Forest Operations/Land Management Higher Education Placement x 4

Closing date: 31 January 2023 | Salary: £21,655 - £24,408 (Grade 2) | Location: Flexible within place

Contract type: Fixed Term (Monday 4 September 2023 to Friday 30 August 2024)

Work pattern: 37 hours, Monday - Friday

Post numbers: 202361, 202546, 202700, 202699

As an organisation we support flexible working. This role allows hybrid working (a mix of home and office working) and a working pattern suitable for you can be discussed on appointment if you are successful.

You will be contracted to a NRW office within the place base, of which you will be required to attend for regular meetings, training and for one-to-one meetings with your manager. These will be planned in advance.

Job description

We are proud to announce that NRW will be hosting 4 paid placement opportunities starting in September 2023. These are specifically for students undertaking a mid-year placement whilst participating in a forestry or land management undergraduate qualification from a higher educational institution.

If successful, you could be appointed to either of the regions. As a result, you could end up working in south west Wales which covers parts of the South Wales Valleys across to Pembrokeshire National Park. Alternatively, you could be in mid Wales which covers from Aberystwyth to the border of England. This spans across the Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park and all the way up to the foothills of Snowdonia National Park.

Regardless which team you join, this opportunity provides the ability to work alongside our professional teams responsible for managing the Welsh Government Woodland Estate and National Nature Reserves. This placement will expose you to a diverse range of opportunities and land management practices. This could range from harvesting and establishment operations, legal land liability inspections through to ancient monument restoration or specific species management on a nature reserve.

We are looking for someone with enthusiasm and passion for forestry and land management who can demonstrate drive to learn and deliver their work whilst working alongside our teams and wider customers and contractors.

Full UK driving licence (essential)

You must be currently undertaking an undergraduate degree in either a forestry or land management discipline from a higher education institution. Your undergraduate degree must require a mid-year placement (essential)

Student membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) or another relevant professional body (desirable)

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities include:

Support delivery of work plans, created by the team, which contributes towards the delivery of business plans.
Assist with monitoring survey work and data collection.
Maintain records and information in line with regulations/legislation and agreed standards.
Participate in team meetings.
Participate in external meetings with other members of the team.
Interact with peers in NRW to understand and team delivery.
Contribute towards the teams delegated responsibility for delivery of work programmes.
Other work as directed by the line manager.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

Knowledge and experience of the following:

Currently undertaking an undergraduate degree in either a forestry or land management discipline from a higher education institution. Your undergraduate degree must require a mid-year placement (essential).
A good understanding of working in land and forestry management disciplines, including sustainable forest management.
Good communication and inter-personal skills with a customer focus. Ability to build effective working relationship with colleagues and partners.
Good ICT skills (essential).
Full UK driving licence (essential).

Welsh language requirements

Essential: Level 1 – Able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

Please note if you do not meet the level 1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Competencies

Applications to this role will be assessed based on the following competencies, both at shortlisting and interview. Please give examples of how you demonstrate these competencies when completing your application form.

Essential Knowledge and Skills	Demonstrates the ability and willingness to attain NVQ Level 2 within 1 – 2 years of appointment. Previous relevant practical experience is desirable, but not essential; gained through an apprenticeship or similar work in another environment. Reasonable literacy, numerical and communication skills.
Evaluation of Information	Ability to record work activities accurately. Ability to follow H&S instructions and understand risk, is essential.
Decision Making and Autonomy Requirements	Demonstrates the ability to follow an agreed work plan and undertake basic prioritising of tasks. The post holder may be alone on site and will need to make routine decisions appropriate to the role, deciding when to escalate issues to a supervisor. Post holders will have a duty of care to themselves and others.
Impact	The work will generally be within a specific area, with some aspects having the potential, if carried out incorrectly, to impact on the team, people and property. The impact would be known fairly immediately and could be rectified and addressed quickly without any longer-term issues arising.
Communication and Relationships with Others	Able to communicate with colleagues and with the general public and third parties, providing information, asking questions or answering basic queries, politely and courteously. Ability to complete basic written documents and records that may need to be reviewed and signed off by others.

Benefits of working for us

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

Agile and flexible working (role dependent)
Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 26.6% to 30.3%
28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
Generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
Health and wellbeing benefits and support
Weekly well-being hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

How to apply

Please send a completed application form to Applications@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Please read our Guidance on completing a job application form before submitting your application.

Application closing date: 31 January 2023

Interviews will take place approximately week commencing 13 February 2023

If you have any queries about the role, please contact Michael Cresswell at Michael.Cresswell@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk or 0300 065 4723 / 07584 556 885

Natural Resources Wales embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunity. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented, including women, black and ethnic minority groups and people with a disability. We have a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

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