Head Of Plant And Seed Supply

Details

Reference number

351563

Salary

£61,409

GBP

Job grade

Other

Payband 2

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

FLS - Land Management

Type of role

Other

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location

• About the job

• Things you need to know

• Apply and further information

Location

Elgin

About the job

Job summary

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is a Scottish Government agency with the important job of looking after something incredibly valuable to the people of Scotland and its visitors Scotlands national forests and land, totalling 650,000ha, almost 9% of the total area of Scotland. Were committed to supporting Scotland's climate change plan and increasing Scotlands 'natural capital' in other words, the natural resources that support our economy, society and environment. We do this in a number of ways, from the vital timber supply that supports the forestry sector and many other areas of the economy, to inviting visitors to enjoy our woodlands

and mountain bike trails, bolstering the wellbeing of our communities. We also facilitate responsible renewable energy generation, woodland creation, natural regeneration and wildlife management to enhance biodiversity too.

Forestry and Land Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government with 'public corporation' status and operates commercially. All our incomes are reinvested in the management of the national forests and land to the benefit of Scotland.

Plant and Seed Supply

FLS Plant and Seed Supply is a dedicated team of 30 people responsible for growing or sourcing the 25 million trees per year required for the forests and land managed by FLS. We do this from the only publicly owned tree nursery in Scotland, Newton Nursery, near Elgin. Newton Nursery is currently benefiting from the biggest ever single investment carried out by FLS, including construction of a 12,000sqm glasshouse and installation of machinery providing capacity to grow up to 15 million bare-root trees, and 4 million cell-grown trees per year. This investment represents both an exciting and challenging time for the Plant and Seed Supply team; the new facilities will be a welcome upgrade, but maintaining a seamless supply of trees for our regional planting programmes whilst transitioning to entirely new ways of working will not be easy. Are you ready to join us and contribute to our success?

Job description

As Head of Plant and Seed Supply you will be accountable, through successful leadership of your team, for the reliable supply of high-quality trees to ensure Scotlands forests are resilient for generations to come.

We are seeking a confident individual who will be responsible for establishing and leading a cohesive team comprising both new recruits and existing staff, navigating through a period of operational change with sensitivity and strategic direction. The successful candidate will have the significant benefit of support and learning from the vast technical knowledge and experience of the current post holder, as they remain working with FLS and move sideways to focus on the

nursery redevelopment project and development of exciting new innovations in plant supply.

The Head of Plant and Seed Supply is expected to be a role model of continuous improvement, fostering a culture where exploration of new ideas and processes is actively encouraged. You will delegate responsibilities effectively to empower the team to take ownership of their work, make informed decisions, and contribute to the overall success of the organisation. You will also work closely with colleagues across FLS to develop and maintain an understanding of the bigger picture that will inform the direction you set for your team.

You will promote high standards and attention to detail in relation to health and safety, plant health and quality, biosecurity, identifying and learning from examples of best practice within the industry. The position will be primarily based at Newton Nursery, with options for a blended working approach. Some travel to sites across Scotland, and occasionally further afield, will be required.

Person specification

Experience

Essential:

Proven experience in a leadership role in a similar environment.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across

departments and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven

decisions.

Commercially astute, with the ability to optimise processes to drive efficiency and

productivity.

Experience in financial planning to include; budgeting, forecasting and monitoring.

Desirable:

Strong understanding of logistics, procurement, inventory management, and

distribution processes.

Awareness of the UK forestry sector.

Knowledge of modern land management, including forestry and/or horticulture

systems.

Experience in biosecurity assurance and plant health management in nursery

production.

Technical

Desirable:

Degree in a relevant subject (e.g., Forestry, Horticulture, Agriculture) or ability to

demonstrate equivalent level of work experience in a relevant industry.

Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office 365 applications.

Project and Change Management.

Knowledge of plant and seed supply control measures e.g. Forest Reproductive

Materials Regulations (FRM).

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Please see our recruitment portal for further details.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service