Communications Officer

Forestry England; Coleford; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension contribution

Holiday entitlement

Staff discounts

Free parking

Free entry to arboretums

Career development support

Job summary

Forestry England in Coleford, Gloucestershire, is seeking a Communications Officer to lead and deliver communications across the Forest of Dean, telling the story of one of England's oldest and most unique forests.

You will develop proactive and reactive communications to support organisational objectives, promote Forestry England's work, and help build public understanding of how we manage the nation's forests sustainably.

Qualifications

• Experience in communications, with ability to craft clear messages for diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage media relations and respond to inquiries quickly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver communications across the Forest of Dean to tell the story of one of England's oldest forests.
• Develop proactive and reactive communications that support organisational objectives and public understanding.
• Collaborate with the marketing team and partners to identify opportunities and ensure consistent messaging across channels.

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Coleford, Gloucestershire

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/2316/829

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Fixed Term Appointment

Fixed term until 1 September 2029

Working Hours:

22.5

Location:

Coleford, Gloucestershire

Closing Date:

09/11/2026

Job Category:

Marketing and Communications

Region:

West

Business Unit:

West

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Communications Officer

Salary – £33,854 pro rata

Contract type – Fixed term until 1st September 2029, with the possibility of extension or permanency but this cannot be guaranteed

Vacancy closes – Monday 9th November23:58

Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.

Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

We're looking for an experienced Communications Officer to lead and deliver communications across the Forest of Dean, helping tell the story of one of England's oldest and most unique forests.

We are looking for someone who has a strong communications background and a love for the Forest of Dean to continue the positive work of telling the rich story of the Forest. You will be responsible for developing and delivering proactive and reactive communications that support organisational objectives, promote Forestry England's work, and help build public understanding of how we manage the nation's forests sustainably.

The role involves working closely with our wider marketing and communications team, colleagues in operational roles and a range of partners to identify opportunities, develop content, manage media relations, and ensure consistent messaging across a range of channels.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

This role will be based in our office in Coleford, Gloucestershire.

Some home working would be considered but you will need to spend the majority of time in the office or on-site.

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaRis our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

Working for the Civil Service…

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.