Operations Administrative Manager

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. Our Prime Minister and our government are committed as part of the EnvironmentalImprovement Plan to increasing the tree canopy cover across England from the current 14.5% to at least 16.5% by 2050 – this means 34,000 ha of new tree cover by 2028.

This acceleration in current planting rates in England will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to government’s wider environmental targets.

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

By joining the Forestry Commission, you will become part of a team of passionate, committed colleagues, and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this ambitious work forward. You will be able to make your mark by helping the Forestry Commission to transform how we work together and reach new stakeholders. Forest Services as part of Forestry Commission are 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 that they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment, and the economy.

This role sits within the Forest Services (FS) Operational Delivery Team (ODT).

The Operational Delivery Team delivers services to Forestry Commission (FC) customers for Grants and Regulations, including circa 2500 felling licences per year, and 3000 grant applications

The team works closely with the Area teams, our technical experts in the field, to administer woodland grants and regulations across England. The team's main function is to provide grants for tree planting, woodland management, and tree health, also enforcing the Forestry Act through regulatory processes such as felling licence applications and environmental impact assessments.

Job description

The Operations Admin Manager within the ODT Regulations Team is responsible for managing and monitoring the performance of their team, working with peers to deliver a consistent approach to Regulations functions across the country, maintaining good working relationships with colleagues in other FC and Defra teams, and providing a high standard of service to customers.

Effectively managing the administration of felling licences and other regulatory functions in accordance with Forestry commission procedures.

Working with the other Operations Admin Managers to provide leadership and carry out line management duties for the Operational Delivery Regulations team, including supporting the team through the introduction of a new online felling licence system and new areas of work such as woodland management plan amendments, working collaboratively with other managers to manage change and transition.

Working with peers, area staff and the woodland sector to ensure a high quality of customer service and the coordinated delivery of FC targets.

Key Work Areas

• Effectively line-manage up to a maximum of 6 Operations Admin Officers within the Operational delivery team, ensuring they have the information and tools needed to fulfil their role.
• Provide leadership and demonstrate positive behaviours for the team to follow; be firm on poor performance to ensure everyone works to their best ability.
• Ensure effective handling of transactional aspects of Regulations, following FC guidelines, processes and procedures, and complying with legislation and scheme rules.
• Provide a customer service function for the above activities, including supporting customers using the new online felling licence system, and providing clear verbal and written advice and communication to customers.
• Liaise with area staff (particularly Woodland Officers) on technical issues and queries.
• Deal with public enquiries through triage to the Area teams or other appropriate FC staff where necessary.
• Liaise with Operations Admin Manager peers, Area teams, and the National Grants & Regulations team to ensure consistent implementation of business processes and identify further opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the overall delivery of Forest Services objectives and business including local and national projects and initiatives.
• Support and manage change, establishing new ways of working within the team and across Forest Services.

The post will report to the Operations Team Manager.

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

• Experience of working in a busy administrative environment.
• Ability to co-ordinate multiple work streams (projects/areas of work).
• Pro-active and flexible working approach to delivering tasks.
• Highly competent IT user with experience of the MS Office suite of applications, especially Excel. Knowledge of SharePoint is desirable.

Please clearly demonstrate how the above apply to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.

DESIRABLE

• People management experience, or proven aptitude for and willingness to progress into people management through this role.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

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

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,854, Forestry Commission contributes £9,807 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 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, Strengths and Experience.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment ending 30 September 2026, with possibility but no guarantee of extension or permanency.

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

1. A 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.
2. A personal statement – in no more than 500 words please provide details of how you meet the Essential relevant experience and criteria as set out in the person specification.
3. You will be asked to provide 250-word statement relating to the Behaviour ‘Managing a quality service’, details within the application form.
4. You will be required to select your preferred office

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 ‘Managing a quality service’. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Applications will be sifted w/c 16th. This date is subject to change.

Interview Stage

For candidates successful for interview, we will be assessing you on Experience, Behaviours and Strengths. You may be asked to prepare a presentation as part of this. Applications are planned to be sifted for the w/c 16th and interviews planned for the w/c 23rd Feb Dates subject to change.

We will be conducting online interviews with the use of Microsoft Teams or equivalent online communication methods. Candidates would therefore require access to a computer and internet at interview 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. Determine your eligibility at 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.

The post 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

Travel options include: -

Some occasional travel may be required as part of the duties of this post. The FC is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any method of travel, subject to prior approval. Successful candidates wishing to use their own private vehicle for business travel will need to comply with the FC Travel Policy on CO2 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 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.