ELM Manager

Job summary

Britain’s woodlands are a precious resource. Each year they produce over 11 million tonnes of timber, remove 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and attract over 600 million visits from the public. They remove pollutants from the air and soil, offer natural flood protection and enhance biodiversity, both in towns and the countryside. They also support other sectors, notably agriculture and tourism.

The Forestry Commission’s Forest Services are the Government’s forestry experts responsible for enabling landowners and managers, businesses, civil society organisations, and local communities to protect, improve and expand England’s woodlands. It achieves this through regulation, incentives and advice.

We are recruiting two roles to the National Grants and Regulations team in Forest Services. These roles will sit in the Landscape Recovery and Grant Innovation team. These posts will report to the Landscape Recovery Development Manager:

• Landscape Recovery Project Liaison Officer and Guidance Advisor
• Project Management and Communications Manager

Incentives are a crucial lever in delivering the Forestry Commission’s environmental targets and both of these roles will play a vital role in supporting project and outcome delivery.

Job description

This both roles are until 30 March 2027, with the possibility but no guarantee of extension or permanency.

Landscape Recovery Project Liaison Officer and Guidance Advisor
What will the successful candidate be doing?

The post holder will spend 0.5FTE as Project Liaison Officer for one Landscape Recovery Round 2 project and 0.5 FTE as Guidance Advisor, developing and maintaining internal Forestry Commission guidance relating to Landscape Recovery.

As Project Liaison Officer will act as the central point of contact within Government and exists to facilitate Landscape Recovery projects through Development and into successfully project delivery. You will be supporting a Landscape Recovery project cross government assurance and negotiation processes, and during the early years of project Implementation (if applicable). As PLO, you will be comfortable working with external partners, across Defra group organisations and with colleagues from multiple functions – economists, ecologists, operations etc. You will be expected to understand existing scheme policy and work collaboratively to resolve issues to facilitate successful project delivery.

As Guidance Advisor you will coordinate and oversee internal guidance production to support Landscape Recovery. You will make sure that information is accurate, meets writing standards and is regularly reviewed so that it remains fit for purpose. You will work closely with multiple subject matter experts across Forest Services and Defra to provide the guidance needed to support the delivery of environmental outcomes and public goods.

Responsibilities

• Develop trusting, professional relationship with the external partners
• Report on progress of allocated projects and facilitate issues
• Draw on specialist advice from across Defra group – FC, NE, EA and Core Defra
• Support and collaborate with other PLOs
• Support colleagues with the development of LR guidance and processes
• Work with subject matter experts to coordinate, produce and maintain internal and external guidance to support delivery of ELM and innovation schemes.
• Adhere to government guidelines, ensuring guidance is consumable, in a standard format and fill any gaps in key messages
• Contribute to regular communications with subject matter specialists; maintain oversight of their progress against the project plan, identify and resolve issues, and to agree and schedule next steps
• Liaise with stakeholders and end users as necessary to test guidance and make sure it is fit for purpose

Landscape Recovery and Grant Innovation Project Management and Communications Manager
What will the successful candidate be doing?

The post holder is expected to spend roughly 0.5FTE as project manager and 0.5 FTE as communications manager for the Landscape Recovery and Grant Innovation (LRGI) team, with some flexibility required dependent on workloads. As project manager the post holder would manage the progress of multiple live workstreams and stand-up and launch new projects. You will work alongside FC’s Project Management Office and Change managers, acting as the point of contact within LRGI. This will include coordinating and developing reporting resources for Executive Team and other senior officials.

As communications manager, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining communications and engagement plans to support the roll out of ambitious environmental grant schemes. This will include proactively seeking opportunities for improving scheme communications through Government channels, events and shows or external networks. You will work with communications colleagues across the Forestry Commission, Defra and Natural England to ensure communications meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities
• Developing and maintaining strategic communication and engagement plans
• Managing business and process change
• Building relationships with communications colleagues across Defra group
• Tracking project progression including maintaining RAIDD logs, escalating risks and managing dependencies
• Developing project reporting tools
• Scoping and standing up new projects including effective governance structures
• Building relationships with PMO colleagues across Defra group
• Representing the FC at internal and external fora

Person specification

Essential

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to influence and appropriately challenge stakeholders
• Ability to manage a dynamic workload, delivering at pace and responding to changing priorities
• Good organisational and project management skills
• Understanding of the land management sector, including the role of trees and woodland in land use change
• Knowledge of Forestry Commission processes and regulatory requirements
• Understanding of ELM schemes and Landscape Recovery policy
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Strong IT skills, including MS Office applications

Desirable

• Formal project/change management approaches
• Experience in developing project reporting tools
• Knowledge of the UK Forestry Standard and its practical implementation
• Experience working with public and private sector bodies

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

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 £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).

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Both roles are Fixed Term Appointments until 30th March 2027 with possibility of extension or permanency, but no guarantee.

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, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the criteria of the Person Specification.
3. You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements relating to the Behaviour' Seeing the big picture
4. You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements relating to the Behaviour' Communicating and influencing

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 lead behaviour, Seeing the big picture

Applications will be sifted week commencing 20th July 2026. This date is subject to change.

Interviews will be held week commencing 27th July 2026. This date is subject to change.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Experience and will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.

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; 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.

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.