Renewables and Infrastructure Manager

Salary: £36,698 - £39,522 (pay review pending)

Job reference: REQ0443

Location: North Region - Golspie or Inverness preferred

South Region – Straiton, Ae, Castle Douglas or Newton Stewart preferred

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: This is a full-time vacancy, based on a 37 hour week

We’re a flexible employer and encourage applicants who wish to work a flexible working pattern to apply - all requests will be considered.

Nationality requirements

It’s essential you have the right to work in the UK before applying to work with us, as we’re currently unable to offer sponsorship.

You’ll also need to meet the requirements of the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Disability Confident Scheme

If you apply under the Disability Confident Scheme, you’ll be invited for interview/assessment, so long as you meet any elements of ‘Experience’ or ‘Technical’ marked as essential in the Success Profile.

About the team

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is looking for enthusiastic, practical, creative people to join our regional planning and environment teams to help shape the future of Scotland’s forests and land. We’re responsible for managing 8% of Scotland – and it’s not just forests, it’s coasts, mountains, farmland, peatlands, varied habitats and recreation sites.

The planning and environment teams work closely with other teams and specialists to design sustainable forests of the future, protect and restore semi-natural habitats, respond to climate change and enhance our landscapes. We facilitate and integrate responsible renewable energy and infrastructure on Scotland’s forests and land to support the nations’ climate goals.

We live and work in iconic – or sometimes spectacular but lesser known – landscapes, often with great access to outdoor activities, but never that far from major towns, either.

What you will do

We accommodate a significant number of renewable energy developments (particularly wind farms), utility projects and other third party developments on the land we manage. They often involve associated infrastructure such as access tracks, grid connections and ancillary equipment.

You and your team will work to ensure that renewables and infrastructure projects are delivered sensitively, by careful integration with wider FLS and Scottish Government objectives, minimising environmental impact, achieving biodiversity net gain, and enhancing visitor experience.

In South Region there are six operational wind farms while in North Region, there are 20 operational hydro schemes and four wind farms. Both regions have several large scale interconnectors and a complex network of overhead and underground services. Each region has many other developments accessed over FLS land and over 30 projects at scoping, planning and construction stage.

As a Renewables and Infrastructure Manager, you have three key areas of responsibility. You will:

•             Be the main regional contact for renewables and infrastructure developers within the region, facilitating new developments while ensuring that other land management objectives can be fully realised.

•             Oversee the interaction between FLS and developers during the planning, development and delivery of large and complex renewable and infrastructure projects.

•             Manage and support a team of Forest Liaison Officers (FLO) who undertake the day-to-day contact with renewables and infrastructure developers, and work together with the national renewables team.

You’ll need to oversee multiple projects simultaneously; work at pace at times to respond quickly to developers’ and FLS’ requirements; and coordinate closely with regional and national teams to facilitate good communication. This is a new role and would be an excellent opportunity to establish yourself in FLS.

Main duties

•             Provide direct line management for the Forest Liaison Officer team, making the most of their skills and experience, and helping prioritise tasks and effort.

•             Manage staff in line with FLS policies, optimise the effectiveness of your team, set standards and monitor performance.

•             Have a strong focus on both team and individual wellbeing, maintain a collaborative people-centred culture within the team and identify opportunities to develop skills and expand work experience.

•             Support and guide FLOs to ensure parity of decision making across all schemes and consistent application of FLS and regional policy and procedures.

Facilitate developments

•             Act as the main contact for developers coordinating the assessment, planning and delivery of the Region’s programme of renewables, ancillary equipment, transmission, roads and services projects.

•             Work closely with national and regional teams to consider the impacts of proposed developments on the management of the forest and other land uses and fulfil legal obligations. Prepare written recommendations to managers to facilitate decision making on proposed land agreements.

•             Help to support and integrate the project development and delivery into FLS wider land management, within the context of our Land Management Plans, timber production and organisational objectives; and ensure that development is compliant and sustainable as per the UKFS.

•             Work in advance of development to achieve positive outcomes and benefits for the land, facilities and infrastructure we manage.

•             Where applicable, oversee the restoration phase of wind farms, export cables and interconnectors to ensure the required specification is delivered by the developer as per the lease requirements, in particular habitat, roads, borrow pits and quarries.

Financial management

•             Co-ordinate agreed cost recovery of FLS staff and other resources required to facilitate renewables and infrastructure developments.

•             Provide support in the measurement and subsequent invoicing for tree crop compensation and subsequent restocking costs, as required.

Success Profile

The Success Profile below set outs the essential and desirable elements that make up the vacant position. You will be expected to demonstrate how you meet the criteria at application and/or interview stage. Any Behaviours will be assessed at interview stage.

Behaviours

Behaviour 1 and Lead Criteria: Making Effective Decisions

Behaviour 2: Working Together

Behaviour 3: Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour 4: Managing a Quality Service

Experience

Essential:

•             A sound understanding of land or forest management and/or the renewables industry.

•             Demonstrable experience of negotiation skills, for example with developer.

•             Demonstrable experience of an ability to appraise situations quickly and facilitate solutions to practical problems.

Desirable:

•             Experience of Project Management.

•             Experience of successfully managing a team.

•             Familiarity with the town and country planning process, construction project management, the UK Forest Standards and the forest regulatory environment.

•             A working knowledge of how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used and  maintained within a land management organisation.

Technical

Essential:

•             An HND or higher level qualification in forestry, land management, renewables or planning, or equivalent experience.

Desirable:

•             Chartered Professional membership of ICF, RTPI, RICS or other relevant professional body (or a  commitment to obtain Professional Member status within 2 years of appointment).

Driving licence

This role requires you to have a full UK driving licence, however we’re willing to consider any proposals that would allow you to do the job by other means.

Travel

There is some flexibility with regards to office location, and projects will be assigned to minimise travel, however applicants may be expected to travel to sites across their Region.

What we offer you

If successful, you’ll be entitled to a wide range of benefits.

Additional information

We believe it’s important to create an inclusive and supportive work culture and we welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background.

Further information

Further information about this post is available from HR@forestryandland.gov.scot

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, or require any adjustments, please email resourcing@forestryandland.gov.scot

Closing date: 21 November 2022.

Apply here.