What you'll do:

Your main responsibilities include making sure we have seamless day-to-day visitor operations, our visitors are having excellent experiences, and maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for our customers. You will also actively engage with local communities cultivating meaningful relationships and developing recreational opportunities, enhancing volunteer involvement, and answering visitor enquiries. You will contribute to the overall enrichment of the visitor experience, drive efficiencies and income generation opportunities, while strengthening community connections.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you'll work:

East England Forest District, covers an area of 35,000 hectares from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase Community Forest. The District has a varied landholding including the largest lowland pine forest in England at Thetford, community woodland on the outskirts of London at Thames Chase, and a range of mixed woodland, many of which are on sites of Ancient Woodland.

There are numerous sites of conservation interest designated across the District, including Special Protection Areas to conserve the breeding habitat for the Woodlark and Nightjar, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Specific Scientific Interest, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty, Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland, County Wildlife Sites and Scheduled Monuments.

The District offers outdoor recreation, leisure and wellbeing activities for hundreds of thousands of people each year at its recreation centres. Forestry England's whole freehold estate is dedicated for public access on foot, with numerous small carparks and informal access points.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to create memorable visitor/community focused experiences, maintain our recreational facilities, and co-ordinate engaging community activities. Here's a snapshot of your responsibilities:

• be the face of Forestry England: you'll provide a visible and welcoming presence for visitors by coordinating and supervising day-to-day site activities to ensure a positive and memorable experience.
• maintain safe and enjoyable sites: carry out regular inspections of car parks, cycle routes, and recreational facilities, including play areas and litter management, to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all.
• collaborate with staff: support Forestry England staff with public access considerations during planning and implementation of harvesting and conservation operations.
• promote responsible behaviour: deliver appropriate messages about responsible visitor behaviour and professionally manage and resolve potential conflicts.
• strengthen community engagement: develop community involvement and recreation opportunities that create meaningful connections between visitors and the nation's forests.
• support operational programmes: help with project delivery and align with internal guidance and district plans to promote sustainable and responsible forestry practices.
• ensure health and safety: coordinate emergency procedures, provide first aid assistance, complete accident and incident reports, and adhere to health and safety guidelines.
• manage stakeholder relationships: build strong relationships with external partners, tenants, and concession operators. collaborate with local agencies, such as the National Park Authority Ranger Team, to coordinate multi-agency work during peak times and reduce visitor impact and arson risks.
• represent Forestry England: participate in stakeholder meetings, events, and volunteer programmes to showcase the great work of Forestry England and foster community engagement.
• inspire others: plan, lead, and safely manage volunteer groups and programmes connecting volunteers andlocal communities with the nation's forests.

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

Essential professional and technical experience

• experience of working in a public facing role delivering high quality customer service requiring excellent verbal and written communication skills both in person and via a variety of digital platforms.
• willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weathers and to carry out manual tasks.
• practical experience of planning and delivering public engagement activities.
• excellent team working skills and the ability to work with dispersed team members.
• practical understanding of 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

• experience working with various social media platforms.
• experience of project and contract management.
• experience in working with volunteers.

Essential Qualifications

• full UK driving license.
• a GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent/engineering subject, or prove equivalent to.

Desirable

• HND or equivalent in land or recreation management, tourism or leisure or similar.
• First Aid.
• health and safety qualification.

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits:

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year's service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

Read more about the benefits on the Forestry England website.

Job contact :

• Name : FC Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]