Planning & Environment Manager

at  Forestry and Land Scotland

JOB SUMMARY

Forestry and Land Scotland is a Scottish Government agency that looks after Scotland’s national forests and land (NFL). While a large proportion of our work involves timber production, we reinvest income into management of the NFL for the benefit of Scotland’s economy, environment and society. In FLS we’re knowledgeable about multi-purpose forestry, environmental and wider land management; and we’re committed to managing the land to improve biodiversity, adapt to climate change, secure carbon and create great places for the people of Scotland.
Central Region stretches from the Cowal peninsula in the west, across Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, to the southern parts of Fife and through the central belt. Whilst much of our landholding comprises commercial forestry, it also includes a diverse range of habitats including Atlantic oak woods in the west, pinewoods in the east and extensive areas of open hill ground and bog habitat.
The Region balances traditional timber production with maintenance of extensive areas of open ground and world class visitor hotspots, renewables developments, and the management of a number of Designated sites and Scheduled Monuments. Other significant activities include rainforest and peatland restoration, new native woodland creation, restoration of Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) and the management of habitats for key species (including a range of raptor species, red squirrel, great crested newt, pine marten, black grouse).
The Planning & Environment Team works closely with other teams and specialists to design and shape our forests and land now and into the future, ensuring they deliver multiple benefits often within the same space. The team leads on planning our land to meet place-specific objectives; programming and organising the work that needs to be undertaken; and facilitating our environmental objectives.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Planning & Environment Manager is a key role, responsible for providing environmental expertise to inform land management planning and programming of future works on the National Forests and Land, and includes significant project work which requires senior management collaboration and representation. It is interesting and challenging work which balances facilitation of the regional core work programmes (timber harvesting, restocking, civil engineering, and deer control) whilst seeking opportunities to positively contribute to the climate change/biodiversity crisis and manage the estate for optimal environmental benefit.
This role will provide leadership, direction and support to teams working within the Planning & Environment function across the Region. You will lead on all elements of environmental work – identifying, prioritising and planning works to support biodiversity, habitat and species management across the Region, and you will also have strategic oversight of two dedicated teams focussing on rainforest and peatland restoration.
You’ll need to maintain a strategic overview to make sure we’re focused on the most important issues at any one time; maintain momentum to ensure we achieve objectives; and take initiative, liaising across teams and with external stakeholders to ensure plans and programmes are deliverable whilst meeting Scottish Government priorities. You will work with external stakeholders to develop partnerships and represent the Region, including working to identify external funding and partnership working opportunities to develop a portfolio of ‘shovel-ready’ environment projects.
As a member of the Regional Leadership Team, you will have a say in the future direction of the Region, contribute to business planning and develop budgets, and adapt and innovate to efficiently deliver FLS and Scottish Government objectives.

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)

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