Harvesting Manager

We are seeking a manager for our tree harvesting operations in Thetford Forest that shares our passion for sustainable forestry and homegrown timber production.
Thetford Forest is split into four management areas which are each managed by Beat Foresters. You will be delivering their objectives for each site and it important that you can prioritise and build good working relationships with the Foresters and our team of specialists for recreation, conservation, archaeology and civil engineering, to ensure safe and effective delivery.
As Harvesting Manager you will plan, manage and monitor clearfell and thinning operations within Thetford Forest. You’ll be responsible for ensuring that safety and environmental standards are met, and work is completed to a high standard.
We clearfell 150ha of forest to produce 45,000m3 per year to deliver our Forest Plan objectives for People, Wildlife and the Climate. That means we start a new site on average every three weeks and the team work at fast pace over multiple live sites at different stages of the cycle. You will lead our Direct Production Harvesting Team to deliver the clearfell programme. Directly managing seven Harvesting Machine Operators and a Works Supervisor. The machine fleet consists of one harvester, two forwarders and a front-end loader. Within this staffing we support part time working and a trainee programme.
As well as our own team, this role also plans, manages and monitors a work programme for a contract harvesting team, primarily delivering thinning operations of approximately 500ha / 25,000m3.
Additionally, this role oversees the co-ordination of the dispatch of the 70,000m3 of timber produced from these programmes. Working with our Dispatcher and office team you will manage the timber supply contracts working with our customers., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Health and Safety in an outdoor environment. This will involve a site visit: please bring appropriate outdoor/wet weather clothing., As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement as follows:
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 two years.
2. A Personal Statement (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience are suitable for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
Failure to complete all sections will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
Sift date is 9 October 2024.
Successful candidates invited to interview will be assessed against Experience, Technical Expertise, Behaviours and Strengths. We will ask you to do a short practical task as part of the interview process. Please bring wet weather clothing and boots appropriate for the weather.
The provisional interview date is 21 October 2024.
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.
The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.
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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You will need personal resilience, and a deep commitment to achieving results. Your skills, interests and experience will reflect the responsibilities of the role in delivering large scale timber harvesting operations.
You will be interested in developing your existing technical skills and experience further and be willing to take on new and different tasks.
Please clearly demonstrate how the following applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so may mean that your application is automatically sifted out.
Essential Professional and Technical experience:
+ Experience at a management level in an operational environment.
+ Experience of planning, managing and supervising operations.
+ A good understanding of health and safety in an outdoor environment.
+ Experience of leading a team and providing support to staff.
+ A sound understanding of and experience in contract management.
+ Accomplished IT skills, including competence in the use of MS Office applications.
+ A UK driving licence.
Desirable Professional & Technical experience:
+ A degree or HND in Forestry or where forestry is included; or equivalent experience in forestry or land management
+ Competence and experience in the use of GIS.
+ Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.

East England Forest District, covers an area of 35,000 ha from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase Community Forest. The District has a varied landholding including the largest lowland pine forest in England at Thetford, community woodland on the outskirts of London at Thames Chase, and a range of mixed woodland, many of which are on sites of Ancient Woodland.
There are numerous sites of conservation interest designated across the District, including Special Protection Areas to conserve the breeding habitat for the Woodlark and Nightjar, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Specific Scientific Interest, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty, Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland, County Wildlife Sites and Scheduled Monuments.
The District offers outdoor recreation, leisure and wellbeing activities for hundreds of thousands of people each year at its recreation centres. Forestry England’s whole freehold estate is dedicated for public access on foot, with numerous small carparks and informal access points.
East England Forest District produces approximately 120,000m3 of timber, annually. Approximately 70,000m3 is delivered via direct production from Thetford Forest, through thinning and clearfell operations.

About the Job
Forestry England we are the largest supplier of Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) timber in England. We put sustainability at the heart of our forestry policies and practices.
This is a managerial role and your time will be split 50:50 between the office and outdoors, on site. For the right candidate we can offer a package of extensive in-house training.
We are looking for a leader with good organisational skills, sound communication, and the ability to deliver challenging programmes whilst adhering to all relevant standards and guidelines. You must be capable of developing positive working relationships with our own staff as well as with our timber customers, to fulfil ours and their contract obligations.
This post receives operational pay, with an expectation of averaging 44 hours a week. There will be a requirement within this to work flexibly to meet the needs of the team and occasionally be on call as part of the out of hours emergency roster (approximately 3-4 weeks a year).

Alongside your salary of £34,080, Forestry Commission contributes £9,872 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%
+ Generous annual leave allowance starting at 25 days per year (pro-rata for part time). After 5 years’ service, you'll receive an additional 5 days’ holiday. After 20 years’ service you will receive a one-off award of 5 extra days’ holiday. On top of this, you'll receive all public holidays plus an additional 2.5 ‘privilege’ days (pro-rata for part time).
+ Ability to buy or sell 5 days holiday
+ 5 dedicated learning days a year (from e-learning to traditional training, team activities to coaching and shadowing), to target the skills you need to take your career forward
+ Continual Professional Development: support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies (such as the Institute of Chartered Foresters)
+ Three paid volunteering days per year (pro-rata for part time)
+ Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums
+ A range of wellbeing benefits, including access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7 and Bike to Work Scheme