Field Managers coordinate and lead the areas Woodland Officers to expand, protect, improve and connect woodlands across the area and ensuring the effective use of Forestry Commission incentives and regulations.

Job description

The Forestry Commission are the government’s forestry experts and we work to protect, improve and expand England’s woods and forests. This is done by providing policy advice to government and leading delivery through regulation, incentives and protecting tree health. The development of the England Tree Strategy and the ambition already set by Government to plant 30,000ha’s of new woodland annually across the UK by 2025 places woodland creation as a key delivery priority for the area team and our partners.

The Field Manager role, as part of Forest Services, is responsible for leading a team of Woodland Officers based in their area and for ensuring the effective coordination of our incentives and regulatory activities. Field Managers play a critical role in delivering a step change in our woodland creation levels, and in supporting the woodland management activity across the area. This includes working closely with Natural England, Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, Forestry England and Forestry Commission Admin Hubs.

This role is based at Fineshade Office, Corby. The successful candidate will have a blended working approach between home and the office. Formal homeworking may be considered for candidates living more than one hour away from the office.

Responsibilities

• Team working and Managing People – Provide leadership and support to the Woodland Officers and Woodland Creation to ensure the effective delivery of our incentives and regulatory programmes. The Field Manager will undertake recruitment and induction of Woodland Officers and Woodland Creation and their development.

• Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme – Play a key role in supporting the operational delivery of the Tree Programme to deliver the Governments woodland creation ambition of planting 30,000 ha’s annually across the UK by 2025. This includes work to help promote the opportunities of the wider programme and working with delivery partners.

• Manage Tree Health and forestry regulation – Respond to tree health issues and ensure the effective delivery of our regulatory requirements . Work with Plant Health Forestry colleagues to respond to pest and disease outbreaks. Ensure our regulatory work meets the UK Forestry Standard and is completed within the required timescales.

• Manage Incentives – Oversee the delivery of incentives across the area through supporting Woodland Officers and partners by building positive working relationships to ensure the effective promotion and delivery of our incentives programme. Including seeking support from technical specialists to process complex cases and influencing the evolution of new initiatives to best deliver government forestry policy.

• Engaging with stakeholders and Partnership Working - Work with the Area Management Team to identify the partnerships to engage in order to deliver appropriate sector support in identified priority areas. Developing and maintaining good working relationships with advisers and stakeholders.

• Vision and Culture – Support the overall work of the team to ensure the effective delivery of our vision and culture ambition and to help lead on the development of a proactive H&S culture. Play an active role in the wider work of the team including supporting Management and Area Team Meetings.