White Rose Forest Landscape for Water Project Officer

The role of Landscapes for Water Project Officer and the White Rose Forest

It is an exciting time to work with the White Rose Forest (WRF). From protecting our natural environment to improving the health and wellbeing of our local communities and mitigate against the impacts of the climate emergency, the role of England’s Community Forests and tree planting has never been more important. The WRF is also helping to deliver the larger Northern Forest that will stretch from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast.

We have support and funding in place from across local and national Government and our respective partnerships, and we have set ambitious targets to plant millions of trees across our part of Yorkshire over the next few years.

To help us achieve these targets we are now recruiting a Landscapes for Water Project Officer to support the delivery of our Landscapes for Water programme focused on increasing tree cover to provide a strategic approach to natural flood management across North and West Yorkshire. It also aims to improve the biodiversity the WRF area and make woodlands more accessible to our communities.

You will be part of a team of Project Officers that develop and deliver a wide range of high quality and sustainable woodland creation projects and work with landowners, partners and the forestry sector as well as local communities and volunteers across the WRF. Currently this role involves delivery of programmes funded by Defra with some private donations.

As a Landscapes for Water Project Officer, you will work with the wider WRF team to identify new woodland opportunities and initiatives through mapping analysis, engaging with landowners – public and private; liaise with stakeholders; draw up detailed planting plans and support schemes through the regulatory approvals process; to ensure projects grow into high quality well managed woodlands.

You will also work across the WRF team to help to identify opportunities for improvement to systems and processes (including automation) and support the implementation of agreed changes.

In addition to having the ability to perform the core duties, we would welcome applications from individuals that can bring additional expertise to the WRF team. We would welcome a broad range of skills and expertise that could include (but not limited to) Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ecology, forest operations, community engagement, landscape design etc.

This role will require you to provide varied and flexible support to your colleagues dependent on workload and priorities at different points in time, this could include: completing project / contract documentation; engaging with promotional activity / events; supporting engagement and/or consultation activities.

There will be a requirement to undertake site visits / inspections and to work with colleagues to engage with landowners regarding opportunities for new tree planting and woodland creation or the delivery of existing projects.

The Landscapes for Water Project Officer will become a member of the WRF core team. You will join a friendly, hard-working, and dynamic team who are passionate about trees and woodlands and the multiple benefits they bring. The team all work remotely and flexibly from their home locations but meet up regularly across North or West Yorkshire. The role will be employed through the Community Forest Trust on behalf of the WRF.

Key focus of the role

1. To develop woodland creation plans (including regulatory processes) and tree planting projects that deliver the Landscapes for Water programme across the North and West Yorkshire;
2. To monitor woodland creation projects and provide effective support and guidance to ensure they are effectively established;
3. To make and sustain contact with a range of landowners, partners and the forestry sector to advise, promote and develop tree planting projects across North and West Yorkshire, through engagement, support and advice;
4. Where applicable, provide expertise to colleagues across the WRF team to support more effective working, improved knowledge and better quality projects.
5. To provide additional capacity, when needed, to support the wider team e.g. Project Manager in attending events or meeting key reporting commitments;
6. To promote the White Rose Forest through presentations, displays and events, and work with WRF team colleagues as required.

For more information regarding the requirements needed for the role you are interested in, please refer to the Job Profile attached to this advert.

This role includes travelling to and between sites, this requires a full and valid driving licence.

What can we offer?

• Hybrid working between home, site visits and meeting venues.
• Career development, through learning and development, coaching, mentoring and on the job experience.
• Potential career progression within the team and the wider forestry/environment sector. 
• A friendly and supportive team environment
• A range of family friendly policies, including flexible working
• Paid mileage and/or public transport for site visits and travel to meeting.
• Excellent contributory pension scheme.
• Access to benefits e.g. employee healthcare, high street discounts.

For more information about our Staff Benefits, please visit the following link Kirklees Council - Staff Benefits.

We’d like to hear from you if you are:

• Self-motivated and able to work independently and within a team.
• Positive with a proactive ‘can-do’ attitude
• Able to think logically and laterally, solving problems creatively.
• Able to act with initiative and to take responsibility.
• Able to demonstrate experience in a similar role and/or transferable skills.
• Wanting to further your career and continually develop.

Finally:

Our people are the White Rose Forest’s biggest strengths, and we ensure inclusion is at the heart of our policies, processes and practices.

We are a people focused employer and we care about our colleagues and part of that is to help every employee to achieve a healthy work-life balance - we offer flexible working to everyone and the ability to work remotely.

We’re very keen on identifying potential within people and transferable skills are always welcome! So even if you don’t tick every box but have a range of skills and experiences please get in touch and have a chat about your suitability for the role.

Please email [email protected] for any further information about this vacancy.