Find More Than 10K+
United Kingdom Jobs

Northern Ireland Forest Service

Based – Northern Ireland with hybrid working available

Closing Date 16th June 2023

Apply for this role.

Forest Service is an Executive Agency of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland. The agency’s forest policy is to promote the expansion of forest cover and sustainable forestry; and to manage its forest estate for timber production in support of economic growth; and in a way that provides greater opportunities for Northern Ireland citizens to benefit from enhanced biodiversity, recreation and tourism.

We are a multidisciplinary organisation, whose staff are drawn mainly from forestry, agriculture, industrial and administrative disciplines, and are currently seeking to fill a number of Forest Officer Grade III full-time vacancies that require forestry knowledge, skills and experience. Applications are invited from candidates who meet the eligibility criteria, to apply for this opportunity and challenge.

Forest Officer posts are based in Enniskillen (County Fermanagh), Newry (County Armagh) and Garvagh (County Londonderry). Forest Officer III is a mobile grade and successful candidates will be expected to work in any of the forests throughout Northern Ireland and to be posted to a number of operational bases during their employment. The Northern Ireland Civil Service operates a hybrid working policy within which Forest Officers may undertake their work from their assigned base and other remote working locations subject to business need.

Key Responsibilities

Forest Officer III’s are responsible for leading and safely managing forestry activities across the range of forestry and plant health services. The duties vary between posts, and will include:

• Planning, commissioning and controlling forestry operations including day to day management of staff and contract work;
• Management and development of staff;
• Coordinating activities on the forest service estate to secure forest service interests in relation to public safety and protection of forests;
• Developing and maintaining good relations with customers, landowners and forestry stakeholders;
• Use of IT systems in budgeting, procurement, reporting, surveying, data collection and analysis, including working with geographic information systems (gis) for the purposes of disease control, business planning, forest management, timber supply, policy development and customer service;
• Inspecting and enforcing legislation for the purposes of aid schemes, forest protection and public access to forests, felling control, environmental protection and plant health;
• Providing professional and technical input to policy development; and
• Driving official vehicles and operating machinery and equipment.

Eligibility Criteria

For the Forest Officer III role you must:

Possess, or expect to achieve, by 31st July 2023:

1. A degree in Forestry or another educational qualification* that has been assessed by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) to meet a minimum requirement of 5 points;

• These qualifications may include those acquired outside the UK.

AND by the closing date for applications have:

2.a. At least Associate membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF); or be a technical member of another recognised professional forestry body;

OR

2.b. At least 10 months practical experience** actively working within any of the following ICF competency areas:

• Business Management;
• Forestry and Woodland Management;
• Arboriculture and Urban Woodland Management;
• Environment, Biodiversity and Wildlife Management;
• Recreation Management and Planning;
• Public Consultation and Participation;
• Harvesting, Marketing and Utilisation;
• Forest Engineering;
• Policy Development and Strategic planning;
• Timber Conversion;
• Tree Nursery Management;
• Forestry and Arboricultural Research; and
• Forestry and Arboricultural Teaching.

AND

3. A full and current UK driving licence.

Salary and Benefits

Salary will be within the range £33,730 - £34,437 (under review) within which pay progression will be performance related.

As a Forest Officer within the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) you will enjoy:

• An annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing to 30 days after 5 years, in addition to public and privilege holidays.
• An attractive pension package.
• Access to NICS career pathways and job opportunities.

Completed application forms must be submitted no later than 12:00 noon (UK time) on Friday 16th June 2023.

Any queries about this employment opportunity can be directed through HRConnect by:

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 0800 1 300 330