Hexham, North East England, NE48 2HP
Job Summary
What you'll do…
This is a new role for a Project Manager specifically focusing on nature recovery in our North District. The Nature Recovery Project Manager will guide and implement the management of Wild Kielder, the flagship of our new wild areas. Wild Kielder is an ambitious project covering over 6,000 hectares, which currently comprises a typical scene of open moorland, native woodland, watercourses and grasslands, and commercial conifer forest.
Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.
Where you'll work…
The post is based at our Bellingham office, Hexham, Northumberland, with blended working opportunities.
The duties of this post will require the applicant to sometimes travel to remote locations that are not accessible by public transport. You will therefore need to hold a full and current driving licence that enables you to drive in the UK and be willing to stay away from home. We are willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by other means.
Job Description
Key responsibilities & accountabilities
*Detailed Project Planning, Control And Implementation, Including:*
* managing the project in line with the Wild Kielder Project Management Plan, revising the plan as required with the Project Board
* managing the Wild Kielder project budget, as a component of the wider Forest Wilding Programme budget
* procuring, commissioning and managing contracts and contractors, especially for practical land management, ecological survey and monitoring, and feasibility studies
* identifying and managing project risks and issues, managing project scope, overseeing change control, and escalating where necessary
* ensuring the project integrates Forestry England's principal functions of timber production, nature recovery and engagement with visitors, resolving cross-functional issues at project level
* ensuring Wild Kielder meets the defined project objectives, outcomes and benefits
* monitoring project progress and performance, including through milestones and gateway reviews, and reporting on these to Project Boards and the Forest Wilding Programme
Provide strong technical leadership in ecology and nature-focussed land management, and its integration with forestry, especially through:
* using the Wild Kielder Strategic Land Management Plan and other project documents to produce a workable programme of land management
* working with technical experts, contractors and colleagues to implement the strategic land management priorities on the ground
* using best practice, technical knowledge and scientific evidence to continue to develop the nature recovery strategy both at Wild Kielder and in other relevant projects to maximise the potential for progress
* working with the Forestry England Resilience Strategy and forester colleagues, to lead new approaches to longer term forest resilience in the context of climate, wildfire and pests and diseases
* working with the Forest Wilding Programme team to support the implementation of a coherent evidence framework, which both supports our decision making and monitors the outcomes of our land management
* providing support and technical knowledge of strategic land management to support additional relevant projects when funding is available, such species recovery projects.
Develop and manage strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including:
* supporting the Project Board, in providing confident and coherent leadership and governance to the project
* managing the engagement and communications with colleagues and internal stakeholders about the project across the Forestry Commission family
* managing the engagement and communications with external partners and stakeholders on the project, especially those with a high risk factor and high influence on the outcomes of the project.
* representing Forestry England and the Forest Wilding Programme with relevant external projects, working groups, conferences and other forums, both in district and nationally
Work With Forest Wilding Programme Team To Explore, Secure And Develop External Funding For The Wild Kielder Project And Other Relevant Forest Wilding Projects, For Example Through:
* UK Government grants, especially Defra's Environmental Land Management Landscape Recovery Scheme
* corporate sponsorship
* biodiversity net gain
* green finance
And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.
Work With Forest Wilding Programme Team To Explore, Secure And Develop External Funding For The Wild Kielder Project And Other Relevant Forest Wilding Projects, For Example Through:
* UK Government grants, especially Defra's Environmental Land Management Landscape Recovery Scheme
* corporate sponsorship
* biodiversity net gain
* green finance
And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.
Person specification
*Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential professional and technical experience*
* previous knowledge and practical experience of managing change at pace in the environmental sector, including planning, risk, issue and dependency management.
* strong ecological background, with experience in land management implementation for nature conservation outcomes.
* a skilled project manager, able to manage and prioritise workloads, meet deadlines and solve problems, and manage budgets.
* strong evidence of stakeholder management, demonstrating negotiation and influencing skills at a high level.
* a great team worker, with a strong track record of collaboration and relationship management.
* Strong leadership and communication skills.
* experience of analysing and evaluating complex or conflicting evidence to provide usable advice and guidance to multi-disciplinary teams.
* an excellent communicator, both written and verbally, able to adapt to a range of audiences.
* competent using IT and Microsoft Office.
*Desirable Professional And Technical Experience*
* sound experience in the forestry sector.
* experience of managing upland ecosystems.
* experience of procurement and contract management.
* competence in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
* working knowledge of environmental legislation and designations, including their practical application.
*Qualifications*
Essential
* ecology or environmental degree, or equivalent professional experience in nature-focussed land management.
* a full and current driving licence that enables you to drive in the UK.
Desirable
* a recognised project management qualification.
* a member of a relevant professional body, e.g. Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, Institute of Chartered Foresters,
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Delivering at Pace
* Working Together
* Making Effective Decisions
Alongside your salary of £39,135, Forestry Commission contributes £11,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* Learning and development tailored to your role
* An environment with flexible working options
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
* A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
*How To Apply…*
You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.
You will be assessed on strength based questions during your interview.
The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –
Seeing the big picture
Delivering at pace
Working together
Making effective decisions
Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.
If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email
If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.
Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.
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 : FC Recruitment Team
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
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: If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.