Forestry England is the largest provider of outdoor recreation in the UK, welcoming c. 285 million visits to the nation’s forests each year. Last year 97% of visitors said that their visit had a positive impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.
As Head of the national team of experts who lead the policy and practice that enables this to happen, you will promote the health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature in the nation’s forests for all, ensuring safe Recreation operations, while maximizing social benefit and commercial return. You will champion and enable access for all and outstanding customer service through collaborative partnership working, thought leadership, stakeholder management, and leadership of cross-functional collaboration across teams, across England.
This role is part of the Leadership team for Forestry England’s Recreation Directorate and reports to Forestry England’s Director of Operations - Commercial Visitor Development.
Recreation forms an integral part of Forestry England’s National Operations team, who provide direction, guidance, assurance, and core support systems across Forestry England’s operations spanning Recreation, Forestry, Investment, and Engineering. National Operations is a dynamic multi-functional team of subject matter experts. International leaders in Forestry and Recreation, we work highly collaboratively across functions, with external partners and District teams to deliver quality and impact through all we do.
Person Specification
Key Work Areas
* Lead the development of policy and guidance ensuring our nation’s forests are for everyone and accessible to all.
* Lead the national team of strategic leads and subject matter experts in Recreation including: Volunteering, Access, Health and Wellbeing, Safeguarding, Cycling, and Customer Service.
* Enable and empower own and other teams and functions to maximize social and commercial benefits realization across all Recreation programmes.
* Ensure investments and innovation are co-created through person-centred design, creating accessible, engaging, and inspiring visitor experiences in the nation’s forests.
* Ensure Recreation experiences in the nation’s forests are safe and high quality, through the implementation of appropriate Health and Safety, Technical Training, and industry quality assurance standards in visitor experience.
* Relationship management for national stakeholders, including Defra, Sport England, and National Governing bodies, ensuring Recreation in the nation’s forests is maximized for the benefit of all and is financially and environmentally sustainable.
* Relationship management with existing and future commercial partners to ensure current and future offerings are engaging, safe, accessible, and sustainable environmentally and commercially.
Essential
* Experience and knowledge of Outdoor Recreation, Access, and Visitor Experience policy and practice.
* Experience in and passion for connecting people with nature, maximizing the health and wellbeing benefits of outdoor recreation and sustainable development.
* Demonstrable experience and outstanding capability in internal and external stakeholder relationship management.
* Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
* Leadership experience and leading in cross-functional and multi-disciplinary teams.
* Commercial acumen, with experience of delivering impactful commercial and social outcomes.
* Knowledge of relevant legal requirements, health and safety regulations, and sustainability considerations spanning outdoor Recreation operations.
* A full, valid driving licence and willingness to travel regularly across England. However, Forestry England is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.
Desirable
* A degree or relevant professional qualification in a related field, such as Leisure, Tourism, Hospitality, or Land Management.
* Experience and or qualification in project or programme management.
* Experience and knowledge of fundraising.
Behaviours
* Seeing the Bigger Picture
* Communicating and Influencing
* Making Effective Decisions
* Working Together
Location
East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber
How to apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement as follows:
* A CV setting out your employment history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
* A Personal Statement (no longer than 750 words) explaining how you consider yourself a good candidate for the advertised role, taking into consideration how you meet the key work areas and essential and desirable criteria as set out in the person specification.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Please note we are expecting interviews for those shortlisted candidates to take place virtually on video interviews on Tuesday 8th April 2025.
Interview
If successful at sift, as part of the interview there will be a 10-minute presentation, further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.
At interview you will be assessed on behaviours and experience.
Sift date 25th March 2025
Contact for enquiries
Bridgette Hall MBE - National Head of Recreation and Visitor Experience, Forestry England bridgette.hall@forestryengland.uk
Apply: Forestry England Jobs - National Head of Recreation and Visitor Experience
J-18808-Ljbffr