Oak Processionary Moth Support Officer

Forestry Commission; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading government agency as an Oak Processionary Moth Support Officer, contributing to the management of tree health and pest control. This role involves ecological surveying, contractor management, and stakeholder communication, supporting vital environmental initiatives in the UK.

Benefits

Civil Service Pension

Flexible working options

Learning and development opportunities

Wellbeing benefits

Annual leave and volunteering days

Qualifications

• Experience in ecological surveying with emphasis on tree pests.
• Proven organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Support management of Oak Processionary Moth programme.
• Survey management and contractor liaison.
• Communication with stakeholders regarding pest issues.

Skills

Organisational Skills

Ecological Surveying

Tools

MS Office 365

Job description

Join to apply for the Oak Processionary Moth Support Officer role at Forestry Commission

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Join to apply for the Oak Processionary Moth Support Officer role at Forestry Commission

Bucks Horn Oak, Southeast England, GU10 4LS;

Job Summary

The Forestry Commission (FC) are the Government’s forestry experts. We work nationally and locally on unlocking the full potential of woodlands and the forestry sector to expand, protect, improve, and connect England’s valuable woodland assets.

The Plant Health Forestry team (PHF) is a high performing geographically distributed team with staff responsible for delivery across GB.

The aims of the Oak Processionary Moth management programme are:

• Limit the rate of spread and reduce the impact of Oak Processionary Moth on tree, human and animal health.
• Robustly deal with new findings to prevent the development of a new outbreak hotspot in the area free from the pest.
• Maintain the range of management activities (survey, control and communications).
• Provide an operational ‘test and development’ function to build knowledge and evidence relating to this pest.
• Continue building a partnership approach, including integration of landowner/manager expertise in dealing with Oak Processionary Moth.
  
  

Job Description

• To play a supporting role in the Forestry Commission’s management of the Oak Processionary Moth programme – managing the Forestry Commission’s survey and notice management, liaison with Forestry Commission colleagues / other stakeholders and supporting Oak Processionary Moth communication work.
• Deliver on the ground support, surveying sites, working with contractors and stakeholders.
• Contract and contractor management to include assignment and prioritisation of sites, resource allocations, and coordinating roles and responsibilities.
• Survey management – to include survey planning, data collection and data sharing in conjunction with contract surveyors and data managers.
• Statutory notice and job sheet management – issuing and enforcement when required Communication and liaison with Defra comms team and stakeholders to ensure messaging around Oak Processionary Moth are consistent and timely.
• General queries and dealing with public/interested parties around OPM issues.
• Work in conjunction with the Oak Processionary Moth admin team and the Oak Processionary Moth programme manager.
• To play a supporting role in the Forestry Commission’s management of the Oak Processionary Moth programme – managing the Forestry Commission’s survey and notice management, liaison with Forestry Commission colleagues / other stakeholders and supporting Oak Processionary Moth communication work.
• Deliver on the ground support, surveying sites, working with contractors and stakeholders.
• Contract and contractor management to include assignment and prioritisation of sites, resource allocations, and coordinating roles and responsibilities.
• Survey management – to include survey planning, data collection and data sharing in conjunction with contract surveyors and data managers.
• Statutory notice and job sheet management – issuing and enforcement when required Communication and liaison with Defra comms team and stakeholders to ensure messaging around Oak Processionary Moth are consistent and timely.
• General queries and dealing with public/interested parties around OPM issues.
• Work in conjunction with the Oak Processionary Moth admin team and the Oak Processionary Moth programme manager.
  
  

Person specification

• Experience in ecological surveying with an emphasis on tree pest and diseases.
• Proven organisational skills.
• Working in an office environment using computers, MS office 365 products.
• Current driving licence required to carry out the role along with working away from home with occasional overnight stays required.
  
  

Licences

Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
  
  

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.

• 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 Fixed Term Appointment ending 31 March 2026, with possibility but no guarantee of extension or permanency.

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

• A tailored CV (curriculum vitae) setting out your qualifications, career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV should be split into 3 parts and provide: Job History, Previous Skills/Experience, Full Qualification Details.
• A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the relevant skills and experience as set out in the Person Specification.
  
  

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

Those invited to interview will be further assessed on Behaviours and Strengths and Experience. You may be asked to complete a simple exercise as part of this.

Interview will be held on w/c 16th June 2025. This date is 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.

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

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. Determine your eligibility at 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.

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

Existing Civil Servants (excluding Forestry Commission employees) and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, and will only be considered on a 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.

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.

This role is full time only: 44 hours a week. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

The Forestry Commission is actively working to reduce the carbon emission of official travel and applicants should be aware of the broad principles which are being applied to reduce carbon emissions to less than 50gCO2/km.

Travel Options Include

• Use of private car: some Officers choose to use their private car and receive payment for the miles they drive on official business. Vehicle emissions are measured in CO2 grams per kilometre (g/km). The cap is currently 115 gCO2/km and will be reduced to 100 gCO2/km on 1st April 2026. After that date, we expect private vehicles used for official travel to emit significantly less.
• Use of CAPES (lease) Cars: after an employee has successfully completed their probation, they can opt for a CAPES car (the user pays a monthly rate for private use). All CAPES cars must emit less than 50gCO2/km
  
  

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.

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 : Edward Straw
• 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.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Government Administration

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