Wild Area Officer - Wild Culm

Government Recruitment Service; Halwill, Swinton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident employer scheme

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Wild Area Officer to oversee the development and delivery of the Wild Culm project in West District, managing progression through the different project stages and facilitating effective on-ground implementation. The role supports Forestry England’s ambitions for nature recovery and sustainable timber production through adaptive silviculture and land management.

Based at Forestry England’s Halwill Office in Devon, the post covers the 3000 ha North Devon

Responsibilities

• Lead on the development of the project plan for the Wild Culm project
• Apply appropriate project management principles to ensure effective and timely project implementation, in accordance with Forest Wilding Programme guidance and framework
• Produce, maintain and review relevant project documentation throughout the project lifecycles.
• Develop annual and long-term work programmes and budgets for the projects, supported by relevant project boards and the Forest Wilding Programme Team.
• Manage a delegated budget to ensure the projects are managed within budgetary limits and fiscal guidelines.
• Support funding bids for external funding and ensure that commitments to funders for the projects are appropriately met through project delivery.
• Work with the Wild Areas Manager and Wild Area projects to ensure that programme, corporate and funder reporting requirements are met.
• Lead on the development of a land management plan for the Wild Culm project, working with district colleagues and the Forest Wilding Programme Team to drive nature recovery at the landscape scale
• Lead the investigation of appropriate techniques which will deliver the vision for Wild Culm in restoring natural processes, ensuring there is a sound evidence base for land management interventions
• Implement agreed land management plans on the ground, including for example, installation of grazing infrastructure, management of herbivores, forest management, tree planting, peatland restoration, hydrological restoration
• Procure and manage contracts, services and contractors, including graziers, forestry contractors, consultants and academic institutions.
• Ensure Forestry England procurement and contract management regulations are followed throughout the project
• Support the investigation of the (re)introduction of influential species to wild areas, which help restore natural processes.
• Support the implementation of Forestry England’s evidence framework, in assembling evidence to support decision-making and monitoring the success of land management interventions for nature recovery.
• Work with the national Forest Wilding programme team, colleagues from Forest Research and wider academia to learn from, identify synergies and efficiencies and share best practice across the Forest Wilding programme.
• Commission, manage and interpret surveys to gather baseline information relevant to wild area projects, including eDNA soil analysis, ecological and hydrological information.
• Undertake or commission feasibility studies to explore innovative approaches to secure nature recovery in wild areas
• Lead the development and delivery of a stakeholder management plan and take the lead in building and managing relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Work with district and national communications colleagues to develop and implement a communications plan.
• Where relevant, support the development of partnerships with neighbouring landowners to increase the scale and effectiveness of landscape scale nature recovery.
• Showcase the project to internal and external stakeholders to gain support for forest wilding, nature recovery and further delivery within the nation’s forests.

Job description

The Wild Area Officer will oversee the development and delivery of the Wild Culm project in West District, managing progression through the different project stages, and facilitating their effective implementation on the ground. The post holder will be responsible for bringing the concept of wild areas to life, delivering at scale and pace to meet Forestry England’s ambitions for nature recovery. The project focuses on restoring the natural processes that underpin healthy habitats and species. Working closely with stakeholders, we will make bold management decisions that enhance these processes, strengthen ecosystem service provision, and maintain sustainable timber production, through adaptive silviculture and natural process led land management.

Where you’ll work

Covering the entire 3000 ha North Devon Beat, the project encompasses a clustered network of woodlands within the Culm National Character Area.

The post-holder will be based at Forestry England's Halwill Office in Devon (EX21 5UX).

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

1. Project Management

• Lead on the development of the project plan for the Wild Culm project
• Apply appropriate project management principles to ensure effective and timely project implementation, in accordance with Forest Wilding Programme guidance and framework
• Produce, maintain and review relevant project documentation throughout the project lifecycles.
• Develop annual and long-term work programmes and budgets for the projects, supported by relevant project boards and the Forest Wilding Programme Team.
• Manage a delegated budget to ensure the projects are managed within budgetary limits and fiscal guidelines.
• Support funding bids for external funding and ensure that commitments to funders for the projects are appropriately met through project delivery.
• Work with the Wild Areas Manager and Wild Area projects to ensure that programme, corporate and funder reporting requirements are met.

2. Land Management

• Lead on the development of a land management plan for the Wild Culm project, working with district colleagues and the Forest Wilding Programme Team to drive nature recovery at the landscape scale
• Lead the investigation of appropriate techniques which will deliver the vision for Wild Culm in restoring natural processes, ensuring there is a sound evidence base for land management interventions
• Implement agreed land management plans on the ground, including for example, installation of grazing infrastructure, management of herbivores, forest management, tree planting, peatland restoration, hydrological restoration.
• Procure and manage contracts, services and contractors, including graziers, forestry contractors, consultants and academic institutions.
• Ensure Forestry England procurement and contract management regulations are followed throughout the project
• Support the investigation of the (re)introduction of influential species to wild areas, which help restore natural processes.

