Area Admin Officer
Job summary
Forest Services are part of the Forestry Commission and are recognised as the Government's forestry experts. We advise nationally and locally on how to unlock the full potential of woodlands and support the forestry sector to protect, improve and expand England's valuable woodland assets, ensuring they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment and the economy.We are seeking an experienced, highly organised and proactive individual to provide administrative and operational support to the Yorkshire and North East Area Team.The Area Team consists of over 50 staff working across Yorkshire and the North East. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of the team through effective administrative, financial, operational, health and safety, learning and development and local infrastructure support.This is a highly collaborative role requiring an individual who enjoys working closely with people, building relationships and supporting others to succeed.Job description
Key ResponsibilitiesAdministration Support- Monitor incoming communications including email, telephone and post.
- Support the administration and effective use of Forestry Commission business systems, including CRM systems.
- Organise, coordinate and minute meetings.
- Act as Secretary to Forestry and Woodland Advisory Committee (FWAC) meetings.
- Arrange venues, distribute papers, coordinate attendance and maintain records.
- Support stakeholder engagement activities and events.
- Coordinate face-to-face and virtual meetings and events.
- Manage attendee lists and online event booking systems.
- Maintain paper and electronic records in accordance with Forestry Commission policies and procedures.
- Undertake office management activities across Area Team locations.
- Liaise with facilities management providers and building management teams as required.
- Ensure Forestry Commission financial policies and procedures are followed.
- Raise purchase orders and process invoices.
- Support procurement activities and ensure compliance with corporate contracts.
- Maintain the local asset register.
- Audit financial records and transactions.
- Maintain electronic financial filing systems.
- Liaise with central finance teams as required.
- Promote and support the effective use of Microsoft 365 products.
- Provide guidance and support to colleagues on digital tools and systems.
- Liaise with national project teams regarding local IT initiatives.
- Support local infrastructure and associated equipment.
- Work with IT support teams to resolve issues affecting colleagues.
- Act as Health and Safety representative for the Area Team.
- Promote a positive health and safety culture.
- Support implementation of local Health, Safety and Welfare arrangements.
- Manage local H&S action trackers and associated records.
- Act as administrator for incident reporting systems and lone-working systems.
- Liaise with specialist H&S colleagues to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
- Coordinate training activities across the Area Team.
- Maintain training records.
- Arrange local and national training events.
- Liaise with Learning and Development, Human Resources and Health and Safety colleagues.
- Train and act as local Manual Handling Trainer where required.
- Foss House, York.
- Forestry and Woodland Advisory Committee (FWAC) meetings.
- Educational events and engagement activities.
- Learning and Development events.
- Area Team meetings.
- Health and Safety activities.
- Stakeholder events.
- Forestry Commission sites and partner organisations.
- A permanent duty station of Tyneside House, Newcastle.
- Minimum office attendance of three days per week.
- Additional office attendance where required by business need.
- Regular travel to Foss House, York.
- Regular travel throughout Yorkshire and the North East.
- Driving as part of normal business activities.
- Attendance at meetings, events and training activities across the Area.
- Providing visible, practical and face-to-face support to colleagues and stakeholders.
Person specification
Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience- Significant experience working within a busy administrative, office management or business support environment.
- Experience supporting a large team within a complex organisational environment.
- Experience organising meetings, events and stakeholder engagement activities.
- Experience producing accurate meeting notes and minutes.
- Experience maintaining records, filing systems and confidential information.
- Experience acting as a first point of contact for customers, visitors or stakeholders.
- Experience providing high-quality customer service to a range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines within a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working independently and using initiative to resolve problems.
- Experience providing proactive support to colleagues and wider team activities.
- Significant experience using Microsoft 365 applications including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, SharePoint and OneDrive.
- Experience supporting colleagues in the effective use of digital systems and technology.
- Experience supporting office operations and administrative systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, customers and partner organisations.
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout Yorkshire and the North East.
- Confidence in driving and travelling independently as part of normal business activities.
- Experience supporting Health and Safety administration and compliance systems.
- Experience coordinating Learning and Development activities.
- Experience using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
- Experience supporting IT, infrastructure or digital systems locally.
- Understanding of forestry, woodland management or environmental land-based sectors.
- Evidence of maintaining Continuous Professional Development.
- Experience supporting a geographically dispersed team.
- Experience producing accurate meeting notes and minutes.
- Experience using procurement and financial processes including purchase orders, invoices and financial record management.
- Enjoy working closely with colleagues and being part of a supportive team.
- Gain satisfaction from helping others and solving problems.
- Take pride in delivering high-quality support and customer service.
- Prefer a varied workload where no two days are the same.
- Enjoy balancing administrative, operational and people-focused responsibilities.
- Are comfortable being a visible, approachable and trusted point of contact.
- Enjoy building relationships with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders.
- Thrive in a busy office environment and value face-to-face collaboration.
Licences
Full current UK Driving Licence.Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £30,105, Forestry Commission contributes £8,721 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).• A Civil Service pension.
• A range of family friendly benefits.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• 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.
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, Experience and Technical skills.After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 16/08/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.
Please note: Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between midday to 1pm and 4pm to midnight on the 09/08/2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.
If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline
This is a Fixed Term Appointment ending 30th March 2027, with possibility but no guarantee of extension or permanency.
As part of the application process, you will complete the following:
1. A tailored 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. The CV will be split into 3 parts and request: Job History, Previous Skills/Experience, Full Qualification Details.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 750 words showing how you meet the essential criteria of the Person Specification.
3. You will also be asked to provide 250-word statement relating to the Behaviour Working Together.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement and the lead behaviour, Working Together. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview
Candidates will be further assessed on Behaviours/Experience at interview, in addition to Technical Skills and Strengths. You will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.
Interviews will be held in person at our office in Newcastle - Tyneside House, Newcastle Business Park, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE4 7AR
Applications will be sifted w/c 17/08/2026
Interviews will be held on 25/08/2026
Please note that these dates are subject to change
FurtherInformation
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; 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.
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.
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.
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.
Travel options include:
- Use of private car: some Officers choose to use their private car and receive payment for the miles they drive on official business. Emissions are unrestricted below 4,000 miles per year. A reduced mileage payment is applied to travel above 4,000 miles per year, where not in a zero emissions vehicle.
- Use of Forestry Commission van: usually based from an FC office (NOTE: such vehicles can only be used for official business).
- Use of CAPES (lease) Cars: after an employee has successfully completed their probation, they can opt for a CAPES car (the user pays a monthly rate for private use). All new CAPES vehicles are zero emissions.
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
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
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.Salary range
- £30,105 per year