Aston Clinton, South East England, HP22 5NQ
Job Summary
What you'll do…
You will contribute to achieving an exceptional visitor experience, providing outstanding service they leave with lasting memories. Working across Wendover Woods, you will also work with the wider team to maintain our visitor facilities, making sure our visitors have a smooth, inclusive and enjoyable experience. You will help cultivate a supportive and positive work environment that encourages teamwork, productivity and individual growth. You will take opportunities to promote Forestry England's work including events, membership, legacy giving and volunteering.
As part of our visitor welcome team you will operate our visitor welcome area, handling cash and credit card sales, and proactively selling Forestry England memberships.
You will act as site Duty Manager on a rota basis which will include regular weekends (1 in 2 weekends) and Bank Holidays. .
Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.
Where you'll work…
Forestry England is a world leader in sustainable forestry and is the largest provider of outdoor recreation opportunities in the country. The nation's forests are managed via six Forest Districts with Wendover Woods located in East England.
Wendover Woods is one of three Forest Centres across the district and provides a range of recreation activities, businesses and services at the site. A key aim at Wendover Woods is to grow and diversify the business in an appropriate and sustainable way, while attracting and engaging new and repeat visitors.
Job Description
As part of our visitor welcome team you will operate our visitor welcome area, handling cash and credit card
sales, and proactively selling Forestry England memberships.
* give information and deal with enquiries from customers inclusively, positive and friendly.
* regularly inspect car parks, walking, running and cycling routes, and other recreational facilities including
play areas. Take pride in managing litter, to create a safe and enjoyable environment.
* help maintain clean and welcoming public areas for our visitors to enjoy.
* play a crucial role in organising, supervising, and delivering exciting events, activities, and visitor services
that create lasting memories.
* be willing to train in first aid and help when needed, contributing to safe and effective visitor support
services.
* work closely with staff and volunteers, ensuring a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
* follow Forestry England's procedures for handling cash, risk assessments, and customer service, being
consistent and efficient.
* maintain strong communication with on-site partners, such as the restaurant and shop concessions, so we
have a seamless and cohesive visitor experience.
* oversee parking infrastructure, addressing any issues quickly to ensure a hassle-free experience for visitors.
* do maintenance including using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), brush cutters, strimmer and fencing machinery.
* collaborate to help complete annual tree safety checks to help maintain a safe environment.
And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.
As part of our visitor welcome team you will operate our visitor welcome area, handling cash and credit card
sales, and proactively selling Forestry England memberships.
* give information and deal with enquiries from customers inclusively, positive and friendly.
* regularly inspect car parks, walking, running and cycling routes, and other recreational facilities including
play areas. Take pride in managing litter, to create a safe and enjoyable environment.
* help maintain clean and welcoming public areas for our visitors to enjoy.
* play a crucial role in organising, supervising, and delivering exciting events, activities, and visitor services
that create lasting memories.
* be willing to train in first aid and help when needed, contributing to safe and effective visitor support
services.
* work closely with staff and volunteers, ensuring a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
* follow Forestry England's procedures for handling cash, risk assessments, and customer service, being
consistent and efficient.
* maintain strong communication with on-site partners, such as the restaurant and shop concessions, so we
have a seamless and cohesive visitor experience.
* oversee parking infrastructure, addressing any issues quickly to ensure a hassle-free experience for visitors.
* do maintenance including using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), brush cutters, strimmer and fencing machinery.
* collaborate to help complete annual tree safety checks to help maintain a safe environment.
And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.
Person specification
Essential Professional And Technical Experience
* experience in delivering excellent customer service both in-person and using a variety of digital platforms.
* willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual tasks
* proven ability to work as part of a team.
* practical understanding or a willingness to learn about health & safety best practices and a
commitment to a positive health and safety culture in an outdoor environment.
* competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications.
Desirable Professional And Technical Experience
* basic DIY experience including the ability to carry out minor maintenance tasks on visitor buildings,
signage, trails.
* experience of operating electronic admissions or retail till systems.
* experience of undertaking cash handling duties.
* a working knowledge of risk assessments and safe working in an outdoor setting.
* experience of working at a visitor attraction in the heritage and or environment sector.
* experience of assisting with the delivery of events and activities.
Qualifications
Essential
* full UK driving license.
* a GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent/equivalent Engineering subject.
Desirable
* training and certificates in chainsaw, clearing saw, brush cutter, and other machine use.
* training and certificates in pesticide application.
* ATV (sit in and sit astride) Fencing.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Delivering at Pace
* Changing and Improving
* Working Together
* Making Effective Decisions
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* to be confirmed.
Alongside your salary of £26,123, Forestry Commission contributes £7,567 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Benefits…
Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
* 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year's service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
* STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
* free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
* a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.
Read more about the benefits on the Forestry England website.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
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 experience, a technical skill and strength based questions during your interview.
The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –
* Delivering at Pace
* Changing and Improving
* Working Together
* Making Effective Decisions
Interview date - Tuesday 11th November (date subject to change)
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, Experience and Technical skills.
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.