Operations Manager – Forest Protection

Job summary

Forestry England’s Biodiversity Plan sets out a bold ambition of nature recovery in the Nation’s Forests.  Working across five principal focus areas, Forestry England aims to restore resilient biodiversity in the nation’s forests, delivering our vision to ensure that these forests provide the most valuable places for wildlife to thrive and expand in England.

The post holder will provide leadership, management oversight, technical and professional guidance and support to staff for forest management activities under their remit across West England FD, ensuring business plan objectives are met, operations satisfy industry guidance and best practice and that delivery meets the requirements of UKFS and UKWAS.

They will promote a responsible and effective health and safety culture in the organisation through proactive support and guidance to staff and the delivery and implementation of effective health and safety systems expected from an outstanding organisation.

You will have the opportunity to work with experienced colleagues, passionate about their contribution to sustainable forestry, conservation and the organisation’s overarching strategy. You will help to connect everyone with the nation’s forests, caring for them for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and business to grow.

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 based in the district office at Bank House, Coleford, Gloucestershire (other Forestry England office locations within the West England Forest District may be considered).

Job description

The post holder will provide district wide leadership supporting effective and efficient delivery through a culture of teamwork and mutual support and collaboration in the following areas:

• Wildlife Management,

• Tree Safety and Plant Health.

• General Forest Management, excluding woodland creation, restocking and establishment

• Lead on business sustainability and waste management for Forestry and Land Management

The post holder will line manage 2 Wildlife Ranger Managers

Champion high standards of health and safety and model our core value of ‘look-out and look-after’, take a stand against unsafe behaviours.

Lead on procurement and contract management support within their leadership area.

Foster a positive team working relationship between teams, as to inspire and engage everyone to drive beneficial change for the benefit of the woodlands in our care.

Proactively liaise with communications and marketing colleagues so as to champion success and promote our work.

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

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience 

Essential professional and technical experience 

• Experience of planning and delivering a range complex forestry & land management operations and or projects within the framework of maintaining UKWAS compliance.

• Experience of procurement and contract management.

• A track record in working in multi-disciplinary teams to achieve agreed tangible outcomes.

• Experience operating in an environment of competing priorities.

• Strong management and leadership skills.

• The ability to build and maintain highly effective working relationships with a range of people (both internally and externally).

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Competence in the use of MS Office applications and working with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to analyse spatial data.

Desirable professional and technical experience 

• Understanding of budgetary control and reporting.

• Experience of collating data and generating reports.

• Experience of legal compliance work including management of tree safety and waste management.

View full details and how to apply