Apprenticeship Lecturer

Job summary

Sustainable forestry in England is key to mitigating the impacts of climate change, responding to the biodiversity crisis, ensuring long-term timber supplies thus reducing our reliance on imports, improving our mental and physical wellbeing, and in providing a resilient and beautiful landscape in which we can live, work and play.

If you are passionate about the role of forestry in creating a better future for England, and want to play a key part in realising that, we want to hear from you.

By joining the Forestry Commission, you will become part of a professional and committed team and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this ambitious work forward.

The internal Development Woodland Officer (DWO) programme is an exciting new Forestry Commission career pathway into the forestry sector through the degree Level 6 Professional Forester Apprenticeship Programme. It is designed for people seeking a forestry career, including those without prior experience. This 3-year programme has been developed to lead and coach through a wide range of learning activities, supported by on the job training to build on forestry experience and knowledge, not just from within the Forestry Commission but across the entire forestry sector.

Job description

We are looking for an additional Apprenticeship Lecturer. As part of Forest Services, you will be responsible for leading the delivery of the ongoing learning and development of internal Development Woodland Officer and externally appointed apprentices to the degree Level 6 Professional Forestry Apprentices across England, as well as providing training for internal Forestry Commission staff. The Lecturer plays a vital role in the success of the Apprenticeship Programme, guiding the upskilling and development of future forestry talent, underpinning the Forestry Commission ability to support the step change on our woodland creation levels and supporting woodland management activities within England. The Lecturer will lead on the delivery of the on-the-job and the Forestry Commission led off-the-job training associated with the apprenticeship framework. This includes working closely with internal stakeholders, Forestry England, Forest Research and externally with the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria, other higher education institutions, other training agencies, subject matter experts and organisations engaging with the Professional Forester Apprenticeship.

Key Work Areas

• Assist with promotion and engagement events, promoting the objectives of the programme to potential candidates and helping to identify potential career pathways into the Forestry Commission and the wider sector.
• Working with National and Area Team colleagues assist with the evaluation of potential DWO candidates at the annual recruitment sifts and assessment centres. Leading on the practical interactive elements of the assessments promoting an environment where potential candidates can be assessed in an inclusive and engaging manner drawing the best out of each candidate and providing vital insight during the selection process.
• Working with the Apprenticeship Programme Manager develop and deliver the DWO annual induction training programme in line with the requirements of the Forestry Commission and skills needed to support the learning embedded into the programme.
• Develop and deliver the national on-the-job training events identified in the programme syllabus, designing events to meet the need of not just the Forestry Commission but that of guidance such as UKWAS (UK Woodland Assurance Standard), UKFS (UK Forest Standard) principles and the Forestry Act (as amended 1967). Aligning those events with Area Team requirements, delivery deadlines and workloads, designing a wide range of learning events embracing the most appropriate delivery methods from face to face or virtual delivery.
• Building training calendar working with the Apprenticeship Programme Officer on the coordination on things such as site, venue, and transport requirements of training events.
• Working with the Apprenticeship Programme Manager and the University of Cumbria to assist with the design and led the delivery the Forestry Commission led off-the-job (academic) learning identified in the Professional Forester Apprenticeship framework.
• Provide ongoing pastoral, coaching and mentoring support to those on the programme.
• Provide ongoing technical support to underpin learning activities both during and following all events.
• Work closely with Area Team colleagues to support the ongoing skills consolidation of learning and knowledge building of Development Woodland Officers in their host Area Teams.
• In conjunction with Apprenticeship Programme Manager and the University of Cumbria assist with the design of a robust quality assurance system ensuring that feedback, suggested improvements, or amendments to training material or content are captured throughout training delivery for future enhancements to the training solution. Develop and maintain creative and engaging training materials and content, meeting go-centric guidelines and standards.
• Maintain a strong level of both personal motivation and training delegate motivation throughout the delivery of a training solution, irrespective of the duration.

Person specification

Essential

• A degree in a relevant subject such as forestry or land management.
• A strong working knowledge of forestry in the UK.
• An in-depth understanding of, and robust network in the forestry sector.
• A comprehensive understanding of the woodland creation and management, land-use change, and forest protection.
• A strong understanding of the regulatory landscape associated to Forestry within England.
• A track record of establishing successful working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Competent IT user with experience of the MS Office suite of applications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Full current UK driving licence.

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.

Desirable

• Technical training qualifications such as, City & Guilds 6502 Award in Education and Training or 6302 certificate Preparation to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, PTLLS.
• Technical assessor qualifications such as, D32/33, A1, CAVA.
• Professional membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
• Experience of mentoring and coaching new recruits.

Qualifications

A degree in a relevant subject such as forestry or land management.

Languages

English

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Developing Self and Others

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,388, Forestry Commission contributes £11,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension (opens in a new window) with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• A range of wellbeing benefits including discounted Civil Service Healthcare, access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, Bike to Work Scheme, plus many more.
• 25 days annual leave, with 1 additional day for each years’ service up to 5 years (pro rata), plus 10.5 bank holidays/privilege days (pro rata).
• Ability to buy or sell 5 days annual leave.
• 3 days volunteering per year (pro rata).

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Fixed term Appointment to 31st August 2029. This is a Temporary Appointment with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

As part of the application process, you will complete the following:

• A tailored CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the criteria of the person specification evidence and your preferred location.
• You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements relating to the Behaviours being assessed.

Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using a lead behaviour. This will be the behaviour which is listed first in the job advert, Seeing the Big Picture. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

At interview, you will be assessed against Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Indicative timeline:

• Shortlisting to take place week commencing 13th July 2026.
• Interviews to be carried on the 20th and/or 21st July 2026.

Please be aware dates may be subject to change for both sifting and interviews.

Interviews will be held in person at the Forestry Commission Training Centre at Cannock Chase, Rugeley, WS15 2UQ. Please keep this in mind when applying.

Candidates invited to interview will be provided with further information for preparation of a short presentation (15 minutes) which will form part of the interview.

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 Service 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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 (excluding Forestry Commission employees) and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, and will only be considered on a 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.

Existing Forestry Commission, Forestry England and Forest Research employees are eligible to apply for this Fixed Term Appointment and will only be considered if there is written confirmation from their line manager and HR that their current role will be temporarily backfilled or held open before commencing the application process.

This role is full time. 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.

Where a role has been identified as one which falls under the scope of the Public Sector English Language Requirements, within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Applicants will be assessed in the selection process in accordance with the requirements.

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.

The Forestry Commission is actively working to reduce the carbon emission of official travel and applicants should be aware of the broad principles which are being applied to reduce carbon emissions to less than 50gCO2/km.

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

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 theCivil 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.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : FS Recruitment
• Email : fs.recruitment@forestrycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.