Estates Surveyor

Job summary

Background Information

Forestry England is the nation�s largest land manager, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands and increasing their value to society and the environment. We have around 1,000 staff and 20,000 volunteers looking after more land and more trees than any other organisation. We also work in partnership with others across government and the charitable and private sectors.�

Yorkshire Forest District, with 65 directly employed staff, covers 21,000 hectares. Alongside our traditional timber production the District offers extensive recreational opportunities for people to enjoy across dozens of beautiful woodlands. We protect and enhance valuable habitats for the benefit of wildlife; and deliver economic growth by supporting local businesses and rural employment.

The estate is predominantly woodland of varied character but also includes extensive tracts of open habitats such as moorland and heath. These forests receive around 460,000 visits by the public each year mainly for informal recreation such as walking and cycling. With Dalby Forest being the main hub of recreational facilities; visitor centre, toilets, trails, caf�, cycle hire.

Yorkshire Forest District incorporates a diverse range of built property, including houses and farms, office and operational depot facilities, as well as the off grid services infrastructure.

There are a variety of tenanted activities, such as Go Ape, cafes, cycle hire, minerals, telecommunication masts, residential, agricultural land and sporting lets.

The diversity and location of the property portfolio, both freehold and leasehold, mainly in the designated landscapes of the North York Moors National Park brings a high level of complexity, stakeholder engagement and interest to the work undertaken.

The Estates team in Yorkshire Forest District comprises of a Senior Surveyor, Estates Surveyor, Building Surveyor, Estates Works Supervisor and Administrative Officer.

Job description

Key Work Areas

You will :

• Manage landlord and tenant relationships to complete efficient and timely rent reviews, lease renewals and new lettings in relation to agreements for sporting lets, recreational sites, residential properties, farms and agricultural land, telecoms sites and commercial properties.
• Investigate and protect the Forestry Commission�s interests in relation to access, encroachments, boundary disputes and claims.
• Deal with wayleaves and the management of utilities.
• Interpret leases from both a landlord and tenant�s perspective and offer sound professional advice to colleagues in the forestry and recreational teams.
• Work to support the recreation team with existing tenant performance, new tenders and leases for recreational activities and development opportunities.
• Work with the wider District team to develop ambitious projects across the District, including strategic aims for conservation and land management.
• Undertake RICS Red Book valuations for financial purposes.
• Work with the Estates and wider district team to improve the financial and environmental sustainability of the Estate.

This post is full-time (37 hours per week, Monday - Friday).��

It is expected that the postholders will be part of the Duty Officer call out rota which includes evenings and weekends for a small number of weeks a year.

Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply. However, your preferred working pattern may not be available.

Person specification

Experience, Professional and Technical Expertise

Essential

Chartered status with RICS.

Ability to analyse complex and unusual estate management issues and develop detailed solutions to ensure best value.

Experience of negotiating contract terms, acting on behalf of either a landlord or tenant.

Experience of leading rent reviews on residential, commercial, or agricultural properties.

Valuation experience across a variety of property types and for a range of purposes.

A good standard of written and verbal communication.

Competent user of MS Office - in particular, Excel, Word Teams and Outlook.

Desirable

Fellowship of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.

A minimum of 2 years post qualification experience

RICS Registered Valuer status.

Experience in working with GIS systems.

An understanding of business planning and cost management.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence.

Travel throughout the District will be required. Occasional national travel with overnight stays will be required.

Forestry England is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

Memberships

Full Chartered Membership (or have suitable experience and be working towards full chartered membership) of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS or FRICS)

Behaviours

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

Technical skills

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

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �37,485, Forestry Commission contributes �10,859 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.