Deer Officer

About the job

• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

South East and London Team Area, candidate must live in or relocate to the New Forest Protected Site Strategy (PSS) project area or within a reasonable travelling distance to be operationally effective.

The role will be based in the Forestry Commission’s Bucks Horn Oak Office, there will be flexibility for some optional blended working (see details below). Use of other FC offices may be considered. Travel across the wider South East region will be required as needed to support delivery. Please note this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

About the job

Job summary

Trees and forests help tackle the climate emergency while providing habitats for wildlife and places for people to connect with nature. The Government has ambitious targets for tree planting and woodland management. The Forestry Commission supports the forestry sector, landowners, delivery partners and communities to achieve them with grants funding, technical expertise and practical guidance.

The Forestry Commission and wider DEFRA family are committed to ensuring that wild deer remain a valued part of England’s landscapes. However, when populations become too high, deer can have significant impacts on woodland health by hindering natural regeneration, damaging trees and changing woodland structure. Excessive browsing can reduce ground flora and biodiversity, limiting the resilience and recovery of woodland habitats.

This Deer Officer role will lead work to improve protected sites under the DEFRA Protected Sites Strategy (PSS), with a particular focus on the New Forest, while also contributing to the wider South East and London Deer Officer team.

Protected Site Strategies bring together public bodies, landowners, managers and other partners to address environmental pressures that cannot be effectively resolved within a single site or by one organisation alone. The postholder will lead the Forestry Commission’s deer-related contribution within the New Forest PSS area, working collaboratively to develop evidence-based and practical solutions while also contributing to the work of the wider Deer Officer team.

This is an applied evidence and partnership role. You will identify where deer are contributing to unfavourable site condition or constraining the recovery of designated features and habitats, then help translate that evidence into coordinated and proportionate action. The role combines habitat assessment, deer ecology, spatial evidence, monitoring, landowner engagement, strategy development and practical delivery.

We welcome applications from individuals with backgrounds in ecology, conservation, forestry, land management, applied research or deer management. Operational stalking experience is not required. Instead, we are seeking sound ecological judgement, strong partnership-working skills and the ability to develop deer-specific knowledge where needed.

Based within the Forestry Commission’s South East and London Area Team, the role will work closely with Natural England, Forestry Commission specialists, the national Policy and Advice Team and local delivery partners. If you are passionate about the role of trees, woodlands and sustainable deer management in creating a better future for England, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while working alongside committed and knowledgeable colleagues.

Job description

This Deer Officer will play a critical part in co-ordinating and developing landscape efforts to reduce the impacts of deer on nationally important protected sites within the New Forest area. The post holder will work with a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders to support and facilitate effective deer management.

1. Understand habitat condition and identify priorities

• Work with Natural England, Area Team colleagues and partners to understand the designated features, conservation objectives, condition evidence, ecological sensitivities and wider landscape factors affecting the protected sites.
• Review, collect and, where justified, commission ecological, spatial, woodland and deer evidence. Distinguish deer impacts from other pressures, record uncertainty and identify where intervention is most likely to support protected-site recovery.
• Establish proportionate baselines and outcome measures, coordinate repeat monitoring and determine whether deer impacts are reducing and habitats are responding as intended.

2. Turn evidence into coordinated delivery

• Develop and maintain the Forestry Commission's deer delivery plan for the PSS landscape, with clear outcomes, actions, owners, permissions, funding routes, milestones, risks and review points.
• Advise on an integrated and proportionate package of measures, which may include active population management, habitat and silvicultural work, protection, exclosures, access, high seats and monitoring.
• Coordinate action across landholdings, helping partners align woodland, habitat and deer-management objectives and secure the commitments needed for sustained delivery.

3. Build commitment and remove barriers

• Build constructive relationships with landowners, managers, agents, deer practitioners, ecologists, public bodies and environmental or community organisations.
• Explain evidence, uncertainty and management choices clearly, including where deer impacts are disputed or stakeholders are reluctant to support active management.
• Identify and help resolve practical barriers such as fragmented permissions, limited capacity, public sensitivity, carcass handling, infrastructure or gaps in the local venison supply chain.

4. Enable investment, assure delivery and share learning

• Support appropriate use of the UK Forestry Standard, woodland management plans and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier including reviewing deer management plans and the delivery of direct support for deer management.
• Define and monitor commissioned surveys, specialist support or enabling infrastructure.
• Maintain accurate evidence, delivery and financial records; report progress, risks, expenditure and ecological outcomes; and share learning with other PSS Deer Officers, Area Deer Officers, the PSS Deer Coordinator and delivery partners.

Person specification

We value relevant experience gained through different routes. Your evidence should show that you can apply ecological judgement, work with others and turn evidence into practical delivery.

Essential criteria

• Applied experience in ecology, conservation, forestry, habitat, wildlife, land or deer management, with the ability to relate habitat condition and ecological pressures to clear management or conservation objectives.
• Ability to collect, interpret and explain field and spatial evidence, including repeatable monitoring, uncertainty, alternative explanations and the limitations of survey methods.
• Working knowledge of wild deer ecology and impacts, or relevant transferable knowledge of herbivore ecology or wildlife impacts, together with the capacity to develop deer-specific competence rapidly.
• A strong record of working with landowners, managers, practitioners or partner organisations to influence decisions, build cooperation and turn advice into action, including on contested issues.
• Experience of translating evidence into proportionate strategies or work plans with clear priorities, responsibilities, risks, resources, milestones and measures of success.
• Clear written and verbal communication, sound independent judgement, effective contribution to multi-agency teams and the ability to maintain accurate digital, spatial and audit-ready records.

Desirable criteria

• A relevant qualification, or equivalent applied experience, in ecology, environmental science, forestry, conservation, land or wildlife management.
• Experience of protected sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, conservation objectives or work with a statutory environmental body.
• Knowledge of the UK Forestry Standard, woodland management planning, current forestry, or the management of commissioned work and public funding.
• Experience of GIS or field-data systems and habitat-condition, herbivore or deer-impact assessment using proportionate, repeatable methods.
• Practical understanding of deer management, relevant qualifications such as DSC1 or DSC2, or knowledge of constraints affecting carcass recovery, handling and local venison markets.

Licences

This post will involve regular travel including to more remote areas, therefore applicants need to hold and continue to hold, a full current driving license that enables them to drive in the UK and should be willing to stay away from home overnight.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Observation task at interview

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,388, Forestry Commission contributes

£11,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension (opens in a new window) with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• A range of wellbeing benefits including discounted Civil Service Healthcare, access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, Bike to Work Scheme, plus many more.
• 25 days annual leave, with 1 additional day for each years’ service up to 5 years (pro rata), plus 10.5 bank holidays/privilege days (pro rata).
• Ability to buy or sell 5 days annual leave.
• 3 days volunteering per year (pro rata).

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Fixed term Appointment to 30th March 2027. This is a Temporary Appointment with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

As part of the application process, you will complete the following online:

• A tailored CV (curriculum vitae) setting out your qualifications, career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be split into 3 parts and request: Job History, Previous Skills/Experience, Full Qualification Details.
• A personal statement – in no more than 500 wo