Business Support Officer (Estates)

The Estates Team is an integral part of the management of West District, providing professional support to the Recreation & Engagement and Forestry & Land Management functions. The team is led by the Head of Estates and is split into two halves. The first, is a Buildings & Projects team tasked with delivering the district’s building management and commercial developments as we strive towards carbon neutrality and providing modern efficient building infrastructure to support our front-line delivery. The second is the Estate Management team and provides general support to the delivery teams, as well as leading on case management for liability claims and legal disputes. This role will be based at Coleford and form part of the Buildings and Projects team working 37 hours per week, across Monday to Friday.
As the Buildings and Projects team is relatively new and evolving, this is an exciting time to join and help shape the future. The principal responsibility will be to support this team, including an Area Land Agent, two Building Surveyors, Development Manager, Project Manager and Administration Officer. However, there will also be times where support is required for the wider Estates team. This role will work in tandem with a second Business Support Officer currently located in Exeter, with distribution of work areas being set by the lead Area Land Agent. The role will be supported by the Administration Officer.
We are looking for an individual who is highly organised, methodical, logical, with a good level of financial awareness. This is a supporting role, but the successful candidate will be required to have a good deal of self-motivation and be able to manage their own workload. To thrive in this enticing role, you will have great communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders such as colleagues in other teams and contractors. This is a high-quality business support role, requiring diligence, a problem-solving aptitude and an ability to prioritise.
Key Work Areas
+ Oversee, monitor and update the annual programme of works for inspection, maintenance and projects for the built estate portfolio, liaising closely with the Building Surveyors to ensure they can efficiently implement the programme.
+ Support our statutory and policy compliance programme in relation our buildings, including the introduction of a robust resumptions system.
+ Act as the first point of contact for building works queries, including from contractors and colleagues within district or the national office Estates team.
+ Work with the Administration Officer and Building Surveyors to source new contractors and to ensure that they all have valid insurances, certificates of competence and H&S paperwork.
+ Support the team with procurement and administration, that range from smaller maintenance works to larger instructions that require formal tender processes.
+ Assist the Building Surveyors with the monthly budget monitoring, forecasting and accruals process, using the finance packages (Efin and Collaborative Planning) and liaising with the Finance Manager.
+ Assist the Building Surveyors and Land Agents with the preparation of the annual Business Plan and 5-year Long Term Financial Model.
+ Support the Development Manager with the preparation, co-ordination and tracking of business cases, for projects on the District’s Investment Programme, through the national Project Management Office.
+ Support Project Managers with the delivery and management of projects, including liaison with the Project Management Office.
+ Support, manage and maintain project documentation, including documents and presentation material for meetings, workshops and producing formal notes and minutes.
+ Lead the collection, recording, monitoring and reporting of energy and water usage across the district and assist in identifying and prioritising recommendations for investment to reduce consumption.
+ Be responsible for overseeing the team’s records, data and knowledge management systems in relation to property management, ensuring that they are accurate, accessible and usable. Key systems include our GIS platform Forester Web, software within Microsoft Office 365 and Collaborative Planning (for finance).
+ Support the timely processing of invoices, including authorisation within delegated approval thresholds., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete the following:
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 2 years.
2) A statement of suitability - explaining in no more than 750 words how you meet, as a minimum, the essential criteria of the person specification and how you consider your personal experience to be relevant to this role.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within their statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
At interview candidates will be further assessed on Success Profiles, including Behaviours and Strengths, in addition to Experience.
Sift dates to be confirmed.
Interview dates have not yet been set but are likely to be held at Bank House in Coleford (the main office for the Forest District).
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 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
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.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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.

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.

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).

Apply and further information
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).
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+ A minimum of 5 GCSEs/Standard Grades (A – C grades or 4 and above), or equivalent, including Maths and English, and/or significant experience working in an administrative post.
+ Competent user of MS Office - in particular Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint, Excel and Word.
+ Ability to plan, organise and manage self, working on own initiative and as part of team.
+ Demonstrable attention to detail and a pro-active approach to problem solving.
+ Experience of managing competing demands, prioritising and managing a varied, changeable and evolving workload.
+ The ability to be flexible to complete other tasks identified by the team.
+ Excellent communicator, in both written and oral formats.
+ Demonstrable ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders.
+ Experience of processing financial transactions and use of financial systems and packages.
Desirable Criteria:
+ High level qualification in Business/Programme Management or educated to degree level
+ Experience of using GIS mapping systems
+ Knowledge or experience of estate, buildings, H&S and contract management
+ Knowledge of programme/project management
+ Experience in data management and analysis
+ Knowledge of decarbonisation related to a property portfolio

For over 100 years, Forestry England have been growing, shaping and caring for over 1,500 of our nation’s forests for the benefit and enjoyment of all, for this generation and the next. We care for more land and trees than any other organisation in England, shaping landscapes for people, wildlife and timber. We plan and look after our vast estate today for a better tomorrow. Forestry England’s strategy to address the twin biodiversity and climate change crises, alongside enabling people to enjoy and gain wellbeing benefit from the nation’s forests is set out in the document ‘Growing the Future’ (https://www.forestryengland.uk/growing-the-future).
West Forest District is responsible for the stewardship of over 35,000 ha of woods and forests, from the Shropshire Hills to Salisbury Plain, and south-west to Cornwall. The diverse property portfolio we manage may be less obvious than the trees we grow but it is just as vital in delivering our objectives. We maintain a host of built properties, ranging from our working office and depot/deer larder locations, through to let cafes and large visitor facilities, such as Haldon Forest Park at Exeter and Beechenhurst in the Forest of Dean, to a collection of embedded residential, agricultural and industrial properties.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Working Together
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Managing a Quality Service, Alongside your salary of £27,941, Forestry Commission contributes £8,094 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%