District Recreation Manager

Job summary

This post is an exciting opportunity to join Forestry England's Recreation team. In collaboration with other leaders, you will help to deliver our district strategy and business plan in line with our national Growing the Future strategy.

You will play a key role in supporting Recreation Managers in the management and development of the recreation offer, to connect more people with the nations forests while delivering sustainable finances. This work will be focused on our car parking operations, including management of the New Forest Car Parking team and strategic outcomes associated with our recreation management.

Across the district, you will help to progress projects that could improve our financial sustainability or enhance people’s experience in our forests by overseeing our car parking operations. Your role will be varied and will include; providing technical advice, auditing and supporting to ensure compliance with policies, guidance and protocols; identifying investment opportunities for recreation income growth; overseeing the delivery of agreed projects and work streams; providing employee management support and guidance for managers; supporting teams in managing visitor pressures and queries; representing the district and organisation at internal, national and external meetings. You will lead by example and report to the Head of Recreation.

The post is full time, working 37 hours a week. The post holder will be required to work flexibly with some out of hours and weekend working necessary to support teams and cover emergencies; it will also require travel across a variety of locations within the district on a regular basis and some occasional National travel. This may lead to the occasional requirement to stay overnight.

Job description

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

Leadership:

• Contribute to the District’s one team approach, working collaboratively with a cross functional vision and approach.
• Ensure good working relationships with sustainable land management, estates, civils and business support colleagues as well as with National colleagues, business partners, customers, stakeholders and the public.
• Report directly to the Head of Recreation, forming part of the District’s Recreation Leadership Team, leading by example with Forestry England Values, H&S champion, customer voice etc.
• Act as coach, mentor, leader, professional, with a delivery focus.
• Support Recreation Managers in managing and developing the recreation offer, delivering against strategic objectives and business plan targets

Team and Line Management:

• Line management including multiple Recreation Managers plus project leads.
• Ensure Business Plan objectives are reflected in team & individual plans.
• Promote a just health and safety culture; audit compliance and put in place actions to maintain the required standards.
• Support team skills development and personal development to enable delivery, promote manageable workloads, encourage good performance and manage risk.
• Deliver all works in line with policies and procedures including HR.
• Build and maintain good team morale.

Operational Delivery:

• Provide oversight of the New Forest car parking operation, ensure standards and agreed targets are achieved with a focus on delivery.
• Monitor and analyse performance and respond to results to inform continual improvement.
• Advise and support managers on car parking operations.
• Develop business cases for investment, external funding bids, sponsorship, and partnerships.
• Deliver agreed business plans to achieve sustainable finances.
• Maximise public benefit through work programmes and partnerships in line with available resources.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships across teams and with external partners and stakeholders to support the delivery of the district's strategic objectives.
• Undertaking audits of accident reporting and operational activities to ensure compliance with local, national and industry guidelines.
• Work closely with Ranger and Recreation Operations teams to offer a seamless Forestry England visitor experience.

Communications and engagement:

• Provide efficient and effective customer service, responding to external and internal stakeholders with calm and clear communications. Handling professional interactions with key partners and community user groups.
• Respond to enquiries and complaints from the public, signposting to relevant teams or answering queries on behalf of Forestry England.
• Be the point of contact for Freedom of Information Act requests relating to parking, responding, collating data, and ensuring answers are sought in good time - liaison with the national Freedom of Information Act team where relevant.
• This role can be Forestry England’s spokesperson on certain interactions with the media. Most of this engagement is at local/regional level but may become relevant at national level, where this role’s advice can provide local context.
• Required to highlight emerging issues at District level with impact on organisational reputation and income. Working collaborative with colleagues across all teams and providing advice to senior managers.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• Excellent communication and leadership qualities to give clear direction, motivate and inspire teams
• Experience of service delivery
• Experience of customer service
• Experience of business development and successful project management and delivery
• Experience of stakeholder management and working in partnerships
• Experience of budget management and delivering successful business outcomes
• Competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications

Desirable professional and technical experience

• Experience of working with the private and third sector in operational delivery
• Experience of managing and leading teams in busy visitor environments
• Experience of working in sensitive environmental landscapes

Qualifications

Essential

• HND / Degree in a relevant discipline or subject area and / or professional qualification and / or significant relevant experience

Desirable

• Project or programme management qualification

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,388, Forestry Commission contributes £11,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal can