Recreation Craftsperson

Job summary

What you’ll do…

We are looking for a Recreation Craftsperson to be an integral part of the Forestry England Northumberland Recreation team to maintain recreation facilities and site infrastructure: Car parks, cycle routes and accessible trails within the forest to ensure that we deliver a high-quality visitor experience. Working across The Kielder Forest and supporting wider recreation sites across Northumberland Forests. You will also work with the wider Beat teams and volunteers to maintain our visitor facilities, making sure our visitors have a smooth, inclusive and enjoyable experience. You will help cultivate a supportive and positive work environment that encourages teamwork, productivity and individual growth.

Weekend working will be core requirement of this role to support the team and support wellbeing of the team to be able to have 2 days non work per week as legally required in a 7-day period.

During peak loads of visitors to the forests the role will be more supporting visitor services, in quieter periods the role will be hands on maintenance of facilities such as trails on both forest walks and mountain bike trail network in addition to supporting car parks and Kielder Castle centre and also learning how integrated operational works with facility management to best practice standards.

Where you’ll work…

Based at Kielder Depot, working across Kielder Forest and also supporting the wider recreational sites located at forests of Northumberland when required.

Job description

As part of our visitor welcome team you will operate our visitor welcome area, handling cash and credit card
sales, and proactively selling Forestry England memberships.

• Give information and deal with enquiries from customers inclusively, positive and friendly.
• Regularly inspect car parks, walking, running and cycling routes, and other recreational facilities including play areas. Take pride in managing litter , to create a safe and enjoyable environment.
• Help maintain clean and welcoming public areas for our visitors to enjoy.
• Play a crucial role in organising, supervising, and delivering exciting events, activities, and visitor services
  that create lasting memories.
• Be willing to train in first aid and help when needed, contributing to safe and effective visitor support services.
• Work closely with staff and volunteers, ensuring a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
• Follow Forestry England’s procedures for handling cash, risk assessments, and customer service, being consistent and efficient.
• Maintain strong communication with on-site partners, such as the restaurant and shop concessions, so we have a seamless and cohesive visitor experience.
• Oversee parking infrastructure, addressing any issues quickly to ensure a hassle-free experience for visitors.
• Do maintenance including using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), brush cutters, strimmer and fencing machinery.
• Collaborate to help complete annual tree safety checks to help maintain a safe environment.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Essential professional and technical experience

• experience in delivering excellent customer service both in-person and using a variety of digital platforms
• willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual tasks
• proven ability to work as part of a team
• practical understanding or a willingness to learn about health & safety best practices and a commitment to a positive health and safety culture in an outdoor environment
• competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications

Desirable professional and technical experience

• basic DIY experience including the ability to carry out minor maintenance tasks on visitor buildings, signage, trails
• experience of operating electronic admissions or retail till systems
• experience of undertaking cash handling duties
• a working knowledge of risk assessments and safe working in an outdoor setting
• experience of working at a visitor attraction in the heritage and or environment sector
• experience of assisting with the delivery of events and activities

Qualifications
Essential

• full UK driving license
• a GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent/equivalent Engineering subject

Desirable

• training and certificates in chainsaw, clearing saw, brush cutter, and other machine use
• training and certificates in pesticide application
• ATV (sit in and sit astride)
• Fencing

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• To be confirmed.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,959, Forestry Commission contributes £7,810 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

How to apply…

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

You will be assessed on experience, a technical skill and strength based questions during your interview.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.

If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.

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 : FC Recruitment Team
• Email : fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.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.

Attachments

Forestry England Job Description - Recreation Assistant PB6B (4) Opens in new window (pdf, 83kB)