National Regulations Development Team Manager

Job summary

Forestry Commission are the Government’s forestry experts. We work with the forestry and environmental sectors nationally and locally on unlocking the full potential of woodlands, to expand, protect, improve, and connect England’s valuable woodland assets.

We are looking to recruit a team manager (SEO) to provide maternity cover until 30 March 2027 with possibility of extension until 30 July 2027, to work within the Forestry Commission’s National Grants and Regulations (NGR) team. The NGR team is one of the Forestry Commission’s national teams and has responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of forestry regulations, for tree health, and for grant support for woodland management and woodland creation.

The team manager we want to recruit will line manage a team of 9 – four HEOs and five EOs, with all posts focused on delivering necessary reform of woodland and forestry legislation, regulation, policy guidance, process and digital systems used to govern forestry activity in England.

The chosen candidate will be key to leading the successful development and delivery of necessary regulatory and policy change, and regulatory digital solution development, and will be working closely with Defra’s forestry policy team and other bodies. As such we are looking to recruit someone with a passion for detail, highly self-motivated to drive change and improvement, with an excellent track record of managing teams to achieve high performance in a fast-paced environment.

The post holder will work closely with many internal and external stakeholders and so the ability to work closely and collaboratively with others is essential; as is the ability to influence key decision makers to achieve favourable outcomes for the team and wider FC.

Job description

This NGR National Regulations Development team manager will:

• Line-manage staff and work closely with other team managers in NGR, to ensure team cohesion and a shared understanding of the corporate strategy.

• Work closely with Defra and Forestry Commission policy leads and other public bodies to identify mechanisms that will improve the function of regulation and enforcement in forestry

• Manage the development of reforms to existing legislation, regulation, policy, guidance and process for an improved regulatory experience

• Ensure appropriate Subject Matter Expertise for the development of digital systems and associated support materials for delivering regulatory functions

• Ensure all work on forestry regulation reform is addressed in a manner which is timely, accurate, and collaborative across FC and Defra and seek legal advice when appropriate.

Responsibilities

This National Regulations Development team manager has the following responsibilities.

Team working and managing people:

• Co-lead National Regulations team (Development) (approx.9 people).

• Have direct line management responsibility of four team members and manage and monitor individual workloads and performance of those managed.

• Work closely with other Forestry Commission team managers to ensure the effective delivery of Forestry Commission and Defra priorities.

Change and Development:

• Lead and oversee project management of the Forestry Commission’s review and reform of legislation, regulation, and policy activity, and work closely with Defra forestry policy team and other stakeholders on legislative and other change.

• Use regulatory reform outcomes to inform the development of new digital systems, business process and guidance, and ensure appropriate regulatory SMEs are available to support system and guidance designers and developers.

• Keep abreast of changes in the operating and regulatory environments, such as from post EU Exit farming, feedback from customers, and identify opportunities for simplifications, efficiencies, and performance improvement.

Regulations:

• Ensure change in forestry regulation contributes to the government’s forestry policy priorities.

• Ensure a consistent, procedure led, approach to implementing regulatory reform, seeking legal advice where necessary, to enables efficient, consistent, and timely delivery of BAU forestry regulation outcomes.

• Provide advice and expertise on forestry regulation and reforms to a range of Forestry Commission, Plant Health Forestry, Defra, and forestry sector stakeholders.

Networks:

• Maintain a network of contacts across the Forestry Commission, Defra policy teams, other public bodies, and with the wider forestry and environmental NGO sector, to achieve better regulation objectives.

Person specification

Experience:

Essential criteria:

• Experience or working knowledge of procedures for legislative and / or policy change, and of using legal advice to inform decisions.

• Experience of project management and / or leadership of change processes, such as for IT development.

• Confidence to deal with adversarial situations and to sustain a viewpoint.

• Experience of managing and motivating people, their performance, minimising absence, and the personal development of individuals.

• Experience of working at pace on a number of concurrent priorities.

• Excellent communications skills, confident communicating orally and in writing to a high standard.

• Experience of ensuring accuracy and attention to detail, confidently reviewing and applying technical information.

• A competent IT user, with experience of the MS Office suite of applications, SharePoint, and ability to learn new bespoke IT systems quickly.

• Confidence and self-motivated to function at pace in a ‘blended’ or remote working environment, and to use online communications to maintain regular contact with management teams and the wider NGR Regulations team.

Desirable criteria:

• A clear understanding of current forestry and associated policies (UK Forestry Standard, Environment Improvement Plan, Land use framework, Dan Corry Review of Defra’s regulatory landscape).

• A working knowledge of current forestry regulations.

• Demonstrate strong communication planning and stakeholder management skills and have confidence to advise stakeholders on the impact of changes to regulatory controls on land management and / or forestry issues.

• Degree or Higher Diploma level, or equivalent professional qualifications, for example ICF Membership (preferably within forestry, land use, planning etc.), and/or,

• Significant experience in project management or leadership (preferably within forestry, land use, planning etc.), and/or,

• Significant experience working in a regulatory field and success in regulatory delivery (preferably forestry or land use, planning etc.).

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Changing and Improving

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 £48,765, Forestry Commission contributes £14,127 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment until 30th March 2027 with the 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. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be split into 3 parts and requests: Job History, Previous Skills/Experience, and Full Qualification Details.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 500 words showing how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification.
3. A 250 word statements relevant to a selection of the behaviour required for this job role. Please see the application form for further details

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

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

At interview, you will be assessed against Behaviours and Strengths and will be asked to prepare a short presentation (Technical skill). Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.

Indicative timeline:

Shortlisting to take place w/c 15th June 2026

Interviews to be carried out w/c 22nd June 2026

Dates may be subject to change.

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.