Working Pattern: This is a full time vacancy; however, we are a flexible employer and encourage applicants who wish to work other flexible working patterns to apply, as requests will be considered.
Nationality Requirements: We are currently unable to sponsor individuals to work in the UK; therefore, it is essential that you ensure you have the Right to work in the UK before applying to work with us. You are also required to meet the nationality requirements to work for the Civil Service.
Disability Confident Scheme: Applicants claiming a guaranteed interview will be invited for further assessment should they meet the minimum essential criteria listed in this document.
About the team
Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government (SG). We are responsible for managing around 640,000 ha of Forests and Land in Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Around 850 people across Scotland work for FLS in a broad range of roles, from business and corporate services supporting functions to managing our forests and land.
At FLS, we know that nature is key to tackling the climate crisis. We’re putting protecting biodiversity and developing nature-based solutions at the heart of our forward-thinking innovative approach. Our aim is to adapt how we manage our land, reduce our emissions and capture more carbon – leading the way for the land-based sector.
What you will do
You will work with senior leaders and technical managers across FLS, ensuring that we embed climate change action into FLS’s work at all levels. You will therefore be key to helping us to achieve our climate change ambitions.
Main Duties
• Keep abreast of changes in the political, technical and regulatory environment in which FLS operates, and develop collaborative networks with partners across Scottish Government, the land-based sector and with others who can help FLS achieve its ambitions.
• Develop and manage FLS’s programme of climate change action, ensuring that activity is strategically aligned, well co-ordinated, informed by risks and proceeding at pace; and that the SRO and Executive Team are given timely updates.
• Support senior leaders to provide visible leadership and effective communication to staff and stakeholders about FLS’s climate change action, to promote FLS as a climate change leader.
• Work with staff across FLS to connect adaptation, emissions reduction, carbon capture and biodiversity work. Work with key functional leaders to embed climate change action into FLS’s work at all levels, focusing on areas where it will make a real difference to outcomes - and share examples of innovation and good practice.
• Lead the Public Bodies Duties and Climate Change Adaptation Reporting processes and Adaptation Capability Assessments, and ensure that the outcomes form part of a plan-do-check-act cycle of continuous improvement.
• Coordinate and support national and regional climate-related project development, and seek out and facilitate access to additional external funds to support climate-related action.
• Work with regions to develop a network of climate change champions, support links with regional stakeholders and identify case studies to inspire others.
• Prepare briefings for senior staff and Ministers as required.
• Commission information and technical reports to inform FLS’s climate change action, as required.
Success Profile
Below are details of the Success Profile that make up this role. You will be expected to provide evidence to show how you meet the criteria at application and/or interview stage.
Behaviours
Behaviour 1 and Lead Criteria: Communicating and Influencing
Behaviour 2: Changing and Improving
Behaviour 3: Making Effective Decisions
Behaviour 4: Working Together
Experience
Essential:
• A good appreciation of the political, technical and regulatory aspects of climate change and carbon management.
• Experience of managing projects and/or programmes using recognised procedures.
• Experience of successfully managing and maintaining relationships with partners and senior leaders in large organisations.
• A track record of influencing decision-makers; persuading people in large organisations to take particular courses of actions; generating support and consensus among staff and leaders.
• Appreciation of practical land management issues.
Desirable:
• Experience of managing large, complex programmes of high-profile activity across multiple teams.
• Ability to work with technical experts, process complex information and present conclusions persuasively to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience of briefing Ministers and dealing with ministerial correspondence, Freedom of Information Requests etc.
• Experience of preparing funding bids and securing external funding for projects.
Technical
Essential:
• A degree level qualification or equivalent experience that demonstrates that you are comfortable with creating and delivering compelling presentations and writing concise, accurate reports and briefings.
Strengths
You will not be assessed against this at application stage. However, this will be assessed if you are successful for interview.
What we offer you
If successful, you will be entitled to a wide range of benefits. This includes:
• A generous annual leave allowance of 25 days, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years’ service. In addition, there are currently 11.5 days of public and privilege holidays, dates of which are set annually.
• A competitive contributory pension scheme.
• Annual pay progression (subject to Scottish Government approval).
• Access to an ASVA card, giving you free access to over 480 visitor attractions and sites across Scotland.
• Employee discount with Forest Holidays.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• A generous paid maternity and paternity leave.
• We recognise the importance of enabling employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance by offering flexi-time arrangements in areas of the business where it is appropriate to do so.
• Access to join the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC), which offers a number of discounts, access to leisure activities, gyms and much more.
• Free car parking spaces for staff (dependent on the office location).
• Employee development opportunities - Personal and professional development with a range of in-house courses offered by our Learning and Development team.
• Fully funded professional accreditation fees required for your role, where applicable.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme – available all year round (24 hours, 7 days a week).
• Trade union membership for those interested in joining one.
Additional information
Where a vacancy attracts more than 10 applications, only certain ‘essential’ criteria, known as ‘lead criteria’, will be assessed at sift stage, providing this is specified in the advert. However, it is still important that you complete the entire application form in sufficient detail, as there is no way of knowing that a vacancy will have a high number of applications.
We strongly believe in an inclusive and supportive work culture. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of background. We are currently under-represented by women; therefore, we encourage applications from females.
Concerns about our recruitment
If you believe that the Civil Service Recruitment Principles have been breached, you can submit a complaint to the Head of People and OD who will assess compliance with the Recruitment Principles but will not review the decision(s) of the selection board.
If you are not satisfied with the response from your complaint, you may submit an appeal to the Civil Service Commission, as set out in the complaint outcome letter.
If you have any queries relating to the recruitment process, require any adjustments for the application process, or require further information then please contact HR@forestryandland.gov.scot.
Closing date: Sunday 26th September 2021 at 11:55pm.
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