Marketing & Communications Lead

Forestry Commission; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the Forestry Commission as a Marketing and Communications Specialist, where you will lead innovative email marketing campaigns, coordinate webinars, and engage stakeholders to enhance the impact of England's forestry sector. This role offers a blend of office and remote work, allowing you to make a significant contribution to environmental initiatives while collaborating with a passionate team.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Flexible working options

Learning and development opportunities

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Wellbeing benefits including healthcare

Qualifications

• Experience in email marketing tools and campaign execution.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships.
• Highly organized with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee Mailchimp activity and email marketing campaigns.
• Coordinate national webinars and events.
• Deliver stakeholder engagement strategy and manage relationships.

Skills

Email marketing

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Education

Project management experience

Tools

Mailchimp

CRM

Eventbrite

Microsoft Office

Job description

Blended working, with Bristol National Office or nearest geographical hub as ‘home’ office. Occasional travel and overnight stays.

Job Summary

The Forestry Commission are the Government's forestry experts, and our role is to protect, improve, expand and connect England's trees, woodlands and forestry sector.

Forest Services, as part of Forestry Commission, are the Government’s forestry experts. We advise nationally and locally on how to unlock the full potential of woodlands and support the forestry sector to protect, improve and expand England’s valuable woodland assets, ensuring that they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment and the economy.

If you are passionate about the role of trees, woodlands, and forestry in creating a better future for England, and want to play a key part in that, we want to hear from you.

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 transform how we work together and reach new stakeholders.

The purpose of this role is to develop and execute a range of marketing and communications activity, to include email marketing, webinars and events, support for regional marketing and communications teams, and stakeholder engagement as part of the Marketing, Communications & Engagement (MC&E) strategy.

You will report to the Marketing & Communications Manager.

Job Description

You will:

Email marketing

• Lead and oversee all Mailchimp activity across Forest Services, including managing national email alerts and supporting consistent regional newsletter delivery.
• Own the integration and ongoing coordination of Mailchimp with the CRM system to support audience targeting and data management.
• Monitor and evaluate email performance through regular reporting and analysis, using insights to inform improvements and benchmark against objectives and sector standards.
  
  

Webinars and events

• Lead the coordination and delivery of national webinars, ensuring engaging content, effective promotion, and alignment with MC&E and Forestry Commission goals.
• Collaborate with regional teams to plan and manage webinars with a national reach, offering central support and ensuring a consistent approach, and efficient use of resources.
• Provide centralised support for events where needed, including coordination with Defra and the provision of toolkits and resources to Area Marketing and Communications Managers, and other national teams.
• Manage and maintain the MC&E event tracker to ensure accurate oversight of national and regional activity.
  
  

Regional MC&E marketing support

• Provide strategic national support to regional MC&E teams, collaborating closely with Area Marketing and Communications Managers, Engagement Officers, and the Content team to develop and deliver high-quality resources and webinars or events.
• Foster strong working relationships with regional teams to facilitate effective project delivery, encourage knowledge sharing, and promote cross-Area collaboration.
• Monitor regional activity and emerging trends to identify opportunities for enhancing MC&E efforts, and ensure national resources and support are accessible to Area teams.
  
  

Stakeholder engagement

• Deliver the national stakeholder engagement strategy, managing and strengthening key national stakeholder relationships.
• Lead stakeholder-focused MC&E initiatives, including webinars, events, and co-created digital content across multiple channels.
• Oversee stakeholder platforms, networks, and databases; monitor performance of engagement activity and ensure alignment with regional teams and wider Defra stakeholder work.
  
  

Systems

• Lead on use of systems such as Eventbrite and web-to-print, keeping content up to date and advising colleagues on best practice use.
  
  

Cross team work

• Deliver operational communications to customers about grants, regulations and other announcements in line with agreed comms plans, working closely with the wider MC&E team and Defra Comms team.
• Actively monitor and report on performance of M&C activity.
• Support and input to cross team projects for example mini-campaigns, CRM.
• Work with external suppliers to deliver high quality goods and services.
• Provide input to wider MC&E team projects as required, making an active contribution to the team’s wider work and ensuring cross-team resilience.
  
  

You Will

Email marketing

• Lead and oversee all Mailchimp activity across Forest Services, including managing national email alerts and supporting consistent regional newsletter delivery.
• Own the integration and ongoing coordination of Mailchimp with the CRM system to support audience targeting and data management.
• Monitor and evaluate email performance through regular reporting and analysis, using insights to inform improvements and benchmark against objectives and sector standards.
  
