Timber Sales and Marketing Officer

Team / Directorate: Timber Marketing and Business Support  

Starting salary:  £41,132 rising to £44,988 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

Contract type: Permanent

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)

Interview date: 30 June 2025

Post number: 201727 

The role

As a Timber Sales and Marketing Officer, you'll be at the forefront of a vital national programme that delivers sustainable timber from the Welsh Government Woodland Estate to the heart of the forest industry.

Focused on the Mid Wales region, this role combines commercial acumen with environmental stewardship. You'll lead on valuing timber parcels, preparing them for market, and managing the sales process through to contract award, all while ensuring health, safety and environmental standards are upheld. With around 750,000m³ of timber brought to market annually, your contribution will directly support the long-term resilience of Wales’ woodland economy.

You’ll work closely with the team and collaborate with forest operations colleagues, harvesting planners, and external customers to shape and deliver the timber sales programme. A key part of your role will involve engaging with timber processors, building strong, professional relationships to support successful contract delivery and championing compliance with protocols and governance.

This is a hands-on, field-based role that offers real variety – from inspecting timber on forest sites, to hosting customer meetings and contributing to strategic planning sessions. You’ll represent Natural Resources Wales at stakeholder meetings and play a visible role in both shaping and delivering our marketing ambitions.

We're looking for someone who brings forestry knowledge, commercial awareness and excellent communication skills. Whether you're already working in timber sales or looking to step into a leadership role, this is your opportunity to make a tangible impact in a nationally significant programme – supporting both nature and industry across Wales.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact alan.varker@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.   

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. 

Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

 

What you will do

• Act as a mentor to others to improve performance and release potential.
• Take a leading role in ensuring that all staff treat Health/Safety and Environmental management as the highest priority.
• Ensure a high level of compliance and reporting culture of near miss and accident reporting across all staff.
• Ensure a fit for purpose Personal and Training plan is maintained and delivered at all times by working closely with L&D and training providers to ensure that staff engaged are competent to perform individual roles and expectations and given the opportunity for continuing personal development.
• Ensure poor Health, Safety and Environmental performance is formally addressed with contract holders at quarterly customer performance reviews and advise Forest Operations Manager of any contractual implications and actions.
• Contribute to the annual Sale and Income targets for NRW.
• Ensure that timber is put forward to the 4-6 main open market sale events per annum in line with the Timber Sales and Marketing plan and in compliance with timber sales governance. Carry out site visits to inspect timber quality and make judgement on valuation.
• Represent NRW and act as deputy to Timber Marketing and Support Team Leader at meetings or periods of leave as required.
• Represent Timber Sales & Marketing team at Customer Liaison and quarterly customer meetings, District Liaison meetings, harvesting meetings, planning meetings.
• Work closely with the local Ops teams to ensure the harvesting and sales programme is put to open sale, and the agreed plans are clearly recorded and implemented.
• Set and communicate clear values for maintaining an effective team, ensuring that staff work together to review and improve customer services.
• Produce concise and persuasive written drafts, identifying the key issues, examining options and proposing a way ahead using clear and concise instruction and language
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

1. An understanding of forest management including harvesting and marketing.
2. Experience in managing contracts & customer relationships.
3. Experience in Harvesting & Marketing business applications such as contract mapper, sales recording package and E-Sales.
4. A recognised marketing qualification or equivalent professional experience (desirable).
5. Membership of, or working towards, ICF chartered status or other recognised Forestry qualification or relevant forestry experience.
6. Proficiency in handling contractual relationships including commercial negotiations.
7. Competency in the Microsoft Office suite of applications

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential:  Level A1 - Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh) 

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Benefits 

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.   We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

We are committed to equal opportunities and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.  

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards.  Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills. 

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