Area Land Agent - West District

at  Forestry Commission

JOB SUMMARY

This is an exciting opportunity to join Forestry England, the country’s largest land management organisation. The West Forest District is responsible for the sustainable management of over 37,500ha of woods and forests across the west and south-west of England, covering an area from Shrewsbury in the north to Truro in the south-west.
The West District team consists of over 150 employees, with 12 forest area and 3 recreation hub delivery teams operating from 11 office/depot/visitor centre sites. The Estate Management team in West Forest District consists of two Area Land Agents, both supported by an Assistant Land Agent and the Head of Estates. Also in the team is the Deputy Gaveller (mine surveyor for the Forest of Dean), Land Surveyor, Estates Officer and two Forest Wardens, all supported by three Admin Officers. A third Land Agent manages our Buildings and Projects Team, which consists of two Building Surveyors and two Project Development / Delivery Managers, as well as business administration support.
The vacant Area Land Agent post covers the north half of the district: the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, and Shropshire in which our main forests are: the Forest of Dean, Savernake Forest, the Wyre Forest, and Mortimer Forest.
The post is based in the Grade II listed historic office Bank House in Coleford in the heart of the Forest of Dean. This post will line manage an Assistant Area Land Agent, the Deputy Gaveller, Land Surveyor and Estates Officer.
The Area Land Agents have a pivotal role in the West Forest District team, both providing the forestry area, and recreation management teams with professional advice and support; as well as proactively leading on the management of and legal negotiations for the renewal of a wide range of property related agreements for agricultural, sporting and commercial properties on both Forestry England freehold and leasehold land.
In addition, the role will involve the management of third-party liability claims in liaison with our legal advisers, undertaking RICS Red Book valuations for financial purposes, dealing with capital investments in redundant properties as well as new buildings, handling wayleaves and deeds of grant for access with utility companies and developers and working on tenders and leases for new recreation activities and development projects.
The Area Land Agent is also cost centre manage for the Estates Management budgets within their area.

JOB DESCRIPTION

As the largest land manager in England, delivering for people, for wildlife and the climate, Forestry England has a large and extremely varied property portfolio. The team has responsibility for nearly 200 built assets, including houses and farms, offices and depot facilities and visitor centres, along with quarries, telecommunication masts, agricultural land, sporting lets and recreation activities, the portfolio brings a diverse range of challenges to the Estates team, with often complex and long-term relationships with many landlords, tenants and neighbours.

The Area Land Agent’s work covers:

• Working as an integral part of a team of dedicated professional advisers, providing support to the front-line delivery teams on a varied number of matters including boundary, access tenancy and neighbour relation issues.
• Proactively leading on negotiations regarding new or renewals of property agreements, tenancies, deeds of grant etc.
• Leading the management of third-party liability claims in liaison with our legal advisers.
• Undertaking RICS Red Book valuations for financial purposes and working with colleagues in support of major development and investment projects.
• Budget management.
• The Land Agent team is a highly valued part of the District management team, providing strong and reliable leadership in addition to their specific professional services.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must be MRICS or AssocRICS.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Estates
Operational Delivery
Property