Heritage Mapping and Data Officer

Forestry England; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Staff discounts

Free parking

Arboretums access

Career development

Job summary

Forestry England, National Operations, is seeking a Heritage Mapping and Data Officer to support the collection, analysis, management and ethical use of historic environment data across the biodiversity programme. You will establish data standards, frameworks and workflows, ensuring data governance and quality assurance.

You will work with historic environment advisors and external partners to maximise data value and support future funding opportunities.

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - National (any District main office or Bristol National Office)

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/2377/843

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Fixed Term Appointment

Fixed term until 31st March 2029, with the possibility of extension or permanency

Working Hours:

37

Location:

National (any District main office or Bristol National Office)

Closing Date:

08/11/2026

Job Category:

Land Management

Region:

National

Business Unit:

National Operations

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Heritage Mapping and Data Officer

Salary – £33,854

Contract type – Fixed term contract until March 2029, with the possibility of extension or permanency

Vacancy closes – Sunday 8th November 2026, 23:58

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…

As the largest land manager in the country, Forestry England oversees a vast and diverse network of more than 1,500 forests and woods, spanning over 250,000 hectares. We often celebrate our landscapes for their natural beauty and ecological significance, yet they also harbour some of England’s most extraordinary historical sites, monuments, and stories. Beneath the leafy canopies and towering trees lies a rich tapestry of human history, preserved and intertwined with the very roots of the land.

As Heritage Mapping and Data Officer, you will support the collection, analysis, management, and ethical use of historic environment data across the biodiversity program. You will work directly with historic environment advisors well as other national and area teams, and external partners to ensure project data is appropriately collated, processed and managed.

You will establish and follow data standards, frameworks, and workflows, supporting the effective use of spatial, environmental, and heritage datasets. The role includes data governance, quality assurance, and compliance, contributing to reporting and evaluation, and identifying opportunities to improve data integration, insight, and long-term value, including through innovation and future funding opportunities.

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

Where you’ll work…

The postholder will be part of the Environment & Nature Recovery Team in National Operations, managed by the Lead Historic Environment Advisor, but can be based out of any of our regional offices, with hybrid working also possible.

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.

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.

At interview a presentation will be required. Your Technical Knowledge and the following Behaviours will be tested at the interview:

Making Effective Decisions

Communicating and Influencing:

Changing and Improving

Working together

If candidates pass the interview but are not the leading candidate they can be placed on a reserve list. We may offer candidates on the reserve list for this role the opportunity to be considered for other roles at the same or lower pay bands

If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.

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 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.

Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in in line with/according to these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: [e-mail] .

This role is funded by DEFRA rather than through Forestry England generated revenue and is therefore subject to government spending reviews. While DEFRA has indicated long term support for the Biodiversity Programme and we expect funding to continue, it is possible that funding levels may change at the end of any financial year depending on DEFRA’s budget allocations. In the event of funding changes, we would prioritise retaining staff posts wherever possible. This approach is consistent for roles within publicly funded organisations. We are committed to keeping staff informed and supported through any changes