Deer Officer (Protected Site Strategies)

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA); Bucks Horn Oak; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Forestry Commission (part of DEFRA) is seeking a Deer Officer to lead deer-related delivery within the Sussex Protected Sites Strategy, translating ecological evidence into coordinated actions across landowners and delivery partners. The role emphasises habitat assessment, deer ecology and landscape collaboration.

The post holder will work with Natural England, Forestry Commission specialists and the Area Team to develop practical solutions that protect designated features while supporting

Qualifications

• Sound ecological judgement.
• Strong partnership-working skills.
• Ability to develop deer-specific knowledge where needed.
• Operational stalking experience is not required.

Responsibilities

• Understand habitat condition and identify priorities for protected sites and deer impacts.
• Turn evidence into a coordinated delivery plan for PSS landscapes with clear outcomes, actions and milestones.
• Build constructive relationships with landowners, managers and stakeholders; explain evidence and management choices clearly.
• Enable investment, assure delivery and share learning by monitoring progress and reporting ecological outcomes.

Skills

Ecology

Conservation

Forestry

Land management

Deer management

Partnership working

Job description

There has never been a more important time for trees and forests to help tackle the climate emergency while providing vital habitats for wildlife and places for people to connect with nature. The Government has ambitious tree planting targets, and the Forestry Commission plays a central role in supporting the forestry sector, landowners, delivery partners and communities to achieve them. Alongside woodland creation, the sustainable management of existing woodlands is essential. The Forestry Commission supports this through grant funding, technical expertise and practical guidance. The Forestry Commission and wider DEFRA family are committed to ensuring that wild deer remain a valued part of England's landscapes. However, when populations become too high, deer can have significant impacts on woodland health by preventing natural regeneration, damaging trees and changing woodland structure. Excessive browsing can reduce ground flora and biodiversity, limiting the resilience and recovery of woodland habitats. This PSS Deer Officer role will lead work to improve protected sites under the DEFRA Protected Sites Strategy (PSS), with a particular focus in Sussex, while also contributing to the wider national programme objectives. Protected Site Strategies bring together public bodies, landowners, managers and other partners to address environmental pressures that cannot be effectively resolved within a single site or by one organisation alone. The postholder will lead the Forestry Commission's deer-related contribution initially within the Sussex PSS area, working collaboratively with the South East & London Area Team to develop evidence-based and practical solutions. This is an applied evidence and partnership role. You will identify where deer are contributing to unfavourable site condition or constraining the recovery of designated features and habitats, then help translate that evidence into coordinated and proportionate action. The role combines habitat assessment, deer ecology, spatial evidence, monitoring, landowner engagement, strategy development and practical delivery. We welcome applications from individuals with backgrounds in ecology, conservation, forestry, land management, applied research or deer management. Operational stalking experience is not required. Instead, we are seeking sound ecological judgement, strong partnership-working skills and the ability to develop deer-specific knowledge where needed. Based within the Forestry Commission's National Policy and Advice Team, the role will work closely with Natural England, Forestry Commission specialists, the national Policy and Advice Team and local delivery partners. If you are passionate about the role of trees, woodlands and sustainable deer management in creating a better future for England, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while working alongside committed and knowledgeable colleagues. This Deer Officer will play a critical part in co-ordinating and developing landscape efforts to reduce the impacts of deer on nationally important protected sites within Sussex as well as national PSS landscapes. The post holder will work with a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders to support and facilitate effective deer management.1. Understand habitat condition and identify priorities

1. Understand habitat condition and identify priorities

• Work with Natural England, Area Team colleagues and partners to understand the designated features, conservation objectives, condition evidence, ecological sensitivities and wider landscape factors affecting the protected sites.
• Review, collect and, where justified, commission ecological, spatial, woodland and deer evidence. Distinguish deer impacts from other pressures, record uncertainty and identify where intervention is most likely to support protected-site recovery.
• Establish proportionate baselines and outcome measures, coordinate repeat monitoring and determine whether deer impacts are reducing and habitats are responding as intended.

2. Turn evidence into coordinated delivery

• Develop and maintain the Forestry Commission's deer delivery plan for the PSS landscape, with clear outcomes, actions, owners, permissions, funding routes, milestones, risks and review points.
• Advise on an integrated and proportionate package of measures, which may include active population management, habitat and silvicultural work, protection, exclosures, access, high seats and monitoring.
• Coordinate action across landholdings, helping partners align woodland, habitat and deer-management objectives and secure the commitments needed for sustained delivery.

3. Build commitment and remove barriers

• Build constructive relationships with landowners, managers, agents, deer practitioners, ecologists, public bodies and environmental or community organisations.
• Explain evidence, uncertainty and management choices clearly, including where deer impacts are disputed or stakeholders are reluctant to support active management.
• Identify and help resolve practical barriers such as fragmented permissions, limited capacity, public sensitivity, carcass handling, infrastructure or gaps in the local venison supply chain.

4. Enable investment, assure delivery and share learning

• Support appropriate use of the UK Forestry Standard, woodland management plans and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier including reviewing deer management plans and the delivery of direct support for deer management.
• Define and monitor commissioned surveys, specialist support or enabling infrastructure.
• Maintain accurate evidence, delivery and financial records; report progress, risks, expenditure and ecological outcomes; and share learning with other PSS Deer Officers, Area Deer Officers, the PSS Deer Coordinator and delivery partners.