Recreation Assistant

Wendover Woods recreation and visitor experience plays an essential role delivering health and wellbeing for visitors through connecting with nature. This is an exciting opportunity to join an experienced team at a busy outdoor attraction. As the Recreation Assistant you will support the recreation delivery and development at Wendover Woods.
You will inspect and maintain recreation facilities to national standards by working with colleagues both inside and outside of your immediate team. You will be required to use your own initiative, and work as part of the team to promote and develop recreation facilities and opportunities at Wendover Woods. You will support the wider site team and maintain excellent relations with on-site partners and volunteers.
The successful candidate will support activities and events taking place to ensure they are delivered safely. You will act as site Duty Manager on a rota basis which will include regular weekends (1 in 2 weekends) and Bank Holidays. You will help to strengthen the health and safety culture to fulfill our corporate value of ‘Look Out & Look After’.
The post holder will report to the Operations Manager at Wendover Woods.
+ Develop a strong safety culture within the site team and ensure everyone’s behaviours match Forestry England’s values, attitudes and commitment to health and safety.
+ Undertake practical maintenance work on recreation facilities, ensuring they are planned and conducted in compliance with our health & safety policies.
+ Act as duty manager on the rota system. Responding to emergencies and undertaking daily routine inspections.
+ Support the maintenance and development of the recreational facilities (e.g play equipment and cycling trails) so they provide a high quality visitor experience. Understand and comply with legislation, policy and promote best practice by following relevant guidance.
+ Carry out inspections to ensure safety of recreation facilities.
+ Work with the Recreation Ranger and Operations Manager to complete jobs on the jobs list. Maintain tools and equipment to ensure they are in safe working order.
+ Record accidents and near misses linked to the recreational facilities.
+ Support activities and events at Wendover Woods so they are delivered safely.
+ Work with supervisors and managers to complete annual Tree Safety Checks.
+ Support clearing fly-tipping and litter picking., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Changing and Improving
+ Working Together
+ Making Effective Decisions, A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 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).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

+ Outdoor recreation and/ or practical maintenance experience.
+ Full UK driving licence.
+ Excellent personal management skills and high standards of customer service and workplace values.
+ Competent in the use of IT systems, such as Microsoft Office.
+ A customer focused approach which enables you to effectively support visitors in a variety of situations.
+ Excellent organisational and time management skills.
+ An understanding of operational environmental, health and safety standards.
+ Experience of working in a team.

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., As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a personal statement as follows:
+ A Personal Statement (no longer than 500 words) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the person specification.
The anticipated shortlisting and interview timetable is noted below. Please note that these dates are subject to change.
Applications will be sifted the week commencing 11th November 2024.
Interviews will be at Wendover Woods Visitor Centre on Wednesday 20th November 2024.

Alongside your salary of £24,323, Forestry Commission contributes £7,046 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%