Direct Production Forester

Job summary

You will manage the Direct production harvesting program. You will be responsible for timber operations meeting industry best practices and health and safety regulations. Implement work programmes meeting the district’s strategic plan for the economy, society, and the environmental and collaborate with other teams.

Job description

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

• Manage a team, meeting Forestry England’s organisational values and behaviours.
• Champion improvements in Forestry England’s health & safety culture.
• Deliver a positive and inclusive culture, fostering cross-functional collaboration and support.
• Promote learning and development opportunities amongst the team.
• Maintain professional and productive relationships with stakeholders across several beats and work collaboratively with colleagues across the wider district.
• Create, manage, and execute operations in line with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS), UK Forestry Standard (UKFS).
• Manage timber operations, including direct production tree harvesting and timber sales.
• Plan, procure, and manage contracts to effectively meet forest management and timber harvesting objectives, whilst meeting all relevant guidelines and legislation.
• Engage proactively and respond constructively to existing and prospective customers and show the highest standards of professionalism when representing Forestry England in the marketplace.
• Make sure work you are responsible for complies with health and safety guidance, and communicate the importance of working safely, to manage risks across operations for staff, contractors, customers, and the environment.
• Be responsible for the Direct production budget, and work with the Operations Manager Timber to prepare the annual business plan..
• Efficiently manage resources so projects and programmes are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Monitor, reforecast and report on budgets and key performance indicators throughout the year.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• Experience of managing a team, as well as demonstrating successful team working.
• Experience of planning and supervising forestry operations, and ability to demonstrate a significant understanding of health and safety in forestry.
• Experience of managing a budget, and a sound understanding of and experience of managing contracts.
• Competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications

Desirable professional and technical experience

• Experience of using (forestry) Geographic Information System.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or Higher National Diplo/ma (HND) in Forestry or significant equivalent experience in forestry or land management.

Desirable

• Membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) or a commitment to achieve membership.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,573, Forestry Commission contributes £10,884 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 candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to apply

We cannot accept applications via email. Please follow the steps outlined below. Any CVs and/or personal statements sent outside the system will not be considered for shortlisting.

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

You will be assessed on experience and behaviours during your interview.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Making effective decisions
• Working together
• Managing a quality service
• Delivering at pace

You may also be assessed on Experience, Strength based questions, and/or the Technical Success Profile at the interview. The technical element could include a presentation, practical or written task.

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email [email removed].

If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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