Operations Manager - Harvesting

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Santon Downham

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/18980/801

Number of Positions: 1

Contract Type: Fixed Term Appointment. Fixed term to March 2029 with the possibility of extension or permanency

Working Hours: 37

Closing Date: 26/10/2026

Job Category: Land Management

Region: East

Business Unit: East

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Operations Manager - Harvesting & Marketing

Salary- £40,388 to £43,482 per annum

Contract type – Fixed Term Appointment until 31st March 2029, with the possibility of extension or permanency

Vacancy closes - 26th October, 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…

Lead the Harvesting and Marketing function to deliver safe, sustainable and commercially successful timber harvesting, marketing and supply operations across the East Forest District.

Provide strategic leadership for harvesting programmes, timber sales, contractor performance and stakeholder engagement while contributing to the wider Forestry and Land Management team, Strategy and Business Plan.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

The office location is at Santon Downham, IP27 0TJ. With an option of hybrid working. This role will require travel to other sites and overnight stays.

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.
• STaRis 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.

Read more about nationality requirements here.

Working for the Civil Service…

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. 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.

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

Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in in line with/according to these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk.