Job Information

ROLE OF THE JOB

As part of the Great Northumberland Forest team, you will have a key role engaging and working with landowners, farmers, communities and other stakeholders. The Great Northumberland Forest facilitates, enables, supports and can directly fund woodland creation schemes and projects of various types and sizes across the county, including Storm Arwen Restoration. You will use your expertise to engage, advise, and support landowners and farmers about these opportunities and programme developments.

The Great Northumberland Forest is an initiative to increase tree cover across the County. We are one of two Woodland Creation Partnerships funded by DEFRA and hosted by a local authority. The team is currently made up of 4 consisting of the Programme Manager, 2 Woodland Officers and 1 Environment Analyst. We are seeking an individual who has experience of landowner/manager engagement to join the Great Northumberland Forest Team as an additional Woodland Officer.

With excellent written and verbal communications skills, you will plan, manage, and deliver much of our engagement and delivery activity with landowners/managers and farmers. We’re looking for a creative thinker who can ensure far outreach across the county offering farm/land assessment and options appraisal service. The post will involve visiting rural and remote locations across the County.

You will need to build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and be excited about making a positive difference to people’s lives in the County through your work.
- Strong communication skills - both written and verbal
- Practical experience in an advisory and engagement role
- Experience of developing and implementing processes to provide estate assessment, options appraisals and

advice
- Experience of communicating and working with a wide range of stakeholders such as landowners, farmers,

businesses, public bodies, NGOs and communities.
- Strong organisational skills, being able to manage multiple priorities and varying pressures to meet measurable

targets and deadlines
- Knowledge of relevant legislation, including data protection, copyright and model release
- Knowledge of land-based environmental schemes and new woodland creation incentives/grants
- Knowledge of land management and forestry policy

Offer / Package:

- Fixed Term contract for 18 months (with the potential for extension funding dependent)
- Salary £35,411 - £39,493 Band 8.
- Flexible working arrangements (County Hall, Morpeth is the reporting base, but home working arrangements are possible)

REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB
- Degree level or equivalent standard of general education / Relevant professional qualification.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of land / woodland / agricultural management and policy.
- Ability to analyse complex and unusual estate management issues and develop detailed solutions.
- Able to meet the transport requirements of the post

NCC INFO AND BENEFITS

Northumberland is world-renowned as a visitor destination and an ideal location to strike a perfect work/life balance. There is no better way of enjoying the picturesque scenery and stunning coastline than on an everyday basis

Northumberland County Council’s (NCC) vision is “To make Northumberland a county which you regard as a great place to live, in which you can access the activities you enjoy, whilst having the opportunity to learn and thrive”.

For further information about NCC, please visit our website.

Why choose us?

We have some outstanding benefits to offer you, including:

- 26 days annual leave plus public/bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years of service (pro rata for part-time employees)
- Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme
- Flexi scheme - up to 2 days flexible leave available per month (pro rata for part-time employees)
- Local government discount schemes available to all employees with offers at local businesses along with various national brands
- Commitment to work/life balance offering flexibility through various schemes including job sharing, home working, flexible working, term-time only, and compressed hours
- Car leasing scheme

Further information