Head of GIS and Data Services


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Details

Reference number

316599

Salary

£53,550 – £59,292
Appointments to Forest Research are made at the entry level of the salary quoted above except in exceptional circumstances where a candidate’s experience and skills may justify a higher starting salary.
A
Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer
Grade 7
Pay Band 2

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

FR – Inventory, Forecasting and Operation Support

Type of role

Business Management and Improvement
Digital
Environment and Sustainability
Geography
Project Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

This is a key leadership role with the majority the of team based in Northern Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9SY, this is our preferred base location for this role. Consideration will also be given to working from Alice Holt, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH. Depending on your preferred location some travel will be required. We offer blended working which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from the workplace. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

Job summary

 Want to work at the cutting edge of environmental science research?  Passionate about making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crises? Forest Research (FR) is a leading UK scientific research organisation that provides impactful scientific data, evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners. Internationally recognised, we want to work with people who have the skills and passion to deliver impactful science which informs practical solutions across the sector.

We’re small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways.  Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our natural environment.  With locations across the UK, you will find us a flexible and inclusive employer who promotes agile working to help you manage your work life balance. If you want to be a part of a growing organisation that makes a difference, find out more at Homepage – Forest Research

Job description

This role will be responsible for leading the GIS and Data Services team.

The Forester & Geodata team sit within the Centre for Inventory Forecasting & Operational Support, an expert, customer focused provider of forestry information, software, and service. The successful applicant will lead and manage our talented and highly motivated team, managing our Forester and Geostore system.

Please see the attached Applicant pack for the full job description.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

  • Experience of delivering large-scale corporate cloud and web-based GIS solutions and services utilising the Esri suite of products.
  • Customer focussed with emphasis on networking and collaborating with customers internally to understand and develop opportunities for new service offerings.
  • Extensive contract and supplier management experience.
  • Experience of leading people and managing a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Experience in establishing and nurturing customer and business relationships to support and improve the service.
  • Excellent budgetary, administration and organisation skills
  • Depending on your preferred location some travel will be required

Desirable Criteria:

  • Knowledge and understanding of Forestry, environment, or land management
  • Interest and knowledge of emerging technologies

Behaviours

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

Alongside your salary of £53,550, Forestry Commission – Forest Research contributes
£14,458 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Your career

  • Excellent professional development opportunities which are tailored to your role, with paid professional membership subscriptions, mentoring, and Civil Service Learning available to all
  • access to world class laboratory facilities, as well as state of the art buildings within forest or science park settings

Your work/life balance

  • flexible working options such as: up to two days flexi leave per month, blended working, part-time working, paid special leave, career breaks, and unpaid leave. Parents and carers will be supported to enable you to manage work and family responsibilities
  • A generous annual leave allowance of 25 days on entry increasing by 1 day each year to a maximum of 30 days (pro-rata for part-timers). Plus 2.5 days of additional leave and 8 days’ paid bank/public holidays

Your wellbeing

  • A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment
  • A range of wellbeing benefits including Employee Assistance Programme 24/7
  • We want you to feel part of something bigger and we encourage a community feel in our workplaces, with everything from cookery competitions to Pilates and fell running, plus topical talks at Wellbeing Wednesdays and Feelgood Fridays
  • Paid volunteering leave of 3 days per year so you can give back to your community and charitable causes by sharing your skills and time

Your benefits

  • a highly competitive Civil Service Pension where employer contributions starting at  26% of your salary
  • an employee benefits scheme offering discounts on groceries, gym memberships, holidays, days out, online retailers and high street shops
  • Cycle to Work scheme and Interest free loans
  • Free parking is offered on-site, alongside electric car charging ports
  • With maternity, adoption, and/or shared parental leave there’s the flexibility to have up to 26 weeks full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid leave. Paternity leave of up to two weeks is available with full pay.

Any move to Forest Research 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Sift Date:            23rd October 2023
Interview Date:   week commencing 31st October 2023

If a large volume of applications is received, then we will sift on Experience/Technical Expertise and the Lead Behaviour, Managing a Quality Service.  However, candidates will be expected to answer questions on all behaviours at the interview stage.  

Applicants invited to attend interview will be required to prepare a short presentation, details will be advised at time of interview confirmation.

This vacancy is open to employees who were appointed to the Civil Service on merit following a fair and open competition or were appointed to a permanent Civil Service post in accordance with an exception certified by the Civil Service Commissioners. This may mean that an employee on Short Term Temporary Appointment, or an Agency Worker, is not eligible to apply for this post. 

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Forest Research which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

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.

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.

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.
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 : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk
  • Email : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : hr.services@forestresearch.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 FR HR Services by email: hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

CS_Behaviours_2018 Opens in new window (pdf, 1043kB)
Head of GIS and Data Services Applicant Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)

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