Forest Operations Officer in Welshpool

Are you passionate about sustainable forestry and motivated by the opportunity to help shape the future of Wales' woodlands? As a Forest Operations Officer, you will play a leading role in managing some of the nation’s most valued natural assets, ensuring they flourish for generations to come.

In this dynamic and hands‑on position you will oversee a full spectrum of forestry operations across the Welsh Government Woodland Estate. From silviculture and harvesting to thinning, restocking and long‑term forest stewardship you will be central to delivering high‑quality, sustainable outcomes. Your work will directly support our strategic management plans, ensuring compliance with legal, environmental and certification standards while championing best practice in sustainable land management.

No two days will look the same. You will lead contract management, collaborate closely with a dedicated and knowledgeable team, develop operational plans, support senior officers and supervisors and help ensure the safe, efficient and responsible delivery of all forestry activities. Your professional insight will be key to maintaining excellence in operational performance and promoting a strong culture of health, safety and environmental responsibility.

This is more than a forestry role. It is a meaningful opportunity to contribute to Wales’ environmental resilience, rural economy and woodland legacy. If you are ready to lead with purpose and make a tangible impact on the landscapes we all cherish, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Miriam Jones‑Walters at Miriam.Jones‑

Interviews will be face‑to‑face 4th – 6th March 2026 (details of location will be shared in advance). Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About Us

Our team plays a vital role in the sustainable management of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, practising multifunctional forestry that delivers for both nature and people. We balance high‑quality timber production with a commitment to protecting biodiversity, improving ecosystem resilience and enhancing public access to some of Wales’s most cherished landscapes.

As a member of the Mid North East Forest Operations team you will work closely with Technical Support colleagues, Senior Officers and the Team Leader to deliver well‑designed, well‑managed forest programmes across our area. Collaboration sits at the heart of everything we do and you will regularly partner with teams across forest operations, land management, engineering and wildlife as part of the wider Mid Wales Operations network.

Based in Welshpool you will help manage a varied landscape stretching from Dyfnant Forest in the north, through the expansive Hafren Forest in the west, to the rolling woodlands of Radnor and Presteigne in the south. Your role will focus on specific forest blocks, combining thoughtful desk‑based planning with hands‑on site visits that connect you directly with the places we look after.

What You Will Do

• Support technical advice for specific sector or technical issues.
• Implement team work plans and deliver agreed actions to contribute to business planning.
• Participate in NRW technical or represent NRW on external forums as a technical representative.
• Interact with peers in NRW to promote consistent industry and specialist subject practices.
• Have responsibility for direct delivery of delegated programmes and agreed delegated budgetary control, including all relevant compliance and procurement processes.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy and understand how it operates within the responsibilities of the post.
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (Sgwrs).
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

• Experience of working across a wide range of land management disciplines.
• Knowledge of sustainable forest management, UKWAS and forest certification schemes.
• Experience of community liaison and public engagement activities.
• Knowledge and experience of designated sites, and all aspects of forest practise, including land liabilities, forest planning and forest operations.
• Welsh Language level requirements: Essential: Level A1 – Entry level.

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e. able to understand basic phrases and pronounce Welsh names correctly, 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.

Benefits

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme).
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days.
• Generous leave entitlements for all life needs.
• Commitment to professional development.
• Health and wellbeing benefits and support.
• Weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose.

Please keep reading

We are passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under‑represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to equal opportunities and guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

Unless otherwise stated in the ‘Role’ section of this advert, Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on a variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.

We are a bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.