Engagement Officer Full Time NEW

The post will be based within Yorkshire and North East and will include the need to travel within the Area. The home office for the role will be York or Newcastle and the successful candidate will be expected to live in the Yorkshire and North East.

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.

The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission have a joint Nature for Climate Fund tree programme for England to support the forestry sector, farmers, landowners and communities in the delivery of these ambitions.

This role will support the regional promotion and engagement plans, and help to build strong partnerships with local stakeholders to drive the woodland creation agenda across Yorkshire and the North East.

If you are passionate about the role forestry can play in creating a better future for England, and want to play a part in that, we want to hear from you. You will be joining a team of committed colleagues, and you will have the opportunity to build on a wealth of expertise to take our ambitious programme of woodland creation forward.

You will be able to make your mark by helping the Forestry Commission to revolutionise how we reach new audiences and influence the woodland creation agenda.

Job Description

The Engagement Officer will provide direct support to the Regional Promotion and Engagement Manager, Land Use Advisors, and the wider team in relation to any Promotion & Engagement (P&E) activity. This role will be part of a team of Engagement Officers providing support across the five area teams.

This may range from coordinating events, to conducting desk-based targeting research, to triaging customer enquiries. Additionally, they will provide help and support to external stakeholders and customers, working together with the regional P&E and wider Area team, to help us reach the largest number of people amongst our target audiences.

Key Work Areas

• Work with Regional Promotion and Engagement Managers to help deliver the Promotion & Engagement regional implementation plan and respond to any arising promotion and engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate business development activity, working together with Land Use Advisors, for example: research opportunities and manage attendance at networking events, farm clusters or local marts; help arrange farm walks.
• Manage event organisation and attend events where required, working with Area colleagues.
• Create localised content such as case studies and newsletters, working with the national P&E team and Area team.
• Undertake lead generation activities with new and existing audiences, which will range from researching new leads and proactive targeting of larger landowners, to early stage follow up of leads, to co-ordinating localised engagement with stakeholders.
• Help coordinate collaboration with other advisors.
• Triage incoming enquiries where required, working together with Area colleagues as per agreed regional enquiry process.
• Maintain a list of, and coordinate Area engagement with, all localised farmer and landowner forums/networks/groups, working within broader Area stakeholder engagement plan.
• Support regional stakeholder engagement in line with agreed plans, including maintaining stakeholder mapping databases and recording meeting actions.
• Own local usage of Lead Tracker/CRM system, supporting Area colleagues as necessary and ensuring leads are followed up. Ensure any new leads generated at events are logged in the Lead Tracker/CRM system. Run regular reports on system data and identify trends and areas for improvement/opportunity.
• Provide administrative support for P&E colleagues and any staff conducting P&E activity within the Area, for example sending out materials, arranging meetings/events, coordinating private agent engagement, formatting farm audit reports, etc.

Some travel will be required, mainly across Yorkshire and North East area. This may involve occasional weekend work when supporting agricultural shows.

Please note that this vacancy requires a minimum of 30 hours to be worked per week. applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply but your preferred working pattern may not be available.

The role will report to the Regional Promotion and Engagement Manager.

The Engagement Officer will provide direct support to the Regional Promotion and Engagement Manager, Land Use Advisors, and the wider team in relation to any Promotion & Engagement (P&E) activity. This role will be part of a team of Engagement Officers providing support across the five area teams.

This may range from coordinating events, to conducting desk-based targeting research, to triaging customer enquiries. Additionally, they will provide help and support to external stakeholders and customers, working together with the regional P&E and wider Area team, to help us reach the largest number of people amongst our target audiences.

Key Work Areas

• Work with Regional Promotion and Engagement Managers to help deliver the Promotion & Engagement regional implementation plan and respond to any arising promotion and engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate business development activity, working together with Land Use Advisors, for example: research opportunities and manage attendance at networking events, farm clusters or local marts; help arrange farm walks.
• Manage event organisation and attend events where required, working with Area colleagues.
• Create localised content such as case studies and newsletters, working with the national P&E team and Area team.
• Undertake lead generation activities with new and existing audiences, which will range from researching new leads and proactive targeting of larger landowners, to early stage follow up of leads, to co-ordinating localised engagement with stakeholders.
• Help coordinate collaboration with other advisors.
• Triage incoming enquiries where required, working together with Area colleagues as per agreed regional enquiry process.
• Maintain a list of, and coordinate Area engagement with, all localised farmer and landowner forums/networks/groups, working within broader Area stakeholder engagement plan.
• Support regional stakeholder engagement in line with agreed plans, including maintaining stakeholder mapping databases and recording meeting actions.
• Own local usage of Lead Tracker/CRM system, supporting Area colleagues as necessary and ensuring leads are followed up. Ensure any new leads generated at events are logged in the Lead Tracker/CRM system. Run regular reports on system data and identify trends and areas for improvement/opportunity.
• Provide administrative support for P&E colleagues and any staff conducting P&E activity within the Area, for example sending out materials, arranging meetings/events, coordinating private agent engagement, formatting farm audit reports, etc.

Some travel will be required, mainly across Yorkshire and North East area. This may involve occasional weekend work when supporting agricultural shows.

Please note that this vacancy requires a minimum of 30 hours to be worked per week. applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply but your preferred working pattern may not be available.

The role will report to the Regional Promotion and Engagement Manager.

Person specification

Essential

• Prior experience of engaging with external customers and stakeholders through different channels including face to face.
• Prior experience of event management.
• Prior experience of copywriting.
• Highly organised and a proactive communicator.
• Team player, able to work effectively with colleagues.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office, and Sharepoint. Able to familiarise self quickly with new systems

Desirable

• Prior experience working within the farming, forestry or land management sectors.
• Prior experience of working in marketing and communications.
• Experience in GIS software desirable but not essential to support customer targeting based on spatial information.
• Experience of using e-marketing platforms such as Mailchimp and Eventbrite.
• Experience of lead generation activity.

Technical Skills

• Experience of event management

Licences

Full UK driving licence

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Candidates will be asked to complete a short task at the interview.

Alongside your salary of £30,105, Forestry Commission contributes £8,721 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 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.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Fixed Term Appointment until 31st March 2027 with possibility of extension or permanency, but no guarantee.

As part of the application process, you will complete the following:

• A tailored CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements, of no more than two pages. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A personal statement – in no more than 750 words showing how you meet the criteria of the Person Specification.
• You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements relating to the Behaviour Working Together

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Working Together

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Experience, Strengths and Technical Skills

We will be conducting in-person interviews at Foss House, Kings Pool, 1-2 Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PX

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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Existing Civil Servants (excluding Forestry Commission employees) and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, and will only be considered on a 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.

Existing Forestry Commission, Forestry England and Forest Research employees are eligible to apply for this Fixed Term Appointment and will only be considered if there is written confirmation from their line manager and HR that their current role will be temporarily backfilled or held open before commencing the application process.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that this vacancy requires a minimum of 30 hours to be worked per week. applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply but your preferred working pattern may not be available.

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.

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.

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 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.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

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

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.