Forestry Commission
Recreation Craftsperson
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Ashley Heath, South West England, BH24 2ET
Job Summary
Moors Valley Country Park & Forest is situated on the Hampshire/Dorset border and is part of the South Forest District, which manages some 46,000 hectares of the nation’s forests across West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire Hampshire, Isle of White, Dorset, and South Wiltshire. The area receives over 20 million day visits each year and operates two major Forest Centres at Moors Valley and Alice Holt.
Moors Valley Country Park receives nearly one million of these visits, who are attracted by our fantastic range of facilities including play equipment, cycle and walking trails, Go-Ape, events, and much more. The site is run in partnership with Dorset Council, working together to ensure the success of the site as a whole. The majority of services are provided through business partners, volunteers, and stakeholders; however, key programs such as play, cycling, site entry, facility maintenance are led by Forestry England.
This role is a key member of the Forestry England Moors Valley team and we are looking for someone who can work with drive and motivation to improve the site, with a focus on delivering a high-quality visitor experience. As a recreation craftsperson, this team member will be focused on maintaining the site and its many facilities and providing excellent customer service. The role requires weekend working on a rota system.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
- Promote enjoyable visits to the site by ensuring a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for visitors.
- Inspect and maintain recreation facilities, such as formal play structures, walking and cycling trails to a high standard and in line with District and National policies.
- Carry out a range of practical maintenance tasks throughout the forest estate. This includes reporting of fly-tipping, litter picking, maintenance of vegetation, and tree safety inspections and resumptions.
- Form good working relationships with key stakeholders and external partners (e.g., Go Ape and Dorset Council) and maintain good communications to enable the site to run smoothly and improve customer experience.
- Assist in the operation and maintenance of the car parking ANPR system.
- Help to maintain and develop safe facilities whilst balancing recreational activity with other forest activities.
- Work a 7-day rota (37 hours per week) to help the team deliver all-year-round staff cover and keep the site operational. You will be expected to work regular weekends and public holidays.
- Provide front-of-house service to visitors, assisting them by providing information about the park in a friendly and accurate manner. Be part of a team managing first aid incidents and finding lost children within the park.
- Support the team in any emergency procedures subject to appropriate training.
- Work closely with volunteers to ensure they have a safe and positive experience in line with our volunteer management processes.
- Engage in events and bespoke trails to drive visits and engagement with the environment.
- A large proportion of this role will be public facing, answering queries in person, handling complaints, or managing cash through the pay machines. You may also be required to input content for social media and email to customers.
- We work as part of the wider South District and engagement between teams such as Marketing, Civil Engineering, and Business Support is also essential.
- The site is open seven days a week, and your rota will include regular weekend working.
- And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.
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Person Specification
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential Professional and Technical Experience
- Good understanding of health and safety best practice relating to working in a forest or public access site.
- Experience of dealing with customers or visitors face-to-face in a professional and friendly manner.
- An understanding of the role that effective communications play within teamwork and also in dealings with the public.
- Experience of woodland management, groundwork, or site maintenance with the ability to use a wide range of hand tools.
- Experience in tree safety inspections and recreation site inspections.
- Basic computer skills with competence in the use of MS Office applications.
Desirable Professional and Technical Experience
- Experience in a public-facing role.
- Experience in working with volunteers and groups.
- Experience in tree felling and use of chainsaws.
Qualifications
Essential
- Full driving license.
Desirable
- Training and certificates in chainsaw, clearing saw, brush cutter, strimmer, and other machine use.
- 4x4 Driver training.
- Experience working with volunteers.
Compensation and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £26,959, Forestry Commission contributes £7,810 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process Details
How To Apply
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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.
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You will be assessed on experience, a practical-based task, and strength-based questions during your interview.
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The Behaviors being assessed at interview are:
- Managing a quality service
- Working Together
- Delivering at pace
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.
Get help with your application
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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 criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard 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
- 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
- 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
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
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 attracting, retaining, and investing in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
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
Recruitment Team
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.
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