Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
Chilterns Office, Upper Icknield Way, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 5NF
About The Job
Job summary
This post is an exciting opportunity to join the Forestry England team in East England. As Beat Forester, you will oversee a small team responsible for managing the nations forests in the Chilterns beat.
About Us
East England Forest District, covers an area of 35,000 hectares from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase Community Forest. The District has a varied landholding including the largest lowland pine forest in England at Thetford, community woodland on the outskirts of London at Thames Chase, and a range of mixed woodland, many of which are on sites of ancient woodland.
The District offers outdoor recreation, leisure and wellbeing activities for hundreds of thousands of people each year at its recreation centres. Forestry Englands whole freehold estate is dedicated for public access on foot, with numerous small carparks and informal access points.
This post is based at the Chilterns office near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire with a requirement to travel to work in other beat woodlands and on occasion elsewhere in East Forest District. Meetings and training events may take place in other parts of the country.
The Chilterns beat comprises 3000 hectares of woodland set over 63 woodlands, extending through Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Herefordshire and Bedfordshire, with many located within the Chilterns National Landscape. There are numerous sites of conservation interest designated across the Beat, including seven Sites of Special Scientific Interest and several Scheduled Monuments. The majority of these woodlands are ancient in origin and undergoing appropriate management or restoration. A new 51-hectare woodland creation site has been established in the Beat.
This position and the associated work will be supported by the Operations Manager also based out of the Chilterns office.
Job Description
Key Work Areas
The Main Areas Of Responsibility Are To
- Provide leadership to beat team, focusing on their development needs to support the delivery Forestry & Land Management work programmes and responsibilities.
- Agree, plan, manage and monitor beat economic, social and environmental programmes and projects to achieve District Business plan and Forestry Englands objectives.
- Manage contracts to deliver forest management and timber harvesting objectives, whilst meeting all relevant guidelines and legislation.
- Undertake procurement, contract management, planning, implementation and monitoring of budgets following all relevant guidelines.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and all stakeholders including landowners, neighbours, contractors, customers and members of the public.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the District and wider organisation.
- Monitor and ensure that high standards of health, safety & wellbeing are implemented both within your team and by contractors, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and guidance.
Role
Over the next five years, the Beat Forester role will be involved in managing and/ or supporting the following key operations:
- Re-establishing and developing a strong Beat Team.
- Creating a deliverable annual work programme for staff and contractors.
- Delivering the annual harvesting and re-establishment programme.
- Working closely with the Wildlife Ranger and Lead Ranger to improve woodland habitats and condition.
- Working closely with the Recreation Manager and Ranger to maintain trails and facilities and explore and deliver opportunities including filming and events.
- Look to establish further volunteering opportunities in the beat with the beat Recreation team.
- Support the development of the Chilterns and the Greensand Ridge Forest Plans with the District Planning team.
- Undertake appropriate restoration of Ancient Woodland Sites including woodland management to support Hazel Dormice habitat.
- Support the introduction of grazing cattle into Bernwood Forest SSSI.
- Progressing ride and open ground development programmes in several protected woodlands including Bernwood Forest SSSI.
- Working with the District Heritage Advisor to protect Scheduled Monuments and sites of archaeological interest.
- Securing the establishment of the new woodland creation site at Wing and engaging with stakeholders.
- Improving the resilience of the woodlands from existing and potential pest and disease threats including Ash Dieback, Oak Processionary Moth, and European Spruce Bark Beetle.
This is an operational post, working 44 hours per week. The duties of the post require you to be on call at times, and to work a flexible working week.
Responsibilities
You will need personal resilience, and a deep commitment to achieving results with a small beat team.
Your skills, interests and experience will reflect the responsibilities of the role in delivering forest operations and a wide range of land management programmes and projects.
You will be interested in developing your existing technical skills and experience further and be willing to take on new and different tasks.
Person specification
Essential Professional And Technical Experience
- A degree or HND in Forestry or significant equivalent experience in forestry or land management.
- Experience of planning, managing and supervising forestry operations and a good understanding of health and safety in forestry.
- Experience of leading a team and providing support to staff.
- A sound understanding of and experience in contract management.
- Competence in the use of MS Office applications.
Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application.
Desirable Professional & Technical Experience
- Competence and experience in the use of Forester GIS.
- Membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) or working towards membership.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £34,080, Forestry Commission contributes £9,872 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
Things you need to know
Selection process detailsThis vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:
- A CV showing your job history and experience including your key responsibilities for each role.
- A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 words) explaining why you are applying for the role and how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience are suitable for the job, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification and links to the key work areas.
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 Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Successful candidates invited to interview will be assessed against Experience, Behaviours and Strengths.
Sift dates to be confirmed.
Interviews will be held at the Chilterns office, postcode HP22 5NF. The provisional interview date is the 28th January 2025, although it is subject to change.
Successful candidates invited to interview will be asked to undertake a short exercise or presentation as part of the interview process.
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.
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.
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 youre 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.SecuritySuccessful 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 ServiceThe 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.Diversity and InclusionThe Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
About
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.Contact point for applicantsJob contact :
- Name : Reception
- Email : enquiries.eastfd@forestryengland.uk
- Telephone : 0300 067 4500
Recruitment team
- Email : fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further informationOur recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
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