Forestry Commission
Operations Administrative Manager
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Location: Bucks Horn Oak (GU10 4LS) preferred, other Forestry Commission (FC) offices may be considered.
Job Type: Regular office presence, with frequent travel nationwide.
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. Our Prime Minister and our government are committed as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan to increasing the tree canopy cover across England from the current 14.5% to at least 16.5% by 2050 – this means 34,000 ha of new tree cover by 2028.
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.
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 Team (ODT).
The Operational Delivery Team delivers services to Forestry Commission (FC) customers for Grants and Regulations, including circa 3500 felling licences per year, and 3000 grant applications.
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 Admin Manager within the ODT Regulations Team is responsible for managing and monitoring the performance of their team, working with peers to deliver a consistent approach to Regulations functions across the country, maintaining good working relationships with colleagues in other FC and Defra teams, and providing a high standard of service to customers.
The role is responsible for overseeing the operational customer support function for the new ‘Apply for a tree felling licence’ service, ensuring the team provides an effective first-line of support to customers during and following rollout. This includes working closely with the National Grants & Regulations (NGR) System Support Manager to coordinate call handling, triage customer enquiries, and ensure technical issues are escalated and resolved efficiently.
Effectively managing the administration of felling licences and other regulatory functions in accordance with Forestry commission procedures.
Working with the other Operations Admin Managers to provide leadership and carry out line management duties for the Operational Delivery Regulations team, including supporting the introduction and ongoing operation of the new ‘Apply for a tree felling licence’ service. This includes working collaboratively with the NGR System Support Manager to establish effective support arrangements, manage customer demand during rollout, and embed new ways of working across the team.
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Working 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
- Effectively line-manage up to a maximum of 6 Operations Admin Officers within the Operational delivery team, ensuring they have the information and tools needed to fulfil their role.
- Provide leadership and demonstrate positive behaviours for the team to follow; be firm on poor performance to ensure everyone works to their best ability.
- Ensure effective handling of transactional aspects of Regulations, following FC guidelines, processes and procedures, and complying with legislation and scheme rules.
- Provide a customer service function for the above activities, including supporting customers using the new ‘Apply for a tree felling licence’ service, managing the team's first-line response to customer enquiries, and ensuring calls and queries are triaged appropriately to the National Grants & Regulations System Support Manager where issues require specialist support.
- Work closely with the National Grants & Regulations System Support Manager to monitor customer support demand, coordinate operational call handling arrangements, identify recurring issues and contribute to continuous improvement of the customer support service and system.
- Liaise with Area staff (particularly Woodland Officers) on technical issues and queries.
- Deal with public enquiries through triage to the Area teams or other appropriate FC staff where necessary.
- Liaise with Operations Admin Manager peers, Area teams, the National Grants & Regulations team (NGR) and the NGR System Support Manager to ensure consistent implementation of business processes, support the successful rollout of new systems, and identify further opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Contribute to the overall delivery of Forest Services objectives and business including local and national projects and initiatives.
- Support and manage change, establishing new ways of working within the team and across Forest Services.
The post will report to the Operations Team Manager.
Person Specification
Essential
- Experience of working in a busy operational delivery environment.
- Experience of delivering excellent customer service and supporting customers through enquiries, resolving issues, and providing advice across multiple communication channels (e.g. telephone and email).
- 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 desirable.
Please clearly demonstrate how the above applies to you throughout your application.
Desirable
- People management experience, or proven aptitude for and willingness to progress into people management through this role.
- Experience of managing or coordinating a customer support function, including triaging enquiries and working with specialist teams to resolve customer issues.
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:
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Managing a Quality Service
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 (opens in a new window) with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- 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).
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 and Experience.
Fixed Term Appointment until 30th 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. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be split into 2 parts and request: Job History, Full Qualification Details.
- A personal statement- in no more than 750 words please provide details of how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
- You will also be asked to provide a 250-word statement relating to the Behaviour on the application form.
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 personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
At interview, you will be assessed against Behaviours and Strengths.
Indicative Timeline
- Shortlisting to take place 18th September 2026
- Interviews to be carried out w/c 28th September 2026
Please be aware dates may be subject to change for both sifting and interviews.
Interviews will be held in person at Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4LS, so please keep this in mind when applying.
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.
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