Deer Coordinator
| Dyddiad hysbysebu: | 30 Mawrth 2026 |
|---|---|
| Cyflog: | £48,765 i £52,557 bob blwyddyn |
| Oriau: | Llawn Amser |
| Dyddiad cau: | 12 Ebrill 2026 |
| Lleoliad: | Bristol |
| Cwmni: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Math o swydd: | Dros dro |
| Cyfeirnod swydd: | 454968/1 |
Crynodeb
Within Forest Services (FS), the multi-disciplinary Policy and Advice team (PAt) helps the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and other government departments to develop forestry and woodland policy that works. It does so by drawing on all Forest Services’ wide-ranging forestry and woodlands experience, expertise, evidence and networks.
The Forestry Commission wants wild deer to be part of sustainable forestry in England. However, wild deer have a negative impact on woods and forests, preventing young trees from establishing by eating growing shoots and damaging older trees by stripping and fraying bark. High densities of deer can have negative impacts on woodland biodiversity by significantly changing the structure of the understory and by overgrazing on ground flora.
A range of Government policies state that there is a need to increase tree cover and the quality of our existing woodlands in England; insufficient deer management risks these targets being realised. Deer browsing also has major implications for woodland resilience in the face of climate change and tree disease (Tree Heath & Resilience Strategy). Natural regeneration will not happen without management of deer browsing.
The PSS Deer Adviser plays a key role in leading the development of the national Protected Sites Policies Programme in relation to deer impacted areas.
The recently published DEFRA Deer Impacts Policy Statement sets out government’s ambitions for the next ten years including actions to promote collaboration within current and potential future environmental land management or other schemes, such as Protected Site Strategies.
The purpose of this role is to lead the FC’s deer management element of the DEFRA Protected Sites Strategy Programme.
Protected Site Strategies are a new policy initiative to improve the condition of protected sites and free up economic growth by reducing the likelihood of development impacts on protected site condition.
From a Forestry Commission perspective this means taking action to reduce the long-term impact of deer, visitor pressure, water and air quality on protected sites, through management of deer and visitors or use of woodland and forestry as nature-based solutions.
Forestry Commission has an ambition to improve the ecological condition of all types of woodland and to improve the condition of woodland SSSIs. Deer are a major cause of poor condition of woodland, preventing regeneration and the development of structural complexity.
There are a number of woodland SSSIs in the PSS programme where we have both forestry and nature conservation interests, notably in the New Forest, Rockingham, Sherwood, Dartmoor, and Sussex Downs.
The headline objectives for the programme are:
- Reduce the pressure from deer browsing on woodland SSSIs, and secure favourable or recovering status of those woodlands, by co-ordinating deer management and securing long term supply of venison for local markets.
- Deploy nature-based solutions within existing woodland or through woodland expansion to absorb visitor numbers, improve water quality (modelled impact) or address point sources of ammonia.
- Spend additional capital and resource on survey, monitoring, training and infrastructure to target the previous objectives.
Forestry England, as owners and managers of some key sites will be key partners in the FC delivery programme
You will have a key role in identifying and analysing evidence from multiple sources to help your team of PSS Deer Officers develop landscape scale solutions to improving the condition of protected sites, particularly woodlands, impacted by deer.
You will work closely with the existing FC Deer Policy Advisor in developing and sharing of information and co-operative working across the relevant bodies involved in the management and improvement of protected sites.
This will help to ensure that future policy, regulations and incentives to ensure deer management is effectively represented in this particular area.
This is a pivotal role delivering the government’s objectives particularly around woodlands and protected sites. You will operate in an interdisciplinary environment to reduce the long-term impact of deer on the condition of protected sites and other woodlands.
KEY WORK AREAS
1) To administer programme funding for deer survey and woodland assessment
You will lead and co-ordinate the deer element of the FCs PSS programme working with FC, Defra family and key external stakeholder organisations to develop and co-ordinate deer management activities across the PSS programme sites nationally to maximise opportunities and outcomes.
- Champion the role and importance of deer management in the recovery and long-term future of protected sites.
- In conjunction with national specialists and Area teams, develop long term sustainable strategies for protected site recovery and protection.
- Create and maintain an up-to-date evidence base, collating and analysing information and data to ensure that Protected Site deer management activities are based on solid evidence and results can be effectively monitored to provide returns on progress against programme.
- Manage contracts for capital and revenue related to the PSS deer management programme this will include venison supply chain infrastructure, population and impact survey.
2) To support Area Team deployment of deer officer resource, including desk instructions, training and network support
- Provide national oversight and co-ordination of the PSS Deer Officer team, working closely with Area team colleagues to ensure their activity is properly targeted and delivered effectively.
- Liaison with existing Deer Advisor, National Office teams and other groups including landowner representative's groups to gain their opinions and feedback on PSS including their challenges and suggested improvements
- Apply a pragmatic approach that recognises the limitations but creatively challenges these to seek and deliver achievable outcomes
- Work alongside Area and SFM colleagues to drive suggested changes forward into practical solutions.
Aelod balch o'r cynllun cyflogwyr Hyderus o ran Anabledd