Field Manager

Never has there been a more important time for trees and forests to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife. Our Prime Minister and our government are committed to creating 30,000 hectares of woodland a year across the UK, of which 7,500 ha per year are anticipated to be in England, by the end of this Parliament. This acceleration in current planting rates in England will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to government’s wider environmental targets. This was supported by the announcement in the 2021 budget of £640m for a new Nature for Climate Fund ‘to support natural habitats like woodland and peat’ and the publication of the England Tree Action Plan.

The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission have set up a joint tree planting programme for England to support the forestry sector, landowners and communities in the delivery of these ambitions.

Field Managers coordinate and lead the areas Woodland Officers to expand, protect, improve and connect woodlands across the area and ensure the effective use of Forestry Commission incentives and regulations.

By joining the Forestry Commission, you will become part of a team of passionate, committed colleagues, and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this ambitious work forward. You will be able to make your mark by helping the Forestry Commission to revolutionise how we work together and reach new stakeholders.

Our staff engagement levels are consistently well above the Civil Service average and staff turnover is well below. We value our people, we look after them, and we will look after you. We hope you will join us for the challenge.

The Field Manager role, as part of Forest Services, is responsible for leading a team of Woodland Officers based in their area and for ensuring the effective coordination of our incentives and regulatory activities. Field Managers play a critical role in delivering a step change in our woodland creation levels, and in supporting the woodland management activity across the area. This includes working closely with Natural England, Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, Forestry England and Forestry Commission Admin Hubs.

Responsibilities

• Team working and Managing People – Provide leadership and support to the Woodland Officers, Woodland Creation Officers, Regulations & Incentives Support Officers and Development Woodland Officers to ensure the effective delivery of our incentives and regulatory programmes. The Field Manager will undertake recruitment and induction of Woodland Officers and Woodland Creation Officers and their development.

• Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme – Play a key role in supporting the operational delivery of the Tree Programme to deliver the Governments woodland creation ambition of planting 30,000 ha’s annually across the UK by 2025. This includes work to help promote the opportunities of the wider programme and working with delivery partners.

• Manage Tree Health and forestry regulation – Respond to tree health issues and ensure the effective delivery of our regulatory requirements. Work with Plant Health Forestry colleagues to respond to pest and disease outbreaks. Ensure our regulatory work meets the UK Forestry Standard and is completed within the required timescales.

• Manage Incentives – Oversee the delivery of incentives across the area through supporting their area team and partners by building positive working relationships to ensure the effective promotion and delivery of our incentives programme. Including seeking support from technical specialists to process complex cases and influencing the evolution of new initiatives to best deliver government forestry policy.

• Engaging with stakeholders and partnership working - Work with the Area Management Team to identify the partnerships to engage in order to deliver appropriate sector support in identified priority areas. Developing and maintaining good working relationships with advisers and stakeholders.

• Vision and Culture – Support the overall work of the team to ensure the effective delivery of our vision and culture ambition and to help lead on the development of a proactive Health & Safety culture. Play an active role in the wider work of the team including supporting Management and Area Team Meetings.

Experience

ESSENTIAL

• Experience or relevant working knowledge of Incentives and Regulations for land based schemes, such as Countryside Stewardship;
• Significant knowledge of forestry and silviculture, including having a clear understanding of the UK Forestry Standard;
• Confident interpersonal and communication skills with experience of presenting to a range of audiences, both verbally and written;
• Experience of stakeholder management - building strong business relationships and collaborative working to deliver mutually beneficial results;
• Demonstrate ability to manage a team to deliver results to an agreed standard;
• Proactively deal with complex and contentious issues relating to people and delivery of project outcomes.

DESIRABLE

• Experience of managing people and demonstrate ability to manage a widely distributed team to deliver results to an agreed standard;
• Practical woodland management experience of both deciduous and coniferous woodland;
• Experience of delivering forestry incentives and regulations.

Professional and Technical Expertise

ESSENTIAL

• Degree/Higher Diploma in forestry/land management/countryside management/environment management and/or significant related experience in partnership working centred on land management / tree and forestry issues. Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.
• Competent and effective IT user with experience of MS Office and also including remote working and associated communication tools (e.g. MS Teams).

DESIRABLE

• Membership of a relevant professional institute (e.g. Institute of Chartered Foresters);
• Evidence of having undertaken appropriate management development training and supporting continuous professional development.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

• A Civil Service pension.
• A range of family friendly benefits
• An environment with flexible working options
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment
• A range of wellbeing benefits including discounted Civil Service Healthcare, access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, Bike to Work Scheme, plus many more
• 25 days annual leave, with 1 additional day for each years’ service up to 5 years (pro rata), plus 10.5 bank holidays/privilege days (pro rata).
• Ability to buy or sell 5 days annual leave.
• 3 days volunteering per year (pro rata).

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager.

Job contact :

Name :
FS Recruitment
Email :
fs.recruitment@forestrycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email :
fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk