Sandlings East Beat Work Supervisor

Job summary

As a Beat Works Supervisor in Rendlesham, Tunstall, Dunwich Forest and also a wider Beat, you will play a key role in ensuring the safe and effective delivery of forest operations that protect the forest, produce timber, establish restocking, maintain SSSI/SPA habitats for rare Sandling's fauna and flora, safeguard our unique heritage, and provide extensive public access.

At Rendlesham, Tunstall and Dunwich Forest, we work at a landscape scale. The 5,500 hectare of forest is divided into three main blocks and also several smaller outlaying woodlands in the Lavenham area, contributing to the districts timber production and a planting programme each year. The Sandling's and Lavenham Beat has a small team managed by a Forester.

You will be the Work Supervisor in The Sandling's and Lavenham Beat, part of the East District operational delivery team, using your forestry knowledge and experience to support the Forester in planning and organising large-scale, wide-ranging beat programmes, including harvesting, restocking, vegetation management and hazardous tree work. These programmes are delivered by Beat Craftspeople and contractors; your understanding of operational forestry will ensure their work meets UKFS, UKWAS and FISA standards.

Please see attached Job Description for more details.

Job description

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

Work practices and methods evolve over time, they will generally be related to:

• Assisting the beat forester in all aspects of the day-to-day management of the beat and in planning, organising and supervising forest operations by staff and contractors to ensure agreed work is delivered to required standards safely, effectively and efficiently
• Being a visible presence on site, championing our health and safety culture and consistently demonstrating our core value of “look out and look after”.
• Developing and coaching the beat team through demonstration and clear verbal communication
• Collecting accurate site measurements and observations and use these in informing decisions, monitoring outcomes and updating records
• Communicating appropriately with colleagues and all stakeholders including landowners, neighbours, contractors, customers and members of the public

Typical Beat Work Supervisor tasks are listed below, and although the focus shifts depending on the season and priorities they will include:

• Carrying out forest surveys, assessments, marking and measuring to inform work programme decisions and monitor achievement of outcomes
• Ground truthing and updating forest inventories and mapped features
• Assisting forester to plan and organise work programmes
• Drafting job specifications for staff and tender documents for contracts
• Promoting a culture of safe working
• Working collaboratively, maintaining strong relationships to support effective site operations
• Monitoring and supervising staff and contractors to ensure full compliance with work specifications and health & safety requirements, maintaining a site monitoring diary
• Carrying out FISA checks and audits, ensuring forestry operations meet relevant safety and competency standards.
• Providing craftspeople with direction and support, ensuring high quality work across all assigned tasks.
• Maintaining yard and estate safety and security
• Overseeing stock control of materials and maintenance of equipment
• Organising legally compliant handling, storage and disposal of waste
• Lead on hazard tree surveys, including organising and overseeing associated remedial works where appropriate.
• Undertake any other duties reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• Experience in supervising and monitoring contracts to ensure quality and compliance
• Experience of delivering to tight deadlines
• A sound understanding of UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) and UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) requirements.
• Working knowledge of health and safety systems relevant to practical countryside and forestry work including risk assessments, Forest Industry Safety Accord (FISA) guidance, and lone working procedures.
• Competence in use of software to create and edit spreadsheets and documents.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a wider team.
• Proven experience of effective team working and supervision.

Desirable professional and technical experience

• Experience of carrying out practical forestry operations
• Competence in GIS systems

Qualifications

Essential:

• A full current driving licence that enables you to drive in the UK

Desirable:

• A formal Forestry education and/or practical qualification

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,105, Forestry Commission contributes £8,721 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…

You will be asked to upload your CV and 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.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Seeing the big picture.
• Managing a quality service
• Communicating and Influencing
• 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