3. Knowledge and Monitoring

• Support the implementation of Forestry England’s evidence framework, in assembling evidence to support decision-making and monitoring the success of land management interventions for nature recovery.
• Work with the national Forest Wilding programme team, colleagues from Forest Research and wider academia to learn from, identify synergies and efficiencies and share best practice across the Forest Wilding programme.
• Commission, manage and interpret surveys to gather baseline information relevant to wild area projects, including eDNA soil analysis, ecological and hydrological information.
• Undertake or commission feasibility studies to explore innovative approaches to secure nature recovery in wild areas

4. Communications and public engagement

• Lead the development and delivery of a stakeholder management plan and take the lead in building and managing relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Work with district and national communications colleagues to develop and implement a communications plan.
• Where relevant, support the development of partnerships with neighbouring landowners to increase the scale and effectiveness of landscape scale nature recovery.
• Showcase the project to internal and external stakeholders to gain support for forest wilding, nature recovery and further delivery within the nation’s forests.

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

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Wild Area Officer - Wild Culm

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £35,039 to £35,039 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: EX21 5UX

Job type: Temporary

Posting date: 28 Oct 2026

Closing date: 12 Nov 2026

Summary

What you’ll do

The Wild Area Officer will oversee the development and delivery of the Wild Culm project in West District, managing progression through the different project stages, and facilitating their effective implementation on the ground. The post holder will be responsible for bringing the concept of wild areas to life, delivering at scale and pace to meet Forestry England’s ambitions for nature recovery. The project focuses on restoring the natural processes that underpin healthy habitats and species. Working closely with stakeholders, we will make bold management decisions that enhance these processes, strengthen ecosystem service provision, and maintain sustainable timber production, through adaptive silviculture and natural process led land management.

Where you’ll work

Covering the entire 3000 ha North Devon Beat, the project encompasses a clustered network of woodlands within the Culm National Character Area.

The post-holder will be based at Forestry England's Halwill Office in Devon (EX21 5UX).

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

1. Project Management

• Lead on the development of the project plan for the Wild Culm project
• Apply appropriate project management principles to ensure effective and timely project implementation, in accordance with Forest Wilding Programme guidance and framework
• Produce, maintain and review relevant project documentation throughout the project lifecycles.
• Develop annual and long-term work programmes and budgets for the projects, supported by relevant project boards and the Forest Wilding Programme Team.
• Manage a delegated budget to ensure the projects are managed within budgetary limits and fiscal guidelines.
• Support funding bids for external funding and ensure that commitments to funders for the projects are appropriately met through project delivery.
• Work with the Wild Areas Manager and Wild Area projects to ensure that programme, corporate and funder reporting requirements are met.

2. Land Management

• Lead on the development of a land management plan for the Wild Culm project, working with district colleagues and the Forest Wilding Programme Team to drive nature recovery at the landscape scale
• Lead the investigation of appropriate techniques which will deliver the vision for Wild Culm in restoring natural processes, ensuring there is a sound evidence base for land management interventions
• Implement agreed land management plans on the ground, including for example, installation of grazing infrastructure, management of herbivores, forest management, tree planting, peatland restoration, hydrological restoration.
• Procure and manage contracts, services and contractors, including graziers, forestry contractors, consultants and academic institutions.
• Ensure Forestry England procurement and contract management regulations are followed throughout the project
• Support the investigation of the (re)introduction of influential species to wild areas, which help restore natural processes.

3. Knowledge and Monitoring

• Support the implementation of Forestry England’s evidence framework, in assembling evidence to support decision-making and monitoring the success of land management interventions for nature recovery.
• Work with the national Forest Wilding programme team, colleagues from Forest Research and wider academia to learn from, identify synergies and efficiencies and share best practice across the Forest Wilding programme.
• Commission, manage and interpret surveys to gather baseline information relevant to wild area projects, including eDNA soil analysis, ecological and hydrological information.
• Undertake or commission feasibility studies to explore innovative approaches to secure nature recovery in wild areas

4. Communications and public engagement

• Lead the development and delivery of a stakeholder management plan and take the lead in building and managing relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Work with district and national communications colleagues to develop and implement a communications plan.
• Where relevant, support the development of partnerships with neighbouring landowners to increase the scale and effectiveness of landscape scale nature recovery.
• Showcase the project to internal and external stakeholders to gain support for forest wilding, nature recovery and further delivery within the nation’s forests.

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

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.