Job Introduction
We are Forestry England.
We live and breathe forests.
Job title – Hamsterley Forest Project Officer
Salary- £29,863 - £31,526
Contract type – Fixed Term - 31/05/2026
Hours – 37 Hours
Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.
Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.
What you’ll do…
Reporting to and working alongside the Hamsterley Forest Project Manager, the Hamsterley Forest Project Officer will support the development of the project design and, subject to planning approval, the implementation of the masterplan, which includes the construction of a visitor centre and cycle hub building and associated infrastructure. They will also play a key role in providing administrative support to the project including partner coordination mechanisms, maintenance of project records and developing budgets and other materials for funding applications.
The post holder will work with both district and national colleagues, including close engagement with the Hamsterley Area team who will ultimately utilise the buildings. Depending on workload the post holder will also have the opportunity to support or lead other projects across the North England Forest District. This is an opportunity for the right candidate to develop hands on project management skills.
Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.
Where you’ll work…
You will be based at Hamsterley Forest in the North District.
North England Forest District is the largest in England, covering 86,000ha, made up of 61,000 ha of forest and 25,000ha of open land in Cumbria, Durham, Gateshead, Lancashire and Northumberland. The District is managed by a team of more than 140 staff. The forest area is currently 90% conifer and 10% broadleaf. Annual timber production is in the region of 550,000m3.
The District has 45 SSSIs covering over 10,000ha and is a major contributor to nationally significant biodiversity projects which help support red squirrels, water voles, ospreys and red kites. Our built and agricultural non-woodland estate is extensive and we are engaged in a programme of business development and conservation initiatives.
The recreation experiences we provide are focussed on our five Forest Centres: Grizedale, Gisburn, Hamsterley, Kielder and Whinlatter. Around 1 million people enjoy these forests collectively each year. The outlying forests of Chopwell Wood, Ennerdale and the Forests of Rothbury are increasingly popular for local visitors which enhances the health and wellbeing of local communities.
Hamsterley Forest is County Durham’s largest forest and welcomes around 200,000 visitors a year to its 2,000 hectares. The forest has become more popular in recent years and whilst this connects more people with the nation’s forests our ageing facilities are under strain. We have plans to make improvements to benefit all our visitors and forest users, such as increased café space and catering facilities, improved toilets, meeting and classroom space for schools and groups, exciting opportunities for visiting cyclists and fit-for-purpose office accommodation for our staff based in the Forest.
Benefits…
Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
Other benefits include:
- 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
- STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
- free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
- a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.
Read more about the benefits you would get on the Forestry England website.
How to apply…
You will be asked to upload your CV and a personal statement. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.
Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.
Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.
The following behaviours will be assessed at interview:
- Communicating and influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Bigger picture
Read more about nationality requirements for working in the Civil Service on GOV.UK.
Working for the Civil Service…
Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.
Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.
Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in in line with/according to these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk.