  

Webinars and events

• Lead the coordination and delivery of national webinars, ensuring engaging content, effective promotion, and alignment with MC&E and Forestry Commission goals.
• Collaborate with regional teams to plan and manage webinars with a national reach, offering central support and ensuring a consistent approach, and efficient use of resources.
• Provide centralised support for events where needed, including coordination with Defra and the provision of toolkits and resources to Area Marketing and Communications Managers, and other national teams.
• Manage and maintain the MC&E event tracker to ensure accurate oversight of national and regional activity.
  
  

Regional MC&E marketing support

• Provide strategic national support to regional MC&E teams, collaborating closely with Area Marketing and Communications Managers, Engagement Officers, and the Content team to develop and deliver high-quality resources and webinars or events.
• Foster strong working relationships with regional teams to facilitate effective project delivery, encourage knowledge sharing, and promote cross-Area collaboration.
• Monitor regional activity and emerging trends to identify opportunities for enhancing MC&E efforts, and ensure national resources and support are accessible to Area teams.
  
  

Stakeholder engagement

• Deliver the national stakeholder engagement strategy, managing and strengthening key national stakeholder relationships.
• Lead stakeholder-focused MC&E initiatives, including webinars, events, and co-created digital content across multiple channels.
• Oversee stakeholder platforms, networks, and databases; monitor performance of engagement activity and ensure alignment with regional teams and wider Defra stakeholder work.
  
  

Systems

• Lead on use of systems such as Eventbrite and web-to-print, keeping content up to date and advising colleagues on best practice use.
  
  

Cross team work

• Deliver operational communications to customers about grants, regulations and other announcements in line with agreed comms plans, working closely with the wider MC&E team and Defra Comms team.
• Actively monitor and report on performance of M&C activity.
• Support and input to cross team projects for example mini-campaigns, CRM.
• Work with external suppliers to deliver high quality goods and services.
• Provide input to wider MC&E team projects as required, making an active contribution to the team’s wider work and ensuring cross-team resilience.
  
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of full breadth of marketing activities and channels
• Experience of using email marketing tools to execute campaigns to drive engagement, including coordinating email development, audience segmentation, testing, and analytics
• Experience of defining and tailoring promotional activities for a range of audiences
• Experience of planning and managing large scale or national webinars and events
• Experience of engaging and collaborating with external partners and stakeholders and driving forward partnership working
• Able to analyse data to monitor and evaluate marketing activities and make recommendations
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build and maintain effective working relationships
• Team player
• Highly organised, with a high level of attention to detail
• Ability to prioritise
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Competent with Microsoft Office
  
  

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.

Desirable Criteria

• Project management experience
• Experience of land management, land use change or forestry promotional campaigns
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

Alongside your salary of £39,135, Forestry Commission contributes £11,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 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.

Selection process details

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

This is a full time Fixed Term Appointment until 31st March 2026 with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

As part of the application process, you will complete the following online:

• A tailored CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A personal statement – in no more than 750 words showing how you meet the criteria of the person specification evidence.
  
  

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

We will be sifting applications using Experience from your job history, qualifications and personal statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

For candidates invited for interview, we will be assessing Strengths, Experience and Behaviours. You will be asked to deliver a 10-minute presentation based on data provided to you at the invitation stage.

Indicative timeline

Sifting will be carried out week commencing 26th May 2025.

Interviews will be held week commencing 9th or 16th June 2025

Dates may be subject to change.

We will be conducting online interviews with the use of Microsoft Teams or equivalent online communication methods. Candidates would therefore require access to a computer and internet at interview stage.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Forestry Commission from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [e-mail] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

This is a full-time role, or part-time for a minimum of 30h/week. Occasional travel and overnight stays.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Where a role has been identified as one which falls under the scope of the Public Sector English Language Requirements, within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Applicants will be assessed in the selection process in accordance with the requirements.

Existing Forestry Commission, Forestry England and Forest Research employees are eligible to apply for this Fixed Term Appointment and will only be considered if there is written confirmation from their line manager and HR that their current role will be temporarily backfilled or held open before commencing the application process.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via [e-mail] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback

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, Strengths 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 : FS Recruitment
• 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.