Technical Officer - Forestry in Bristol

The Forestry Technical team plays a vital role in supporting both the Forestry department and our global network of auditors, agents, and certificate holders. Our work is dynamic and varied, as we regularly respond to scheme owner changes through integration into our Quality Management Systems, providing training and calibration across our network, and coordinating internal and external audits to ensure consistent implementation and continuous improvement.

We regularly collaborate with our scheme owners including FSC and PEFC to ensure that the certification standards are robust and implementable enabling us to increase our positive impact on responsible forest management through our certification activities.

We are now looking for a detail-oriented and proactive individual with experience in forestry and/or certification, or a strong interest in the forestry sector, to join our Technical team. In this role, you will support technical service delivery, engage with stakeholders, and contribute to the maintenance and continual improvement of our internal Quality Management System and databases.

You’re someone who cares deeply about making a positive impact and are inspired by our mission to advance responsible forest management through credible certification. You bring excellent attention to detail, strong analytical thinking, and a high level of accuracy to your work, taking pride in delivering tasks efficiently and to a high standard. Organised and comfortable managing multiple priorities, you can work independently, meet deadlines, and remain calm under pressure.

You communicate clearly and professionally, and you enjoy collaborating, sharing knowledge, and supporting colleagues. You have a background in forestry, certification, or a related discipline such as wood science, ecology, or environmental science. Ideally, you already hold (or have the ability to attain) an FSC or PEFC Chain of Custody or Forest Management auditor qualification.

You bring a solid understanding of forest management, supply chain integrity, or certification processes, along with familiarity with digital tools such as databases, Microsoft Office, Teams, and SharePoint. Experience in delivering training, foreign language skills, or knowledge of sustainable/regenerative land management or ecosystem services would be an advantage.

Above all, you share the values and vision of the Soil Association and are enthusiastic about contributing to our technical work and broader impact.

Soil Association Certification Ltd exists to accelerate the just transition across food, farming and land use, as a global leader in sustainability certification. We deliver trusted solutions with nature, for people and planet through the certification of high integrity holistic standards. These assurance schemes cover a wide range of sectors including food, forestry, farming, landscape restoration carbon markets, beauty and wellbeing, textiles and catering. We are recognised and trusted by consumers and businesses around the world, operating in over 60 countries delivering FSC and PEFC certification, and you will also find the Soil Association organic symbol on over 70% of organic products in the UK.

We offer a range of financial and lifestyle benefits to all our employees, including 27 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days with length of service.