Nature Recovery Advisor

Job summary

Never has there been a more important time for trees and forests to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife.

The Government has committed to establishing nature recovery networks to improve, extend and connect wildlife-rich habitat, and introduced a range of incentives to recover nature for wildlife, climate and people. Protection, restoration, management and expansion of woodland and trees plays a major role in establishing this network to support the Government’s statutory targets on climate change mitigation, tree cover, biodiversity and water quality, as well as climate change adaptation, access and wellbeing.

Several new initiatives have been introduced to deliver these outcomes. Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are a statutory system of spatial planning for nature introduced under the Environment Act 2021. They have been specifically designed to ensure environmental funding streams work together in a coherent way to deliver for wildlife and for wider environmental outcomes including climate mitigation, flood management and access. The UK Government is supporting their delivery through the establishment of local delivery partnerships.

New schemes and initiatives have been introduced to restore nature at scale and to accelerate private financing of nature. Reforms to local planning under the devolution programme and new planning legislation will see a greater focus on spatial planning and more strategic approaches to nature protection.

The Forestry Commission has a critical part to play, working with external partners, in delivering these initiatives and securing outcomes for woodland and trees that benefit nature, climate and people. We are seeking a highly motivated and highly collaborative individual with skills and experience in nature conservation and sustainable forest management and who is passionate about nature and nature-based solutions, to work as a Nature Recovery Advisor within our Yorkshire and North East Area team, focussing on the North East.

Job description

Nature Recovery Advisors support preparation of Protected Sites Strategies (PSS) and the delivery of Local Nature Recovery Strategies in each Area. If successful, you will work with Responsible Authorities, alongside staff from Natural England and the Environment Agency, to provide knowledge and advice, data and other evidence to ensure that the Strategies deliver Government commitments for woodland, wildlife and other environmental benefits. You will champion the role of sustainable woodland management and creation, and work with colleagues to ensure statutory protections are maintained. You will build strong partnerships within our national and Area teams, within Defra, with the Responsible Authorities and with external stakeholders and delivery partnerships.

You will also work with Natural England and Environment Agency to support other related spatial planning activity for nature, such as the Nature Restoration Fund.

You may also play a role in securing benefits for nature in local plans which by law must now take account of the Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

You will engage with and support wider government or private sector schemes and programmes operating locally, such as Landscape Recovery. You will provide advice, data and evidence to support projects delivering nature-based solutions, champion the role of woodlands, and work to connect projects with local ecosystem service markets to ensure their long-term sustainability.

You will ensure alignment with other work of the Commission in the Area and link them with the staff who can help them with their requirements in relation to regulations and incentives. You will work alongside colleagues in the Area team to deliver this in a flexible and collaborative manner.

As a Nature Recovery Advisor for the Forestry Commission, you will be an excellent ambassador for woodlands and forestry as a critical part of supporting the development of a landscape that is more wooded, richer in wildlife, delivering for people and where forestry plays a role in nature recovery. This role is pivotal to finding local solutions to combat biodiversity loss and climate change, to improving silvicultural practice, to encouraging sustainable domestic timber supply and to resolving other key environmental issues.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

The Nature Recovery Advisor will be responsible for:

Ensuring outcomes for woodland and trees are effectively integrated into the development and coordinated delivery of LNRSs, by:

• Championing the role of trees and woodlands in nature recovery across the region, leading to the expansion, protection, improvement and connection of woodlands.

• Negotiating outcomes for trees and woodland, challenging the views and advice of others, including senior advisors and managers as required, and using latest evidence.

• Supporting Responsible Authorities and statutory partners in the LNRS delivery partnership, responding to their requests by providing knowledge, advice, data and other evidence (including case studies), involving Area Team members as required.

• Providing content for emerging Protected Sites Strategies and reviewing them in order to identify opportunities and pitfalls for woodlands

• Ensuring alignment of the newly published LNRS and engaging with other key local strategies and initiatives with a spatial planning or prioritisation component for woodland, including, Local Plans, Protected Landscape Plans, Tree and Woodland Strategies.

• Working proactively with woodland stakeholders to agree priorities for woodlands and trees.

Working with Responsible Authorities, delivery partners, and other FC Area Team members to secure effective local partnerships for delivery of biodiversity and other environmental outcomes by:

• Contributing to the pipeline for large scale delivery projects, including woodland creation, woodland management and species recovery, aligning FC funding with funding from non-FC sources, including assisting in securing greater private finance for delivery

• Shaping and influencing the design and implementation of large-scale projects locally, for example Landscape Recovery or major private initiatives.

Secure greater protection for woodland and trees through planning:

• Engage with local plan making, helping to achieve better outcomes for trees and woodlands from development and supporting the achievement of the canopy cover target set out in the Environment Act, for example through provision for nature-based solutions in strategic plans

• Ensure more effective protection of ancient woodlands

• Initiate action to increase urban tree planting

Support the national team in provision of advice, guidance and review of progress for LNRS and nature recovery, by:

• Reporting to national teams on progress, critical success factors (against FC outcomes), expenditure, risks and issues.

• Contributing to the development of national guidance to support LNRSs or nature recovery more broadly.

You will be expected to work closely with FC Area Team staff and may also be asked to support other partnership or delivery activities within the teams and to support outcomes for nature and nature-based solutions. The role will focus on supporting the preparation of PSS and the development and delivery of LNRS. There may be opportunities to develop line management responsibilities.

You will be an excellent ambassador for woodlands and forestry, and an active listener. You will work in a highly collaborative manner, within your team, FC, the wider Defra family and with external stakeholders.

You will also be capable of absorbing and understanding a substantial volume of evidence and analysis, in order to engage in policy discussions and give sound advice.

You will be able to work from home or an FC main office (see note on blended working below), with frequent travel to face-to-face meetings with LNRS and PSS teams, and occasional overnight stays e.g., for national meetings.

A full driving licence is strongly preferred, although alternative arrangements may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Degree-level qualification (Level 6 or above) in nature conservation, environmental management, forestry, land management or similar OR a related qualification at Level 4 or above with significant experience of successfully working at a strategic level to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving.

Knowledge of woodland and forestry issues, nature conservation issues and relevant stakeholders for both in your geographic area.

Evidence of working at a senior and strategic level to influence, and if necessary, challenge decisions about land management

Ability to prioritise effectively, maintain your own level of specialist knowledge and proactively bring people together to solve problems.

Competent and effective IT user with experience of MS Office and also including remote working and associated communication tools (e.g., MS Teams).

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.

Experience

Significant related experience in partnership working centred on land management / tree and forestry issues.

A track record of establishing and managing successful working relationships and networks with a range of internal and external stakeholders, to influence others and deliver shared outcomes.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with experience of presenting to a range of audiences, both verbally and written.

Desirable criteria

Knowledge, skills and qualifications

Qualifications and/or experience in both nature conservation AND forestry.

Professional membership, or working towards membership, of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (MICFor), TCPI, CIEEM or other relevant chartered body.

Good understanding of nature recovery principles, nature-based solutions, recent policy developments and how they relate to woodland.

Knowledge of natural capital or ecosystem accounting.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

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.

• 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 31st 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 750 words showing how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification.

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. Instructions will be given to the successful applicants at sift stage.

Indicative timeline:

Shortlisting to take place w/c 27th April 2026

Interviews to be carried out w/c 11th May 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.

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

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.