Recreation Ranger

Your main responsibilities include making sure we have seamless day-to-day visitor operations, our visitors are having excellent experiences, and maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for our customers. You will also actively engage with local communities cultivating meaningful relationships and developing recreational opportunities, enhancing volunteer involvement, and answering visitor enquiries. You will contribute to the overall enrichment of the visitor experience, drive efficiencies and income generation opportunities, while strengthening community connections., In this role, you'll have the opportunity to create memorable visitor/community focused experiences, maintain our recreational facilities, and co-ordinate engaging community activities. Here's a snapshot of your responsibilities:
+ Be the face of Forestry England: you'll provide a visible and welcoming presence for visitors by co-ordinating and supervising day-to-day site activities to ensure a positive and memorable experience.
+ Maintain safe and enjoyable sites: carry out regular inspections of car parks, trails, and recreational facilities, including play areas and litter management, to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all.
+ Collaborate with staff: support Forestry England staff with public access considerations during planning and implementation of harvesting and conservation operations.
+ Promote responsible behaviour: deliver appropriate messages about responsible visitor behaviour and professionally manage and resolve potential conflicts.
+ Strengthen community engagement: develop community involvement and recreation opportunities that create meaningful connections between visitors and the nation's forests.
+ Support operational programmes: help with project delivery and align with internal guidance and district plans to promote sustainable and responsible forestry practices.
+ Ensure health and safety: coordinate emergency procedures, provide first aid assistance, complete accident and incident reports, and adhere to health and safety guidelines.
+ Manage stakeholder relationships: build strong relationships with external partners, tenants, and concession operators. collaborate with local agencies to coordinate multi-agency work during peak times and reduce visitor impact and arson risks.
+ Represent Forestry England: participate in stakeholder meetings, events, and volunteer programmes to showcase the great work of Forestry England and foster community engagement.
+ Inspire others: plan, lead, and safely manage volunteer groups and programmes connecting volunteers and local communities with the nation’s forests.
And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Working Together, 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.
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@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.

Essential professional and technical experience
+ Experience of working in a public facing role delivering high quality customer service requiring excellent verbal and written communication skills both in person and via a variety of digital platforms.
+ Willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual tasks.
+ Practical experience of planning and delivering public engagement activities.
+ Excellent team working skills and the ability to work with dispersed team members.
+ Practical understanding of 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
+ Experience working with various social media platforms.
+ Experience of project and contract management.
+ Experience in working with volunteers.
Qualifications - Essential
+ Full UK driving license.
+ A GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent/engineering subject, or prove equivalent to.
Qualifications - Desirable
+ HND or equivalent in land or recreation management, tourism or leisure or similar.
+ 1st Aid.
+ Health and safety qualification.

Licences
Full UK driving license., A GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent/engineering subject, or prove equivalent to.

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%.