Forestry Commission
HLS Monitoring Project Officer
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Lyndhurst, South East England, SO43 7NH
Job Summary
The successful candidate will join the Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) project team based in the New Forest. The team plans and delivers landscape-scale habitat restoration projects with external funding from the New Forest HLS scheme. The Verderer’s of the New Forest HLS scheme is focused on restoring and enhancing internationally-important habitats, renowned for their flora and fauna, and covering around 20,000 hectares. As the Monitoring Project Officer, you will play a vital role in monitoring our habitat restoration projects in the New Forest.
Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.
Job Description
Key responsibilities & accountabilities
You will be responsible for planning and managing the HLS programmes, working with our staff, stakeholders, specialists, and volunteers to deliver the recommendations in agreed monitoring plans. This will include procuring and managing contracts for habitat and species surveys, leading on data management and analysis, and helping to communicate results to a wider audience.
Examples Include:
- Managing and undertaking programmes of physical (geomorphological) surveys, water quality surveys, time-lapse photography, and fixed-point photography of wetland restoration sites.
- Commissioning, procuring, and managing contracts for habitat mapping, vegetation surveys, and specialist monitoring activities.
- Liaising with the Environment Agency and other partners to ensure suitable deployment of in-house monitoring equipment, including remote telemetry water level loggers.
- Maintaining monitoring equipment and ensuring appropriate calibration, servicing, and data quality standards are met.
- Identifying opportunities to adopt innovative monitoring techniques and technologies, such as remote sensing, digital monitoring systems, and automated data collection methods.
Procure And Manage Specialist Species Monitoring And Survey Contracts
- Work with Natural England advisers and other specialists to identify priority species surveys and monitoring requirements.
- Prepare specifications, procure, and manage contracts for specialist species surveys.
- Act as the primary contact for consultants and contractors, ensuring surveys are delivered to agreed standards, timescales, and budgets.
- Review and quality assure survey outputs, ensuring findings are suitable for informing management decisions.
- Collate, interpret, and communicate survey results to colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities to address knowledge gaps through targeted monitoring and research.
Manage and deliver a programme of surveys monitoring the impact of our terrestrial restoration work:
- Undertake repeat vegetation surveys at bracken control, wood pasture restoration, and heathland restoration sites.
- Work with Habitat Restoration Officers to identify priority monitoring locations and establish new monitoring sites where required.
- Develop long-term monitoring approaches to evaluate habitat condition and restoration outcomes.
- Ensure monitoring methods are applied consistently across sites and survey years.
- Analyse and interpret monitoring results to identify trends, successes, and areas requiring further intervention.
Lead On Hydrological Data Analysis And Interpretation
- Undertake hydrological analysis using digital terrain models, LiDAR, and ArcGIS Pro to inform restoration design and assess restoration outcomes.
- Explore and develop innovative approaches to hydrological analysis and modelling that support restoration objectives.
- Integrate hydrological, ecological, and spatial datasets to provide a comprehensive understanding of site function and condition.
- Identify opportunities to improve hydrological monitoring and data collection across the restoration programme.
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Lead On Data Management And Analysis
- Develop and maintain effective systems for storing, managing, and sharing monitoring data.
- Analyse, interpret, and synthesise the results of completed monitoring projects.
- Undertake quality assurance and validation of datasets collected internally and by contractors or partner organisations.
- Identify evidence gaps and opportunities for additional monitoring or research.
- Use ArcGIS Pro and other analytical tools to support projects monitoring the progress and effectiveness of restoration programmes.
- Integrate information from multiple monitoring sources to provide a robust evidence base for habitat management decisions.
Communicate Monitoring Outcomes And Support Evidence-based Decision Making
- Support Habitat Restoration Officers by preparing monitoring sections of Restoration Plans and presenting findings in a concise and accessible format.
- Work with Forestry England staff to establish, coordinate, and maintain two Riverfly monitoring groups undertaking surveys between April and October.
- Produce high-quality reports, maps, presentations, and summary materials to communicate monitoring results.
- Work with Communications Officers at Forestry England and the National Park Authority to share survey and monitoring outcomes with wider audiences.
- Explore and develop innovative methods of communicating monitoring findings, including StoryMaps, dashboards, web-based applications, and data visualisation tools.
- Present findings at Freshwater and Wetland Restoration Forum meetings.
- Work with the HLS Project Manager to provide quarterly updates and evidence summaries for the HLS Board.
Work with external stakeholders to support other monitoring work related to habitat management in the New Forest
- Provide technical support and guidance to university students and researchers undertaking studies within the National Park.
- Work collaboratively with organisations including the Environment Agency, Natural England, and Freshwater Habitats Trust on wetland and freshwater monitoring initiatives.
- Liaise with specialist surveyors, contractors, and research organisations to develop knowledge and enhance monitoring programmes.
- Represent the organisation at technical groups, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
- Identify and develop opportunities for collaborative projects and research partnerships.
- Promote the use of monitoring evidence to support landscape-scale conservation and restoration outcomes.
Coordinate And Develop The Riverfly Monitoring Programme
- Collate, analyse, and communicate monitoring results to relevant partners and stakeholders.
- Recruit, train, and support volunteers participating in Riverfly monitoring activities.
Person specification
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential professional and technical experience
- Recent, extensive, and relevant experience working within the environmental, ecological, conservation, or land management sector.
- Demonstrable experience planning, coordinating, and delivering ecological, habitat, or environmental monitoring programmes.
- Experience undertaking vegetation and botanical surveys.
- Experience managing ecological survey projects and commissioning and managing external contractors.
- Experience analysing and interpreting environmental datasets.
- Experience using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), particularly ArcGIS Pro, for spatial analysis, mapping, and interpretation.
- Experience producing monitoring reports and presenting technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
- Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to undertake fieldwork across the New Forest.
Desirable Professional And Technical Experience
- Knowledge of river, wetland, and freshwater ecology, hydrology, and restoration techniques.
- Experience undertaking hydrological analysis using GIS, LiDAR, or digital terrain models.
- Experience using remote sensing, telemetry equipment, automated monitoring systems, or emerging environmental monitoring technologies.
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Qualifications
Essential
- Degree (or equivalent qualification/experience) in Ecology, Conservation, Environmental Science, Geography, Biology, or a related discipline.
Desirable
- Analytical software qualifications such as R, Python, or similar tools for environmental data analysis.
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £33,854, Forestry Commission contributes £9,807 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
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 is a Temporary Appointment for [until 01/01/2029] with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.
How To Apply…
We cannot accept applications via email. Please follow the steps outlined below. Any CVs and/or personal statements sent outside the system will not be considered for shortlisting.
You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.
The Behaviours being assessed at interview are:
- Making effective decisions
- Changing and improving
- Managing a quality service
- Delivering at pace
You may also be assessed on Experience, Strength-based questions, and/or the Technical Success Profile at the interview. The technical element could include a presentation, practical, or written task.
Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.
If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.
If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.
Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in a new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
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,
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