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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Education and Training
Environment and Sustainability
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About the job
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. We aim to at least treble tree planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament, reflecting Englands contribution to meeting the UKs overall target of planting 30,000 hectares per year by the end of this Parliament. This acceleration in current planting rates in England will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to governments wider environmental targets. This is supported by the £640m Nature for Climate Fund announced in the March 2020 budget.
The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission have set up a joint Nature for Climate Fund tree programme for England to support the forestry sector, landowners and communities in the delivery of these ambitions.
Forestry Commission leads the delivery of the following parts of the tree planting programme:
– Sector capacity
– Planting on public land
– Planting on private land
– promotion and engagement
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.
We need to grow and diversify the forestry sector by training more people to work in forestry careers and to develop the skills of the existing forestry workforce. Apprenticeships are a key part of this work, and we are setting up a small team to reach out to and support employers, colleges and students, helping them through the process and solving problems along the way.
Job description
Purpose of the job
To stimulate the provision and uptake of apprenticeships in the forestry sector by engaging with stakeholders including education providers, employers and students, building relationships, understanding barriers and resolving problems and by advocating apprenticeships in early career development.
Key Responsibilities
You will set up and lead a small team who will conduct outreach, support and co-ordination with colleges, potential employers, and apprentices to build momentum for careers in forestry. The team will actively advocate forestry apprenticeships and promote careers in the sector. The team will develop a detailed understanding of this part of the sector and will work to create opportunities.
The team will work with education providers
- Establish and maintain excellent working relationships with education providers, especially FE colleges
- Actively work with education providers to identify barriers to the provision of forestry courses and develop a plan to resolve these, identifying resource needs where necessary and escalating issues appropriately
- Co-ordinate support for colleges from Lecturers and Trainers within the wider apprenticeship team
The team will work with employers
- Establish and maintain detailed database of employer contacts
- Build and maintain relationships with sector employers and with representative bodies, to understand training need, barriers to taking on apprentices and identifying and developing firm apprenticeship opportunities.
- Provide help/guidance to employers regarding questions, issues and feedback over taking on apprentices. This may include help with sourcing and selecting apprentices, help with applying for funding etc.
- Maintain regular contact with employers for the duration of an apprenticeship, helping them build the best experience for students
The team will work with students
- Promote forestry apprenticeships through a wide variety of communication and liaison methods including careers fairs, publications and attending events with the aim of recruiting new people to forestry careers
- Establish and maintain a detailed database of potential and actual apprentices ensuring all security and data legislation is followed correctly
- Support people in finding and successfully securing apprenticeships providing guidance and
- Support apprentices throughout the duration of their placement monitoring both over the phone and in face-to-face meetings, helping them to resolve issues and ensuring the highest quality of training and co-ordinating placements with other organisations where possible/appropriate
- Support apprentices in finding employment and/or further training following the completion of their apprenticeship
Performance and Reporting
- Agree targets for the team and monitor and assess these regularly
- Report regularly to line managers within the Apprenticeship Unit and to the Sector Capacity Project and as required by mangers
- Communicate progress to the wider forestry sector and within the Forestry Commission.
This job description is designed to outline a range of main duties that may be encountered. It is not designed to be an exhaustive listing of tasks.
Person specification
ESSENTIAL
- Experience of leading and developing a small team
- Experience of working with external organisations in relation to identifying placements and matching these with apprentices
- Knowledge of the labour market and skills shortages
- Strong organisational skills with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail
- Strong teamwork skills with an ability to develop collaborative relationships
- Exceptional oral, written and presentation skills with the ability to convey information to a diverse audience
- Knowledge and understanding of UK apprenticeships including funding regulations, apprenticeship standards and relevant policies
DESIRABLE
- Understanding of the forest education landscape, apprenticeships and the wider forestry sector.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£9,721 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process, you will complete the following:
1. A tailored 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 750 words showing how you meet the essential criteria of the person specification evidence and your preferred location.
Applications will be sifted week commencing the 4th of September 2023. This date is subject to change.
Interviews will be held in person on 19th of September 2023 and will be held at the Forestry Commission offices at Cannock Chase (WS15 2UQ). Please keep this in mind when applying.This date is subject to change.
The interviews will be based on Experience, Behaviours and Strengths.
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.
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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe 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 circumstance 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..
The duties of this post require the applicant to work for a proportion of each year in a secondment standing with the University of Cumbria for the Forestry Commission led off-the-job training delivery. While seconded to the University of Cumbria successful candidates will remain employed by the Forestry Commission, for the purposes of pay, pension, benefits, disciplinary/grievance, and length of service. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.
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.
Successful candidates if using their own private vehicle for business travel will need to comply with the Forestry Commission travel policy on CO2 emissions (115g maximum CO2/km until April 2026, at which point this will reduce to 70g/km).
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.
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 youre 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
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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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
