Oak Processionary Moth Programme Manager

Our government are committed to creating 75,000 acres of woodland a year across the UK by the end of this Parliament. This seven-fold acceleration in current planting rates in England will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to government’s wider environmental targets. This was supported by the announcement at the 11 March 2020 budget of £640m for a new Nature for Climate Fund (NCF) ‘to support natural habitats like woodland and peat’.

Forest Services is the part of Forestry Commission responsible for helping landowners and managers, businesses civil society organisations and local communities (the ‘forestry sector’) to protect, improve and expand England’s woodland resource.

The Plant Health Forestry team (PHF) is a high performing geographically distributed team with staff responsible for delivery across GB.

The post-holder will play a lead role in the FC’s management and control of Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) in relation to the Established Area, Buffer Area and Pest Free Area in England, so that it is contained and managed in line with current quarantine pest requirements. Lead on the FC’s survey and Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) management, liaise with FC colleagues, stakeholders, and support OPM communications work.

The OPM project manager will have the following responsibilities:

1. Control Programme Implementation: Deliver on the policy objectives of the OPM programme. Managing a budget of £2m for contractor engagement in the following areas – data management, surveillance, and control. Manage the budget in an efficient and cost-effective way to deliver the programme.
2. Leading the OPM team: Managing a directly employed team of four; the OPM support officer and three administrative officers.
3. Research Collaborations: Act as operational support to OPM research work that is ongoing including social science engagement with wider stakeholders.
4. OPM Awareness Initiatives and Communication: Deliver OPM communications through various mechanisms, including awareness events, newsletters and keeping web pages up to date.
5. Support Defra plant health policy colleagues: Provide operational advice and insight to help steer future direction of OPM policy.

Experience:

ESSENTIAL

• Able and comfortable to function at pace in a ‘blended’ or remote working environment, and to use online communications to maintain regular contact with FC colleagues and wider stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, including the proven ability to negotiate and influence and with well-developed staff management skills.
• Have a proven ability to be innovative, enthusiastic, and work within a team, and with a proven operational track record.
• 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.

DESIRABLE

• Experience of working as part of a geographically distributed high-performance team.
• Experience of working with incident management teams.
• A clear understanding of current forestry policies related to pests and diseases and regulations and a working knowledge of regulatory processes.

Professional and Technical Expertise:

ESSENTIAL

• Clear evidence of well-developed operational delivery, project management, people management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Degree or Higher Diploma level, or equivalent professional qualifications (e.g., ICF Membership), and significant experience working in forestry management or a plant health discipline.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

• 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. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

Job contact :

• Name : FS Recruitment Team
• Email : fs.recruitment@forestrycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk