Id Job: 3172334
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
What could be better than working outdoors in the nation’s vast and varied forests, taking on challenging tasks, and making a tangible difference. Our Forest Craftspeople use their broad range of skills and ongoing training to directly shape the land we manage building the future for wildlife, for people and for the climate. The work is varied and would suit a person who is self-motivated, well organised and able to demonstrate initiative to undertake tasks in a safe and efficient manner.
You can expect to spend nearly all of your working time outdoors and will usually be expected to manage your own time to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
Background
Forestry England is part of the Forestry Commission. West England Forest District is responsible for the sustainable management of over 38,200ha of the public forest estate in the west and south-west of England. The North of the District extends from woodlands just to the north of Shrewsbury, southwards to the majestic oak and beech woods of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire and south-west as far as Idless Woods near Truro in Cornwall. The District is managed from the District Office at Coleford, in the Forest of Dean, supported by 13 local Forest Beat or Recreation Hub delivery team members dispersed across the Forest District covering specific territories. These local teams are responsible for the delivery of agreed work programmes assisted by a team of business support staff.
The Forest of Dean is a historic forest with its origins as a royal forest pre-dating the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Forest has been historically isolated and bypassed, sitting as it does between the Rivers Severn and Wye, on the border of England and Wales. The Forest has long been used for its timber as well as its rich mineral resources of iron ore, sandstone and coal. While the industrial nature of the Forest was at its height during the late 19th and early 20th Century, quarrying of stone and timber production are still important aspects of the local economy today.
The East Dean team cover the central and eastern side of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and are based at the main office in Coleford. The Beat is led by a Beat Forester supported by a team of eleven staff who are responsible for all aspects of woodland management, timber sales & contract management, community engagement and wildlife management.
We are recruiting for two jobs, a permanent Forest Craftsperson and a fixed term (12 month) Forest Craftsperson, the fixed term role is to cover for a member of the team who will be on secondment for the same period.
The role of the Forest Craftsperson will be to support the Beat Forester in shaping the land we manage by using their broad range of practical land management skills. The work is varied, requires self-motivation, organisation and initiative to safely and efficiently undertake practical tasks including:
The work forms a key part in protecting and enhancing the forest landscape we look after. It can be physically challenging, and you will be working outdoors in all weather conditions using a variety of equipment including vibrating tools. Appropriate on the job training and formal qualifications as well as Personal Protective Equipment will be provided.
The Forest Craftsperson will be responsible for ensuring that work undertaken meets contract requirements & industry standards, satisfies the relevant health & safety standards, is completed on time whilst satisfying the requirements of the business & responding to local stakeholders as work programmes are developed & delivered.
Key work areas
Operational Responsibility
Stakeholder Engagement, Representation and Communications
Health and Safety
Person Specification – we are looking for practical people with a passion for woodlands and forests who have:
Essential Experience:
Desirable Experience:
As we have two posts we are recruiting for and one is permanent and the other is fixed term, the candidate who scores highest at interview will be offered the permanent role and the fixed term role will be offered to the second highest scoring candidate.
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
Benefits
Things you need to know
To apply for this role, your application should be submitted via Civil Service Jobs and be completed no later than 23.55 on Sunday 11 June.
The anticipated shortlisting and interview timetable is noted below. Please note that these dates are subject to change.
Application Sift: From Monday 12 June to Wednesday 14 June.
Provisional Interview dates: WC 26 June
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement as follows:
1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the person specification.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Interview
Candidates who progress past the sift stage will be offered an interview/assessment date.
Interviews will be face-to-face and will involve you being assessed against Behaviours, Experiences, Strengths and Technical skills listed in the advert. The practical assessment will be ‘hands-on’ so candidates will need to wear suitable clothing for practical outdoor tasks, but any necessary equipment & PPE will be provided by Forestry England.
Should you wish to discuss the role in more detail please contact: Stewart.Cooper@forestryengland.uk
Further Information
The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving license that enables them to drive in the UK. However, Forestry England is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.
(FTA position only) 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.
All Forestry England staff are required to complete a medical questionnaire as part of the pre-employment checks and, if needed, you may be referred to our Occupational Health provider for a further assessment prior to formal appointment.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 6 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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.
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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
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 fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
Apply and further information
Job contact :
Recruitment team
