Hamsterley Forest Project Officer

The Hamsterley Masterplan development consists of:
•The creation of improved visitor facilities within new energy efficient buildings, including a new café & terrace, cycle hire, visitor information point, improved toilet facilities with a ‘changing places’ facility, additional parking & open green space for picnicking and family activities
•Improved staff welfare facilities including office space for 12 Forestry England employees.
•New blue graded mountain bike trail.
•Substantial improvements to incoming and outgoing utilities.
•Demolition of several dilapidated structures whilst being sensitive to existing ecology on site.
•New operational depot for Forestry England equipment and vehicles.
•Go ape high ropes course (delivered in partnership with Adventure Forests Limited)
•Forest holidays cabin development (delivered in partnership with Forest Holidays)
The Masterplan Project has been given internal approval to submit a planning application and the next phases of the project will focus on fundraising for construction once the planning permission is granted. This will also involve the detailed designs of the Forestry England buildings and infrastructure and the planning of the implementation to ensure the forest remains open for visitors throughout.
Reporting to and working alongside the Hamsterley Forest Project Manager, you will support the development of the project design and, subject to planning approval, the implementation of the development. You will also provide support to the coordination mechanisms with project partners and play a key role in maintaining and developing budget tracking for the project and for funding applications. The successful candidate will work with both district and national colleagues, including close engagement with the Hamsterley Area team who will ultimately utilise the buildings; national project management office; finance team; communications colleagues; commercial services; civil engineering; building surveying; land management; design team; ecology; Health & Safety; and IT teams. You will also have the opportunity to support a range of other projects across the North England Forest District as appropriate, depending on workload., •Provide project management support to the project manager and the program manager in line with Forestry England’s project management process and procedures including: supporting the preparation of business cases in line with the Forestry England Business case guidance.
•Support in the preparation of funding applications
•Assist in maintaining project controls and producing project reports, maintaining the project files and ensuring robust version controls are in place
•Organizing key internal and external project meetings and providing secretariat support
•Assist with maintaining the stakeholder management plan
•Assist with the monitoring of project spending, through maintenance of finance trackers and projections
•Assist with and maintain the risk and issues log
•Assist with managing contracts and procurement exercises
•Provide project management to smaller projects, which may form part of the Hamsterley masterplan, such as play, trail and car park improvements
Location is flexible within the North of England, however there will need to be regular weekly attendance at Hamsterley Forest (County Durham) for site meetings., The following behaviours will be assessed at interview:
+ Communicating and influencing
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Seeing the Bigger picture
Sift and Interview Dates to be confirmed
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.
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
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
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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.
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Essential professional and technical experience
•Competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications
•Highly organized with an understanding project management structures and attention to detail in the management of filing systems
•The ability to plan ahead; break down problems into constituent parts; apply logic; identify and manage risks; oversee budgets
•Experience of building relationships to work effectively with a range of stakeholders and contractors
Desirable professional and technical experience
•An understanding of Forestry England recreation facilities and visitor offer
•Experience of procurement exercises and contract management
•Previous experience working on projects and/or funding applications, or a desire to develop these skills
•Full UK driving license

Alongside your salary of £29,863, Forestry Commission contributes £8,651 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%