Operations Manager

Government Recruitment Service; Farnham; On-site; CAD 84,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Farnham is seeking an Operations Manager to lead a team in managing regulatory and incentive activities in the forestry sector. This role involves operational leadership, customer service management, and collaboration with various stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills and experience in managing field operations, with a focus on achieving government forestry objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing field operations and teams.
• Strong understanding of government policies related to forestry.
• Ability to mentor and support other team members.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations leadership and guidance for Field Managers.
• Manage enquiries and complaints related to incentives and regulations.
• Support delivery of local integrated working with partners.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Operational Management

Customer Service Management

Job description

Overview

The South East and London Area’s forest and woodland cover is the highest in England, characterised by the vast majority in private or non-government ownership. There are significant areas of protected landscapes in which private estate forestry operates and adds value to the rural economy, coupled with some larger forests in Kent, the Chilterns and the New Forest managed by Forestry England teams for people, wildlife and timber. The Area’s large geographic extent spans many of England’s broadleaved woodland and tree cover types, including ancient tree and woodland natural capital. Protection and regulation of woodlands are key activities in delivering our objectives for the South East’s green economy.

The government is committed under the Environment Act 2021 to significantly increasing tree cover to 16.5% in England by creating 270,000 hectares more tree cover by 2050. Woodland creation is a delivery priority for the Area team and our partners, working with landowners and farmers. In London there are exemplars of urban forestry practice and benefits of more trees to society. The Tree Health Resilience Strategy and Plant Biosecurity Strategy set out plans to reduce the risk of pest and disease threats, which have significantly impacted the tree landscapes in parts of the Area. Improving woodland resilience in response to climate change, bark beetle incursions from Europe, tree disease impacts on ash and larch, and deer and grey squirrel damage pressures, are all high priorities in the Area.

The Area Team, led by Peter Coles, comprises about 68 posts covering around 20 different disciplines. The Operations Manager will directly manage 5 roles, including 3 Field Managers, and lead the portion of the team which make up operational field and support roles. Woodland Officers occupy most of these as the locally based operational face of the Forestry Commission. Field teams deliver regulations and grants services in conjunction with our national Operational Delivery Team which provides transactional support to the South East and other Area teams. We also operate across Greater London boroughs where urban forestry practice and regulation is a focus. The focus for Area Team operations is at the Bucks Horn Oak and Tonbridge offices; staff also use Worthing, Bedgebury and Wendover office bases.

The Operations Managers will act as the Areas' single point of contact on business-as-usual incentives and regulatory delivery, linking to the national Head of Operations, to consolidate and improve internal communications and operations delivery capacity. As a senior member of the Area team you will manage, support and prioritise the outcomes and deliver agreed business plan objectives. Activity will focus on the government’s strategic priorities and Forestry Commission’s statutory functions, and the need to play a key role in supporting organisational adaptation to change and development at the Area level. We will expect the post holders to become an expert in the theory and practice of all incentives and regulations work and to mentor, train, and support the field team on incentives and regulations, to lead on complex case work and be the main problem solver within the team in this area.

The post holders will be responsible for line managing 5 staff as well as being the Confirming Officer for the majority of the frontline field teams.

The posts report to the Area Director and as part of the senior management team will work closely with other Partnership and Expertise Managers and the Area Marketing and Communications Manager, as well as with the National Head of Operations and other FC Area Operations Managers.

Key Work Areas

Team Management and Development

• Provide operations leadership, guidance and support for the Field Managers within the Area including formal line management responsibility for their own Field Managers and confirming officer support for the majority of the frontline field team.
• Support the overall work of the team to ensure the effective delivery of our vision and culture ambition and to meet our local and national Health and Safety priorities. This will include supporting appropriate blended working. Play an active role in the wider work of the team and its management, health and safety, and technical training communications. Proactively seek to support the wider work of the Forestry Commission by offering individual specialist knowledge to project working or seeking development opportunities where these can be sustained.

Operational Delivery and Customer Service Support

• Lead on business-as-usual Incentives and Regulatory activity across the area including acting as the single point of contact for the Area team through effective liaison and engagement with the Head of Operations, National Operations Manager, and national incentives and regulations managers.
• Lead on Customer Services Management, managing enquiries and dealing with all appeals, complaints and sensitive cases arising from the Area’s Incentives and Regulatory activities. Providing advice and recommendations to the Area Director.
• Responsible for Incentives & Regulations Business planning and managing operational communications links with Sustainable Forest Management, Strategic Development, and Policy and Advice teams.
• Expand, Connect, Protect and Improve the Area’s woodlands – Support the delivery of the Government’s forestry and woodland ambitions as set out in the Business Plan through the effective use of FC resources with a specific focus on incentives and regulations.

Integrated Working and Communications

• Work with Area Team colleagues to support the delivery of the Defra Environment Plan and government policies through local integrated working with partners. This will build on the established Defra group joint working as well as responding to the opportunities from the England Trees Action Plan, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and the support from the Nature for Climate Fund and Farming and Countryside Programme.
• Lead on communicating key Incentives and Regulatory priorities and changes across the Area team, liaising closely with the other Partnership and Expertise Managers within the team. Support promotion and engagement activity across the Area working with the Area Marketing and Communications Manager, Land Use Advisers and wider Area team colleagues.