Head of Strategy and Transformation

Forestry Commission; London; Hybrid; GBP 72,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agency is seeking a Head of Strategy and Transformation to guide the Forestry Commission's strategic direction. The role involves overseeing complex organizational change, enhancing business functions and leading diverse teams to achieve strategic goals, provided with a substantial salary and benefits, focusing on diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with 28.97% employer contribution

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Diverse and inclusive workplace culture

Family-friendly benefits

Wellbeing benefits including healthcare

25 days annual leave and additional benefits

3 days volunteering per year

Qualifications

• Significant experience in business management and change processes is essential.
• Proven success in leading large teams and strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated capability in programme, project and change management principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of strategic plans and organizational design.
• Manage a diverse team across multiple professional functions.
• Ensure alignment of objectives, targets, and resources through effective governance.

Skills

Business management

Change management

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

People management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Judgment

Job description

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

Job Summary

At the Forestry Commission, we are united by a shared vision - to help tackle some of society's biggest challenges through thriving forests, woods and trees.

Forest Services, as part of the Forestry Commission, is the Government's expert body for woodland regulation, incentives and advice in England. We support the forestry sector and landowners to protect, improve and expand the country's valuable woodland assets - delivering benefits for biodiversity, climate, people and the rural economy.

We are now seeking an outstanding individual to join our Executive Team as Head of Strategy and Transformation. This pivotal role will lead a diverse and talented team delivering the systems, strategy, insight and innovation that underpin everything we do.

Location: Any Forestry Commission office with regular presence in Bristol and London and travel nationwide.

Job Description

As Head of Strategy and Transformation, you will oversee the development of Forest Services' strategic plans, organisational design, business planning and performance. You will lead six professional functions, including business analysis, project and change management, promotion and engagement, digital systems and skills. Your leadership will ensure that Forest Services continues to evolve, adapt and improve, while remaining focused on its core purpose and strategic goals.

This is an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking and collaborative leader who thrives on complexity and transformation. You'll need excellent strategic planning skills and experience of aligning people, funding and infrastructure with long-term objectives. You will be an experienced senior leader, confident in managing large, geographically dispersed teams and passionate about continuous improvement.

You will bring a blend of insight and pragmatism, balancing sound governance with innovation and delivery. Your ability to work across boundaries - internally and externally - and your commitment to staff development and inclusion will be essential.

If you are excited by the opportunity to shape the strategic direction and long-term capability of a high-profile, mission-driven organisation, we look forward to hearing from you.

As Head of Strategy and Transformation, you will oversee the development of Forest Services' strategic plans, organisational design, business planning and performance. You will lead six professional functions, including business analysis, project and change management, promotion and engagement, digital systems and skills. Your leadership will ensure that Forest Services continues to evolve, adapt and improve, while remaining focused on its core purpose and strategic goals.

This is an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking and collaborative leader who thrives on complexity and transformation. You'll need excellent strategic planning skills and experience of aligning people, funding and infrastructure with long-term objectives. You will be an experienced senior leader, confident in managing large, geographically dispersed teams and passionate about continuous improvement.

You will bring a blend of insight and pragmatism, balancing sound governance with innovation and delivery. Your ability to work across boundaries - internally and externally - and your commitment to staff development and inclusion will be essential.

If you are excited by the opportunity to shape the strategic direction and long-term capability of a high-profile, mission-driven organisation, we look forward to hearing from you.

Person specification

Essential

• Business management experience including budgetary, forecasting and analytical skills
• Experience of leading innovation and complex organisational change, including navigating governance and bringing stakeholders together to ensure successful adoption
• Experience of strategy development and successful implementation
• Experience leading an organisation or business unit through complex business planning processes to align objectives, targets and resourcing
• Strong judgement combined with the confidence to take appropriate risks and exploit opportunities, and the ability to make timely decisions with incomplete information
• Excellent people management skills and strong experience of successfully leading a diverse, multi-disciplinary and geographically dispersed team to achieve ambitious targets
• Demonstrable understanding of programme, project and change management principles, ideally through direct experience (e.g., as Senior Responsible Officer for a complex project or programme)
• Demonstrable experience of actively managing internal and external stakeholders, including where their needs are in conflict
• Experience of reacting promptly and tactically to issues, as well as making long-term strategic plans for your business unit and wider organisation
• Proven ability to deliver at pace in complex environments
• Excellent influencing and communication skills, with experience of briefing senior officials verbally and in writing to achieve the right outcomes, and of securing your team’s buy-in to strategic changes
• Strong delegation and reporting skills, combined with the ability to balance sound governance and procedure (including escalation) with the need to maintain portfolio ownership
  
  

Desirable

• Experience of leading a government body’s response to a Spending Review exercise
• Awareness of Civil Service financial procedure and good practice (e.g., through an understanding of Managing Public Money)
• Demonstration of a leader’s commitment towards continuing professional development
  
  

Alongside your salary of £71,676, Forestry Commission contributes £20,764 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

To apply for this post, please send your tailored CV and a cover letter no longer than two pages by email, highlighting in the subject heading ‘Head of Strategy and Transformation’, to [e-mail]

If you would like a confidential, informal discussion about the role then please contact LHH on [phone] or send an email to the above-mentioned address.

Forestry Commission is committed to equality of opportunity and to no discrimination on the grounds of race, religion or belief, age, sex, marital or civil partnership status, disability, sexual orientation, transgender status, pregnancy or maternity.

Should you require any modifications or wish to speak with a member of our team to discuss any particular circumstances, please email the above address.

For more information, please see the attached candidate pack.

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

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 : LHH
• Email : [e-mail]
• Telephone : [phone]
  
  

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.