Bowland Beat Manager

Forestry Commission; Ribble Valley; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Bowland Beat Manager to lead forestry operations in North West England. This role involves managing a dedicated team, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, and overseeing recreation operations. The successful candidate will champion a positive culture, promote learning opportunities, and manage budgets effectively. With a focus on enhancing visitor experiences and collaborating with stakeholders, this position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to significant biodiversity projects while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Join this forward-thinking organization and make a meaningful impact in forestry management.

Benefits

Civil Service Pension

Flexible Working Options

Learning and Development Opportunities

Inclusive Work Culture

Qualifications

• Experience managing a team and planning forestry operations.
• Strong understanding of health and safety regulations in forestry.
• Proficient in budget and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Manage forestry operations and ensure compliance with health and safety.
• Oversee recreation operations and budget management.
• Engage with stakeholders to enhance visitor experiences.

Skills

Team Management

Health and Safety Compliance

Budget Management

Contract Management

Public Engagement

Stakeholder Relationship Management

Project Management

Education

Degree or HND in Forestry

Tools

MS Office Suite

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Job description

Forest Becks, North West England, BB7 4TS

Job Summary

What you’ll do…

As Bowland Beat Manager, you will manage a specific beat and team in one of our Forestry England districts. You will be responsible for forestry operations meeting industry best practices and health and safety regulations. Implement work programmes meeting the district’s strategic plan for the economy, society, and the environmental collaborating with other beat teams.

You will also be responsible for the recreation operations within the beat managing the recreation ranger, overseeing health and safety compliance, managing the budget with a focus on increasing income generation, contract management and overseeing asset and building management. Working with internal and external stakeholders you will be enhancing and delivering an excellent visitor experience.

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

Where you’ll work…

You will be working at Gisburn Forest, Stephens Park, Dale Head, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, BB7 4TS

North England Forest District is the largest in England, covering 86,000ha, made up of 61,000 ha of forest and 25,000ha of open land in Cumbria, Durham, Gateshead, Lancashire and Northumberland. The District is managed by a team of more than 140 staff. The forest area is currently 90% conifer and 10% broadleaf. Annual timber production is in the region of 550,000m3.

The District has 45 SSSIs covering over 10,000ha and is a major contributor to nationally significant biodiversity projects which help support red squirrels, water voles, ospreys and red kites. Our built and agricultural non-woodland estate is extensive and we are engaged in a programme of business development and conservation initiatives. The recreation experiences we provide are focussed on our five Forest Centres: Grizedale, Gisburn, Hamsterley, Kielder and Whinlatter. Around 1 million people enjoy these forests collectively each year. The outlying forests of Chopwell Wood, Ennerdale and the Forests of Rothbury are increasingly popular with local visits; enhancing the health and wellbeing of our local communities. If the post you are applying for is PB5 or above, you will be asked to join the District duty roster, after a suitable period of time.

Job Description

• manage a team and volunteers meeting Forestry England’s organisational values and behaviours
• champion improvements in Forestry England’s health & safety culture
• deliver a positive and inclusive culture, fostering cross-functional collaboration and support
• promote learning and development opportunities amongst the team
• maintain professional and productive relationships with stakeholders and work collaboratively with colleagues across the wider district
• create, manage, and execute operations in the beat in line with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS), UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)
• manage operations in a specific beat, including tree harvesting, regeneration and conservation programmes, recreation operations, and public engagement
• provision, collaborating with district foresters and specialist district leads
• plan, procure, and manage contracts to effectively meet forest management and timber harvesting objectives, whilst meeting all relevant guidelines and legislation
• manage recreation income and expenditure against budgets and report on variances, identifying areas for commercial growth
• engage proactively and respond constructively to existing and prospective customers and show the highest standards of professionalism when representing Forestry England in the marketplace
• build and maintain good working relationships with external partners, tenants, and concession operators
• manage aspects of wildlife, woodland, and heritage conservation, and have awareness of legal and financial implications
• lead on building and asset management, including facility inspection audits and civils programmes
• liaise with the local mechanical engineering services team on vehicles, machinery and equipment
• help maintain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation
• be responsible for the beat’s budget
• efficiently manage resources so beat projects, programmes, and business as usual operations are delivered effectively and efficiently prepare the annual beat business plan
• monitor, reforecast and report on budgets and key performance indicators throughout the year
  
  

This post will require occasional out-of-hours and weekend working including for emergency call outs, council meetings, etc.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

• manage a team and volunteers meeting Forestry England’s organisational values and behaviours
• champion improvements in Forestry England’s health & safety culture
• deliver a positive and inclusive culture, fostering cross-functional collaboration and support
• promote learning and development opportunities amongst the team
• maintain professional and productive relationships with stakeholders and work collaboratively with colleagues across the wider district
• create, manage, and execute operations in the beat in line with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS), UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)
• manage operations in a specific beat, including tree harvesting, regeneration and conservation programmes, recreation operations, and public engagement
• provision, collaborating with district foresters and specialist district leads
• plan, procure, and manage contracts to effectively meet forest management and timber harvesting objectives, whilst meeting all relevant guidelines and legislation
• manage recreation income and expenditure against budgets and report on variances, identifying areas for commercial growth
• engage proactively and respond constructively to existing and prospective customers and show the highest standards of professionalism when representing Forestry England in the marketplace
• build and maintain good working relationships with external partners, tenants, and concession operators
• manage aspects of wildlife, woodland, and heritage conservation, and have awareness of legal and financial implications
• lead on building and asset management, including facility inspection audits and civils programmes
• liaise with the local mechanical engineering services team on vehicles, machinery and equipment
• help maintain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation
• be responsible for the beat’s budget
• efficiently manage resources so beat projects, programmes, and business as usual operations are delivered effectively and efficiently prepare the annual beat business plan
• monitor, reforecast and report on budgets and key performance indicators throughout the year
  
  

This post will require occasional out-of-hours and weekend working including for emergency call outs, council meetings, etc.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• experience of managing a team, as well as demonstrating successful team working
• experience of planning and supervising forestry operations, and ability to demonstrate a significant understanding of health and safety in forestry
• evidence of working within a busy recreation / public facing role in a similar environment
• managing or supervising staff, volunteers, contracts, and contractors
• experience of managing health, safety and wellbeing including accident investigation and reporting
• experience of managing a budget, and a sound understanding of and experience of managing contracts
• competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications
  
  

Desirable Professional And Technical Experience

• experience of using (forestry) Geographic Information System
• understanding of Forestry England recreation management practices
• knowledge of managing volunteers
• project management
• managing tenants and/or partnership businesses
  
  

Qualifications

Essential

• degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) in Forestry or significant equivalent experience in forestry or land management
  
  

Desirable

• membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) or a commitment to achieve membership
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others
  
  

Alongside your salary of £35,580, Forestry Commission contributes £10,307 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How To Apply…

You will be asked 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.

You will be assessed on your experience, technical skills, and behaviours during your interview.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others
  
  

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email [e-mail].

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : FC Recruitment Team
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.