmental and safety standards. Handle the logistics for the smooth running of operational programmes.

Contract Management

Support the Beat Forester in preparing contracts and other work programmes, including the use of Geographic Information Systems to produce accurate contract maps, and preparation of appropriate risk assessments.

Site Planning and Liaison
Support the Beat Forester in planning operational work programs in a safe, environmentally aware, and efficient manner, completing Operational & Environmental Site Assessments and gathering data / information to inform operational planning. Liaise with neighbours, stakeholders, and district colleagues as required.

Key responsibilities for the Harvesting & Marketing Works Supervisor

To support the H&M Forester in planning operational work programmes in a safe, environmentally aware, and efficient manner, completing Operational & Environmental Site Assessments and gathering data / information to inform operational planning. Liaising with neighbours, stakeholders, and district colleagues as required.

To support the H&M Forester in preparing Standing Sale and Direct contract work programmes . Supervise both in-house and contract timber volume plotting work including use of the Tariff package for working out Data. Undertake thinning monitoring and security work. Monitor roadside stocks, Ensure marking of constraint boundaries and forest health surveys carried out as required. 

Preparation of appropriate risk assessments and method statements for Direct Staff and Direct Contract.

To closely supervise operational sites to ensure health, safety, and environmental compliance, and take corrective action as necessary. To monitor both Standing Sale and Direct contract progress against the contract or work schedules. To accurately record site visits and keep the Beat Forester, and other colleagues informed of progress and other issues in a timely way.

To supervise 2.5 Craftspersons closely liaising with FM supervisor to co-ordinate teams as necessary with reference to planning of work programmes. Control and monitor District Urea supplies utilising Urea store at Dalby Depot and assisting the FM works supervisor in overseeing the day-to-day management of the Dalby Workshops and compound which includes District Urea store.

Be ready and available to provide professional support for emergency incidents, such as pollution incidents or accidents, as may be required on the home, or neighbouring beats and recreation hubs. Closely liaise with Recreational colleagues over current operational harvesting work programmes and contracts.

This post is 37 hours per week excluding lunch breaks.

Person specification

Essential:

A proven track record in successfully planning and supervising forest operations including tree harvesting, planting, ground preparation, fencing, and tree surgery works.

Full UK Driving Licence

Desirable:

Experience in the use of IT applications

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,534, Forestry Commission contributes £7,191 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 and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and 750-word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

1. A CV (maximum 2 sides of A4) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements for each role. Please ensure you have provided  reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A personal statement (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal experience, skills and qualities are relevant to this role. Please demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the person specification.

Interviews will be conducted in person. Candidates will be further assessed on Behaviours and Experience at interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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

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 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.

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.

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 fcerecreuitment.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.