Operations Administrative Officer Exeter, England
Job description
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Fixed Term
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Environment and Sustainability
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Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
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, reflecting England’s contribution to meeting the UK’s 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 government’s wider environmental targets. This is supported by the £640m Nature for Climate Fund announced in the March 2020 budget.
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.
By joining the Forestry Commission, you will become part of a team of passionate, committed colleagues, and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this ambitious work forward. You will be able to make your mark by helping the Forestry Commission to transform how we work together and reach new stakeholders. Forest Services as part of Forestry Commission are the Government’s forestry experts. We advise nationally and locally on how to unlock the full potential of woodlands and support the forestry sector to protect, improve and expand England’s valuable woodland assets, ensuring that they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment, and the economy.
This role sits within the Forest Services (FS) Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) team.
The Operational Delivery Team delivers services to Forestry Commission (FC) customers for Grants and Regulations, including circa 2500 felling licences per year, and 3000 grant applications. The role is responsible for the operational element of approximately £50M in grant approvals and payments.
The team works closely with the Area teams, our technical experts in the field, to administer woodland grants and regulations across England. The team's main function is to provide grants for tree planting, woodland management and tree health, also enforcing the Forestry Act through regulatory processes such as felling licence applications and environmental impact assessments.
Job description
The Operations Delivery Team
Undertake transactional duties and activities within the Operations Delivery team
Effectively administer current and legacy grant schemes and Regulatory processes in accordance with FC procedures and complying with paying agency rules.
Work with peers, area staff and the woodland sector to ensure a high quality of customer service and the coordinated delivery of FC targets.
Key Work Areas
- Ensure effective handling of transactional aspects of Regulations, current and legacy grant schemes activity
- Follow FC guidelines, processes and procedures and comply with legislation, scheme rules, paying agency, and internal audit requirements
- Follow the financial controls which are in place
- Provide effective case management including processing applications, contract/licence approval – claim management, amendments, remote inspection, case review and closure by following national instructions
- Provide customer service function for above activities, giving verbal and written advice and communication to customers. All transactional activities to be carried out in accordance with customer service/citizens charter standards
- Liaise with area staff (particularly Woodland Officers) on technical issues and queries involving direct liaison with the customer e.g. inspections
- Deal with public enquiries through triage to the area teams or other appropriate FC staff where necessary
The post will report to the Operations Admin Manager.
Person specification
Essential
- Experience of working in a busy administrative environment
- Ability to co-ordinate multiple work streams (projects/areas of work)
- Pro-active and flexible working approach to delivering tasks
- Highly competent IT user with experience of the MS Office suite of applications, especially Excel. Knowledge of SharePoint is also desirable
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process, you will complete the following:
1. A 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 500 words please provide details of how you meet the Essential relevant experience and criteria as set out in the person specification.
3. You will be asked to provide 250-word statement relating to the Behaviour ‘Managing a quality service’, details within the application form.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Interview Stage
For candidates successful for interview, we will be assessing you on Experience, Behaviours and Strengths.
Applications are planned to be sifted for the w/c 5th June 2023 and interviews planned for the w/c 12th June 2023. Dates subject to change.
We will be conducting online interviews with the use of Microsoft Teams or equivalent online communication methods. Candidates would therefore require access to a computer and internet at interview stage.
Travel options include:-
Some occasionally travel may be required as part of the duties of this post. However, the FC is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any method of travel, subject to prior approval. Successful candidates wishing to use their own private vehicle for business travel will need to comply with the FC Travel Policy on CO2 emissions (115g maximum CO2/km from April 2023).
Further Information
Three posts are a Temporary Appointment with duration of 2 years with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
We will offer the top 5 scoring applicants the permanent roles with the other applicants who have successfully passed the bar in merit order being offered the FTA's.
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
The post is full time. 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.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be 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 circumstances 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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
Security
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be 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 circumstances 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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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 [email protected] 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 you’re 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
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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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