
Project Specialist
- Public sector
- 01/05/2025
- £39,135.00 - £42,133.00 /yearly
- Full Time & Permanent
Job Type
Salary
Date Posted:
Expiration date:
Job ID
Work Location
Want to work at the cutting edge of environmental science? Passionate about making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crisis? Forest Research (FR) is all about giving top quality evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners to make a positive impact on the ground. Internationally recognised, we need people who have the skills and passion to work on excellent science and provide practical solutions for nature.
We're small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways. Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our planet. You will find us a flexible and inclusive employer, so you can have a work life balance that is tailor-made to your circumstances. So, whether it's climate or carbon, pests or pathogens, behaviour or biodiversity that interests you, you can be assured of a warm welcome to the team. To find out more, visit www.forestresearch.gov.uk
The GIS and Data Services team sit within the Centre for Inventory Forecasting & Operational Support (IFOS), an expert, customer focused provider of forestry information, software, and service. The team manage and deliver an integrated spatial platform for forest and land management comprising 'Forester' web-based applications and 'Geostore' containing detailed GB-wide spatial data. Esri Enterprise, ArcGIS Online and open-source technology are used to deliver services from the platform to 1600 users within the forestry and land management sector. Increasingly, mobile and remote sensing technologies, coupled with data science, are being used to produce derived data and information products for our customers. We also support a growing demand from our internal and external customers for focussed GIS solutions to meet specific needs.
The successful applicant will provide business analysis, project management and financial analysis to support project delivery. Specialising in understanding business requirements within the Forestry sector you will help define programmes of work and provide project and financial management to ensure successful delivery. Reporting to the GIS Project Delivery Lead, you will work across the wider team with significant stakeholder engagement.
Reporting to the GIS Project Delivery Lead, the successful applicant will:
Key Work Areas:
Project Management - manage the full project lifecycle from concept to delivery, including day to day management of project delivery teams, resources and finances. Lead virtual project teams comprising internal staff, customers and suppliers, ensuring delivery on time and to budget
Business Analysis - engage with Forestry customers to identify and encapsulate geospatial requirements aligned to projects and the wider programme of work. Effectively communicate to ensure alignment with customer expectation, technical feasibility and geospatial strategy.
Stakeholder Management Support - at the project level, identify and manage collaborative stakeholder relationships, actively engaging and bringing in senior level support when required. Ensure realisation of benefits for customers through effective planning and design while ensuring project outputs meet programme requirements.
Manage Project Risk - identify, monitor and manage project risks and issues, develop mitigating strategies and escalating when appropriate.
Project Governance and Assurance - assist with the establishment and updating of appropriate project governance and assurance including KPIs.
Financial management - manage project finances and delegated budgets and ensure effective project financial monitoring through proactive communications with customers, external partners and internal finance teams. Agree budgets for projects and forecast actual costs against them.
Essential Criteria:
A qualification in a relevant subject or equivalent experience e.g. GIS, business or project management
Proven experience in the design, management and delivery of projects from conception to completion
Strong practical experience with project management tools and methodologies
Extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and effective requirements gathering
Outstanding interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to articulate solutions in a business context
Skilled in managing project finances with precision and accountability
Advanced problem solving and decision-making skills in fast paced and dynamic environments
Desirable Criteria:
Experience of forestry/GIS sector
Experience of Esri GIS products or similar
Knowledge of and/or experience in Agile project management methodologies
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Your career
Your work/life balance
Your wellbeing
Your benefits
Any move to Forest Research from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Shortlist
The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the Essential Criteria set out in the Person Specification. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.
Sift will take place by 6 June 2025
Interviews will be held 16-18 June 2025
Applicants invited to attend for interview will be required to prepare a presentation: Please describe a complex project you have managed from start to finish, including the scope, timeline, and budget? What were some of the biggest challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Please include details such as how you managed stakeholders, reporting/monitoring and governance activities.
If we receive a large volume of applications, then we will sift on CV and Personal Statement. We will use this information to assess your application against the essential criteria in the person specification. However, candidates will be expected to answer questions on all behaviours listed at the interview stage.
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Forest Research which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the 'Assistance required' section in the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're D/deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Visa Sponsorship
FR holds a licence to sponsor Skilled Workers under the Home Office points-based immigration system. Candidates wishing to apply should note that the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship would depend on an assessment of this role against defined criteria, which include:
Skilled Worker sponsorship may be available, subject to an application and assessment process and the Home Office points-based system.
For further details, please refer to the Sponsorship for Skilled Workers - guidance for applicants and managers on our website.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
CS_Behaviours_2018 Opens in new window (pdf, 1043kB) |
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