Assistant Tree Officer Bracknell, England
Job description
Trees cover 35.4% of Bracknell Forest, the second highest in the country.
We aim to take that percentage higher.
Our trees cannot communicate the benefits they bring to residents for themselves.
Can you speak for them?
Bracknell Forest is not just about having trees in our name. Trees form a key part of the places we make for residents, and they are recognised as improving physical and mental health, while delivering multiple benefits for our leisure and work lives.
Trees in Bracknell Forest are not just making our borough look great and feel great, they move us towards a more sustainable future. Trees are part of our heritage to be preserved and our assets to be enhanced.
Our tree officers are central to enhancing our biodiversity, ensuring trees are actively managed for the benefit of people and wildlife. It is a challenging role, speaking for trees, but if you are looking for a role where you can make a positive difference for trees, in response to residents, our planning colleagues, the highways officers and voluntary groups then this is a very rewarding opportunity.
If managing trees is your career, you should work for us.
Because we are Bracknell Forest.
What it’s like working in our team…
Our tree team are hard-working and passionate tree professionals. We manage demanding workloads, providing decision making and advice as part of a range of arboricultural services.
A typical tree officer day is a mixture of site based inspections, tree surveys and office or home-based communication, including report writing, spoken and written responses and updating of records. There will be regular meetings with contractors, including the inspection of tree pruning works and planning future maintenance.
Supporting the tree team are two Technical Clerks, assisting with the placement of works orders, enquiry logging, TPO serving and other administrative duties.
The tree team work within the wider Parks and Countryside service, alongside colleagues with specialisms in landscape design, biodiversity and rights of way. Tree Officers also support the work of the councils Rangers and Heritage Parks teams, who act as land managers for the boroughs natural estate including over 100 open spaces. Parks and Countryside also operate The Look Out Science and Discovery Centre, which forms a gateway to Swinley Forest, part of the Windsor Estate.
You will be supported to carry out the following duties, responsibilities and training…
- To undertake surveys and inspections of trees to assess their condition, hazard potential and sustainability prior to recommending any appropriate tree management in line with good silvicultural practice, BS3998 ‘Tree work – Recommendations’, industry standards and Council polices.
- To create effective and professional working relationships with contractors, ensuring they comply with health & safety and other appropriate statutory and regulatory requirements.
- To assess and prepare Tree Preservation Orders for the Planning Authority.
- To produce clear and concise reports, management plans and schedules of maintenance work.
The benefits you will experience are…
- An inclusive and social working environment.
- Flexible working opportunities including a flexi-time scheme.
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Regular opportunities for development with internal and external training courses.
- A great office location next to travel links and the regenerated town centre.
- Internal sports and social club opportunities.
- Discounted leisure centre and gym membership.
- Supermarket discount.
- An interest free loan for a rail season ticket.
What we’re looking for…
Our ideal candidate will combine their passion for trees with the practical understanding and experience of managing trees within a local authority setting, including professional tree inspection, procurement and management of practical works and advocating for the benefits of trees in both the spoken and written word.
Interview date
Interviews will be held on 8th June 2023.
Want to ask us a question
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Stephen Chown, Head of Natural Estates; 01344 351226
As part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to redeployment, please note that this vacancy may be withdrawn at any stage of the recruitment process if a suitable redeployee is identified.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Any candidates that are currently residing in the UK and wishing to apply who would require sponsorship can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the role by assessing their circumstances against the relevant criteria.
No agencies please.
Equal Opportunities
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
How to apply
Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.
