Finance and Business Support Manager

Forestry Commission; Bellingham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job description

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title

Finance and Business Support Manager

Salary

£47,252 - £50,927

Contract type

Permanent

Hours

37

Vacancy closes

23:55 Sunday 13th April 2025

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…

You will lead the finance and business support service supporting Forestry England’s mission and vision. You will manage budgeting and financial control of the Forestry England district. You will provide regular finance reporting and use your knowledge and experience to help review and improve our financial position. You will lead the business support team, taking an active part in the district’s senior leadership team and build collaborative and supportive relationships with operational colleagues, the national finance team and other finance managers.

Where you’ll work…

North England Forest District is the largest in England, covering 86,000ha, made up of 61,000 ha of forest and 25,000ha of open land in Cumbria, Durham, Gateshead, Lancashire and Northumberland. The District is managed by a team of more than 140 staff. The forest area is currently 90% conifer and 10% broadleaf. Annual timber production is in the region of 550,000m3. The District has 45 SSSIs covering over 10,000ha and is a major contributor to nationally significant biodiversity projects which help support red squirrels, water voles, ospreys and red kites. Our built and agricultural non-woodland estate is extensive and we are engaged in a programme of business development and conservation initiatives. The recreation experiences we provide are focussed on our five Forest Centres: Grizedale, Gisburn, Hamsterley, Kielder and Whinlatter. Around 1 million people enjoy these forests collectively each year. The outlying forests of Chopwell Wood, Ennerdale and the Forests of Rothbury are increasingly popular with local visits; enhancing the health and wellbeing of our local communities.

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.
• 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.

How to apply…

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are:

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.