Head of National Grants and Regulations

The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for protecting and expanding forests and woodlands across the UK. As leaders in sustainable forest management, we work to protect, expand and improve our treescape to help tackle society's biggest issues, including the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. We are committed to promoting innovation and regulation in forestry, ensuring that policies align with current challenges and future needs.

Forest Services, as part of the Forestry Commission, are the Government’s forestry experts. We advise at both a national and local level on how to unlock the full potential of woodlands and support the forestry sector to protect, improve and expand England’s valuable woodland assets, ensuring that they continue to provide benefits to people, the environment and the economy. Forest Services achieves these objectives through regulation, incentives and advice.

We are looking for an innovative and adaptable individual to lead the National Grants and Regulations team. This team enables the delivery of Forest Services’ strategic objectives through grants, regulations and information provision, owning the business process and providing a link between policy development and local delivery. This is an established leadership role, currently reporting to the Director Forest Services and steering the organisation via membership of the Executive Team.

You will lead the National Grants and Regulations team and enable effective working with Defra, other delivery bodies and Forestry Commission teams, and the wider sector. You will have the opportunity to lead significant programmes with national importance, while working alongside passionate and talented professionals in a challenging role.

As such, we are looking for a highly skilled leader with strong business management experience, including budgetary, forecasting, and analytical expertise. The ideal candidate will possess excellent judgment, the confidence to take calculated risks, and the ability to make timely decisions. You should have proven experience in leading diverse, geographically dispersed teams to achieve ambitious targets, managing competing priorities, and resolving conflicts between policies. A solid understanding of programme, project, and change management principles is essential, along with the ability to navigate organisational change effectively.

You will have a demonstrated ability to manage and influence internal and external stakeholders, respond swiftly to issues, and deliver both strategically and at pace in complex environments. Strong communication, influencing, delegation, and reporting skills will be crucial to drive outcomes and ensure sound governance while maintaining portfolio ownership.

If you are passionate about the role of forestry in creating a better future, and want to play a key part in that, we want to hear from you. Applications in the form of a tailored CV and a covering letter (no longer than two pages), highlighting your skills and experience pertinent to the role, should arrive no later than Wednesday 30 April.

For a confidential, informal discussion about the role, or to request a Candidate Information Pack, please contact LHH directly on +44 (0)141 220 6460 or email Executive@LHH.com.