Commercial Development Surveyor: Recreation Programme Manager

About this Role

This exciting opportunity will lead the innovation and development of our commercial recreation offer, while helping connect people with nature in our nation’s forests.

We are looking for a talented qualified Chartered Surveyor to lead the commercial development of new and existing partnerships in our national recreation business. You will support the Head of Commercial Development on the development of commercial arrangements and programme management as part of a commercial visitor offer for all of our national, multi-site programmes and visitor experience products across the nation’s forests in England.

We are seeking to lead and innovate new opportunities for our day visitor business and overnight stays.

If you are ready for the challenge to shape and deliver this exciting opportunity, then we’d like to hear from you.

Location

This is a national role and is offered on the basis of blended working, a combination of office based and virtual working. The role can be based at any Forestry England office with good travel and IT connections. The post holder will need to regularly travel (including some overnight stays) to sites and teams across England as required by the role.

Why join Forestry England?

We are the country’s largest land manager, caring for the nation’s forests for people, nature and the economy. The foundation of our organisation is our world-class sustainable management of the nation’s forests.

Forestry England cares for more land and trees than any other organisation in England. From small woodlands on the fringes of towns and cities, to vast areas such as the ancient New Forest, for over 100 years we have been growing, shaping and caring for the nation’s forests.

Forestry England is in a good financial position with an annual turnover of c.£115 million. Our business is thriving and is being led by a passionate and talented team. Our strategy is to connect everyone with the nation’s forests and there is a real appetite for growth and innovation as we seek to realise more of our potential through progressive plans.

We have an extraordinary staff group of over 1,200, along with 1,900 dedicated volunteers. There is a wealth of expertise and experience, coupled with a love for forests and sustainable land management that makes us a world leader in forestry.

About Forestry England

The size and scale of the nation’s forests means we are in a unique position to confront the climate emergency, tackle the nature crisis and support people’s health and wellbeing.

The nation’s forests provide valuable, high-quality, sustainably managed habitats for wildlife in forests and woodlands, grasslands, heaths, wetlands and our internationally renowned arboreta. They are critical to the country’s response in this time of crisis for nature.

We will expand the nation’s forests, contributing to the government’s action plans on trees, nature and climate along with developing and taking wider opportunities for woodland creation. Our seed and nursery units will be fundamental to the longer-term success, quality and diversity of both our mature and newly created woodlands.

Find out more about Forestry England at www.forestryengland.uk

Key Facts
• We are part of the Forestry Commission and the largest land manager in England.
• We are the largest provider of outdoor recreation in the country with 296 million visits last year
• Over half of the land in our care is covered by statutory designations, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and National Parks making them some of the most valuable habitats for nature.
• We supply England’s largest amount of sustainably sourced timber – around 1.2 million tonnes per year – nearly half the English-grown annual supply.
• From carbon capture and flood prevention, to a positive impact on our mental health: the benefits our forests bring to society are valued at over £33 billion. 

Background Information
The Commercial Development Surveyor is an exciting opportunity within our National Operations’ Recreation team. You will play a key role in ensuring that we achieve our goal of growing our recreation income by 50% over the next 5 years.

Our recreation and visitor experience business plays an essential role in fulfilling the purpose of Forestry England. As the largest provider of outdoor recreation in England our recreation and visitor experience business generate a quickly growing c. £25m of income from day visitors, events, business partners and overnight stays. 

Success in this role will require confident leadership skills, as well as the ability to influence and support an empowered team culture to take forward a wide range of commercial activity working with a wide range of business partners, both internally and externally.

The ability to think commercially and apply your knowledge to find solutions is a must, as is the desire to achieve commercial outcomes. You will be comfortable with challenge; exploiting your skill and experience to get the most from complex and novel arrangements.

You will have experience of building inspiring and productive relationships with a range of stakeholders at all levels both internally and externally and will be capable and credible representing Forestry England at a senior level and in negotiations.

The National Operations’ Recreation team works to deliver and support commercial activity across Forestry England, ranging from high profile partners such as Adventure Forest and Forest Holidays to our new models for Camping and overnight accommodation – we have high aspirations for how we continue to evolve the commercial contribution.

Purpose of the Job
As a senior representative of the National Operations’ Recreation team you will lead and support commercial activity. Responsibilities will include the progression of key workstreams for overnight accommodation, new day-visitor offerings which are key priorities in our business plan.

You will work closely with the Head of Commercial Development and the Director of Operations – Commercial Visitor Development to drive and deliver commercial activity associated with the overarching Recreation Strategy. 

Key Work Areas

• Increase the commercial contribution of the recreation offer and its financial sustainability by applying market insight, growing existing partnerships and developing new ones.
• Manage and support programme development of the commercial recreation model to ensure that targets and milestones are delivered; producing timelines, monitoring reports and managing budgets as required.
• Landlord liaison for key portfolio tenants, such as Forest Holidays, Forestry England Camping and Adventure Forest and new partners – effectively supporting the various framework agreements and multi-site activity.
• Manage the development of the pipeline of activity for commercial overnight accommodation.
• Be visible and credible representing the Commercial Recreation Team internally and externally – contributing to the development of Forestry England’s commercial offer.
• Drafting, promoting, and presenting a range of commercial submissions that support engagement and delivery of commercial recreation activity, including submissions up to Ministerial level.

EXPERIENCE & PROFESSIONAL-TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Essential

Full member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) with significant experience of delivering commercial programmes and managing landlord and tenant relationships.

Significant experience in project and or programme management with experience of programme leadership and evidence of achieving commercial outcomes within a commercial visitor offer.

Demonstrable experience of working with partners to deliver commercial outcomes and the ability to manage associated complex commercial agreements.

Business/financial acumen, with experience of managing complex/innovative transactions and structures within a commercial visitor offer.

IT competency particularly use of Microsoft applications. 

Desirable

Project / Programme Management Qualification.

Land Management Qualification.

RICS Registered Valuer qualification

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

• Name : David Chalmers MRICS – Area Land Agent (after 3rd January please)
• Email : david.chalmers@forestryengland.uk

Recruitment team

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