Senior Landscape Architect

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Senior Landscape Architect

Salary - £40,388 - £43,482

Contract type – Fixed Term - This is a temporary maternity cover ending 31/03/27 with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

Hours – 37 hours per week

Vacancy closes - 23:58 29th April 2026

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…

As a Senior Landscape Architect, you join a high performing team of professionals within Forestry England’s national operations team. You will assist, support and lead the delivery of strategic projects, and national and district programmes, which will shape improvements to the nation’s forests, providing a high-quality landscape and visitor experience. You will be responsible for managing specific areas of work and projects set within the scope of the wider team. The role is a mix of desk-based, and travel to the nation’s forests.

Recent projects delivered by the team include; Delamere Visitor Centre, Whinlatter WOW trail, Pedal and Play facilities to introduce young people to off-road cycling, inclusive play at sites including Sherwood Pines and Westonbirt Arboretum and community woodland design.

Please note, this is a Temporary Appointment until 31st March 2027 with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

The role will be based in a national Forestry England office in York (our national office in Bristol or another centrally located Forestry England office location may be considered but is dependent on space and availability to deliver across the north of England). There is flexibility for some optional blended working. 

Travel across England will be required with occasional overnight stays necessary. 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. 

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.

• 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 on the Forestry England website.

How to apply…

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. 

You will be assessed on a technical skill during your interview. This will be a short portfolio or project presentation.

 The Behaviours being assessed at interview are – 

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. 

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website. 

Nationality requirements…

Read more about nationality requirements here. 

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.