Forest Wilding Project Officer

Forest Camping Limited; Staple Fitzpaine; Hybrid; GBP 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental organization is seeking a Forest Wilding Project Officer to manage initiatives aimed at nature recovery in the UK. You will lead projects focused on harnessing natural processes to enhance forest management, working closely with stakeholders and spending significant time outdoors. This position offers a permanent contract with a salary of £33,854, alongside comprehensive benefits including holidays, pension contributions, and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

28.97% pension contribution

25 days holiday (increasing to 30)

Employee benefits scheme (STaR)

Free parking at sites

Free entry to National Arboretums

Commitment to lifelong learning

Qualifications

• Experience in project management for environmental initiatives.
• Ability to manage stakeholder relationships effectively.
• Capability to work independently in outdoor settings.

Responsibilities

• Progress forest management through natural processes.
• Implement land management techniques for nature recovery.
• Monitor and report on project activities and outcomes.

Job description

Job title – Forest Wilding Project Officer

Salary - £33,854

Contract type – Permanent

Vacancy closes - March 1st 2026 23:58

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\u2019re providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

This role will progress our aspirations for harnessing natural processes in forest management to deliver nature recovery. This will take the Wild Neroche project through delivery phase with our partners, project planning the steps needed to take our vision forward. The post holder will manage successful relationships with our stakeholders, and begin the implementation of key steps on the ground, including monitoring data, and introducing land management techniques to lay the foundations to meet our long term objectives.

This role may be involved in progressing other Forest Wilding projects such as species re-introductions.

Managed by the Operations Manager - Environment, the Wilding Officer will work closely with Forestry England colleagues across West England District and with our national forest wilding and communications functions to help deliver nature recovery.

You can expect to spend up to one third of your time outdoors, often independently and remotely and you will usually be expected to manage your own time to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.

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 at our office near Staple Fitzpaine in the Blackdown Hills (TA3 5BL), other locations may also be considered, with flexibility for some optional blended working.

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.
• STaRis 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.

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 experience and strength based questions during your interview.

If you\'re planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you\u2019ve read our guidelines here first.

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 line with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: [e-mail].

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• Salary £33,854
• Frequency Annual
• Job Reference forestryengland/TP/2294/478
• Contract Type Permanent
• Closing Date 1 March, 2026
• Job Category Project Management
• Business Unit West