Plant Health Forestry Area Lead & Ips typographus Programme Lead

These are exciting opportunities to join the Plant Health Operations Team within Forest Services, part of the Forestry Commission.

You will play a key role in protecting England's and Great Britain's (GB) trees and woodlands from pests and diseases, leading a team of experts to deliver operational excellence and strategic impact across England and GB.

The roles offer meaningful environmental work, professional development and the opportunity to build expertise in regulatory delivery, outbreak management, surveillance and partnership working.

About Forest Services and the Plant Health Forestry Team

Forest Services are the Government's forestry experts. We support the forestry sector and landowners to protect, improve, and expand England's woodlands through regulation, incentives, and expert advice.

Within Forest Services, the Plant Health Forestry (PHF) Team delivers technical policy advice, operational activities (border and inland), and the Forest Reproductive Materials (FRM) programme. Our work ensures that GB's treescape is protected from pests and diseases, and that we are prepared to respond to emerging threats.

The PHF Team operates with both England and GB-wide responsibilities:

• England: Inland surveillance, outbreak management, biosecurity promotion, and regulatory implementation, working with Defra and the Devolved Governments as part of the GB Plant Health Service.
• GB-wide: Statutory functions (including border inspections) and technical advice and support on plant health.

Job description

The purpose of these roles is to represent, co-ordinate and lead FC's plant health service operations across defined areas within GB and specialist programmes.

Each role will have core delivery responsibilities and a focussed specialism within the wider plant health forestry operational portfolio.

Core delivery responsibilities

• Lead and support staff and contractors to deliver high-quality inspection, surveillance and plant health services.
• Line manage relevant Plant Health Officer(s) and act as confirming officer for PHF Operational Support Officer.
• Manage a contractor resource to ensure the effective delivery of inspections and plant health services. This includes inland surveillance and border activity.
• Lead training and induction of new staff into the PHF team and support wider integration across the PHF operational delivery teams.
• Build strong links between your team and other Forest Services departments, maintaining regular communication and raising awareness of PHF's work across the wider organisation.
• Promote knowledge sharing across the PHF operational portfolio to strengthen England's response capability and resilience across regional teams.

Area Lead Core Objectives

• Lead targeted and reactive inspections of wood, wood products, and processing premises. This work is delivered by FC surveyors and contract plant health inspectors.
• Shape and oversee the effective delivery of survey programmes, including Annual Quarantine Pest Surveillance.
• Lead annual audits of processors authorised to receive material affected by pests and disease.
• Lead and co-ordinate PHF operational responses to new pest and disease findings and outbreaks.
• Oversee responses to reports and enquiries received through citizen science projects and encourage high-quality reporting across the FC and wider sector.
• Maintain overview of national and regional pest and disease dynamics, advising on appropriate outbreak management action as required.
• Collaborate with Forest Services area teams, Forest Research, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and other partners to support the timely implementation of, and compliance with, relevant legislation.
• Support PHF planning and technical teams with digital development, data improvement and contingency planning.

Engaging with stakeholders and Partnership Working

• Contribute to clear, accurate and accessible guidance, using appropriate channels and media for internal and external audiences.
• Develop and maintain constructive working relationships with the wider UK Plant Health Service, trade bodies, landowners, businesses and other stakeholders.
• Maintain effective liaison arrangements with groups involved in plant health activity, supporting consistency, co-ordination and timely information sharing.
• Promote practical biosecurity best practice.

Vision and Culture

• Help create a positive team culture that values wellbeing, inclusion, learning and professional development.
• Lead by example in developing a proactive health and safety culture.
• Play an active role in raising the profile of the Forestry Commission's plant health service and demonstrating the value and impact of its work.

These are primarily leadership and programme-delivery roles, with occasional site visits to support complex or high-priority statutory responses alongside field-based teams.

Travel within the relevant area, and occasionally elsewhere in Great Britain, will be required. This may include some overnight stays.

Area Lead specialisms

The four Area Lead roles will each retain core operational delivery responsibilities while taking ownership of a designated plant health specialism. In addition to leading operational delivery within their area, postholders will provide national leadership, coordination and subject matter expertise across their specialist portfolio. Based on current pest and disease priorities, these specialisms are expected to include, but are not limited to, aerial surveillance, Phytophthora ramorum response, regulatory activity at the border, sweet chestnut blight response, and delivery of the annual quarantine pest surveillance programme. The portfolio of specialisms will remain flexible and will be reviewed regularly to reflect emerging threats, organisational priorities and changing operational requirements.

The Ips typographus programme lead

Ips typographus (the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle) is one of the most serious biosecurity threats facing GB's forests. The Forestry Commission leads a major national programme to prevent the pest from establishing and to safeguard the economic, environmental and social benefits provided by the country's spruce woodlands.

As the national lead for the Ips typographus specialism, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for England's response programme. This includes oversight of surveillance, outbreak management and regulatory controls, while coordinating the work of specialist teams and collaborating across Forestry Commission, Defra and external partners. You will act as a recognised subject matter expert, helping to shape policy, guide operational delivery and ensure the programme continues to meet the government's eradication objectives.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• HND level or equivalent professional qualifications in either Forestry/Plant Health/Arboriculture or a related subject; and/or significant experience in forestry or the timber industry, ecology or import/export.
• A track record of building successful working relationships with a range of colleagues, partners and stakeholders.
• Experience of managing or supervising staff, contractors or service providers.
• A strong understanding of current UK tree pest and disease concerns, their management and associated legislation.
• Proven ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement, making appropriate decisions and escalating issues where necessary.
• Competence in Microsoft 365 applications.
• Ability to prioritise effectively, manage competing demands and deliver high-quality work to deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical or regulatory information clearly.
• Ability to identify common UK tree species.
• A full, valid UK driving licence.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge and experience of inspections of regulated goods, or forest pest and disease surveys.
• Proven ability to work in a flexible way, demonstrating a positive approach towards change and cross team collaboration.
• Project or programme-management skills, including planning, monitoring delivery and managing risks.
• Experience of using geographic information systems (GIS).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,802, Forestry Commission contributes £12,110 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%.
• 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).