Species Recovery Officer in Epsom

Job title – Species Recovery Officer

Salary – £35,039

Contract type – Fixed Term Appointment until March 2029 (with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee)

Hours – 37 hours per week

Vacancy closes – Monday 30th November 2026, 23:58

Join us.

We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment. Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

We’re looking for a Species Recovery Officer to lead the development and delivery of species recovery projects in Yorkshire, with an initial focus on the North East Yorkshire pine marten recovery project. Working at the forefront of nature recovery, you will help shape and deliver projects that support the recovery of influential species and contribute to the restoration of natural processes across our landscapes. Working closely with Forestry England’s national Forest Wilding Programme, ecologists, foresters, researchers and delivery partners, you will lead projects through feasibility, planning and implementation stages and, where projects proceed, support release and post-release monitoring. You will be responsible for project planning, budget management, procurement and contract management, commissioning specialist studies, and ensuring projects are delivered in line with national and international best practice for species recovery and conservation translocations. Successful species recovery depends as much on people as it does on ecology. A significant part of the role will involve engaging with landowners, local communities, interest groups, regulators and partner organisations. You will build and maintain trusted relationships, understand differing perspectives and help ensure that project development is informed by evidence, local knowledge and stakeholder input. Experience of applying social science, behaviour change, conflict resolution or human-wildlife coexistence approaches will be particularly valuable. Alongside the pine marten project, you will help develop and deliver other priority species recovery initiatives for Forestry England, including projects focused on species such as Northern hairy wood ants and fungi. Working within Yorkshire’s Nature Recovery Team and alongside colleagues across England, you will contribute to innovative approaches to nature recovery, develop effective partnerships, support funding and reporting requirements, and help shape the future of species recovery in the nation’s forests. This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in species recovery, helping deliver lasting change across some of England’s most important landscapes.

Where you’ll work…

The post will initially be based at Forestry England’s Yorkshire Office in Pickering. It will move to the Dalby Forest Office in early 2028. Regular travel around Forestry England’s estate in Yorkshire will be required. There will be occasional trips outside of Yorkshire for Forestry England-wide meetings, which may require an overnight stay.

Benefits…

• Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension.
• You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro‑rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays, clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• A commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –

• Changing and improving
• Working together
• Delivering at pace
• Making effective decisions

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.

The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

In addition to the above, the role is subject to funding from DEFRA rather than through Forestry England generated revenue and is therefore subject to government spending reviews. While DEFRA has indicated long term support for the Biodiversity Programme and we expect funding to continue, it is possible that funding levels may change at the end of any financial year depending on DEFRA’s budget allocations. In the event of funding changes, we would prioritise retaining staff posts wherever possible. This approach is consistent for roles within publicly funded organisations. We are committed to keeping staff informed and supported through any changes.