Job profile for Senior Arboricultural Officer

Job Details

Job title: Senior Arboricultural Officer

Salary/Grade: 4 - 5

Service: Planning

Reports to: Principal Arboricultural Officer

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job Purpose

To provide a professional arboricultural service to the Council, to positively impact the District through the effective management of trees on Council land, and to assess tree related applications and appeals

Principal Accountabilities

• Undertake the full range of tree management work in connection with trees on land owned by the Council, including investigating and responding to customer enquiries for works to Council owned trees from Residents, Members, and Parish and Town Councils; carry out risk assessments and visual health inspections of trees and ensure the Council’s tree inspection software package is kept up-to-date; arrange/supervise any necessary works with external contractors as required.
• Support the Council’s emergency planning arrangements in relation to tree issues, including fallen and dangerous trees.
• Review existing Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), make new Provisional TPOs, and confirm Orders either without modification or with modification, to provide long-term tree protection, as necessary.
• Prepare and present specialist advice/reports at the Council’s Planning Committee as required, including reports on objections to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
• Act as the Council’s specialist advisor in respect of subsidence claims involving Council owned property and claims for compensation against the Council.
• Provide Arboricultural advice in response to consultations on Planning Applications.
• Prepare appeal statements/proof of evidence, in response to an appeal against the refusal of planning permission, including giving evidence at appeal hearings or public inquiries in relation to arboricultural issues.
• Assessment of applications for consent to undertake works to tree(s) subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
• Assessment of notifications (Section 211 Notice) of intent for work to tree(s) within a Conservation Area (TPOCON).
• Assessment of applications for Hedgerow Removal Notice (HDG).
• Defend any decisions in connection with TPO, TPOCON, and HDG applications at appeal.
• Assessment of ‘High Hedge’ complaints.
• Assist with the preparation and ongoing review of the Council’s Tree Strategy and other Advice and Guidance for the Landscape Services Team.
• Monitor, in conjunction with the Planning Enforcement team, conditional requirements of planning and development consents in relation to landscaping, tree and hedgerow protection, works to trees, and replacement planting.
• Respond quickly and effectively, in conjunction with the Planning Enforcement team, to unauthorised hedgerow removals, works to trees in Conservation Areas, and trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders. Gather appropriate evidence as necessary to enable prosecution to proceed.
• To engage with tree wardens and volunteer groups and contribute to tree planting initiatives and administering conservation grant applications.

Corporate Accountabilities

• To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance.
• To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business continuity and during civil emergencies. All staff may on occasions be called upon to support the Council to deal with emergency situations affecting the community we serve. In the event of an emergency or a rehearsal for such an event, you may be required to attend at times and at locations outside of the normal hours and duties of the post and to adopt duties directed by the Chief Executive or their nominated representative for the duration of the emergency.
• Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
• To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum Level 3 Qualification in Arboriculture (such as Tech Cert, Diploma in Arboriculture or FDSc Arboriculture (Essential).
• Relevant degree qualification in related subject (Arboriculture, Landscape or Countryside Management, Planning, Horticulture, Environmental) (Desirable).
• LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection Certificate (Essential).
• Minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in undertaking a range of arboricultural work for a Local Authority or Consultancy (Essential).
• Full UK Driving Licence (Essential).
• Experience in dealing with customer contact with Members of the Public, Councillors, and Town and Parish Councils (Desirable).
• Relevant experience in the management and inspection of tree stock (Essential).
• Experience of enforcement in relation to tree protection (Desirable).
• Experience of providing specialist advice in response to insurance claims (Desirable).
• Experience of working in a Local Authority and presenting reports and recommendations to Planning Committee (Desirable).
• Membership of a relevant professional body, such as The Arboricultural Association and the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF), with a commitment to CPD (Essential).
• Other practical arboricultural qualification such as RFS certificate in arboriculture are useful but not essential for this role as it does not involve operating of chainsaws or working at height, but it would be useful when overseeing our contractors (Desirable).

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of tree related legislation and trees and the law.
• Knowledge of pest and disease.
• Ability to read and interpret maps and plans and understand related information.
• Ability to prepare and present clear written reports and responses fit for the relevant audience.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to work positively and proactively to deliver a customer focused service.
• Full UK Driving Licence and access to a car.
• Relevant health and safety knowledge.
• Excellent organisational abilities, including the skill to set and deliver targets.
• Ability to work alone and on own initiative.
• Experience/ability to discuss and resolve issues in a diplomatic way.
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings as required.
• Knowledge of the planning process related to trees.
• Knowledge and experience of utilising tree survey software, Microsoft Office, GIS, asset management software, and other software and systems such as Uniform and IDOX.
• Experience of developing effective partnerships with key stakeholders and external bodies.

Competencies

(Tested at interview stage)

Communicating Effectively

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation.

• Present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding.
• Listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.
• Present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon.
• Seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with.
• Choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach.

Performing Efficiently and Effectively

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results.  Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems:

• Ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council.
• Plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders.
• See tasks and objectives through to completion.
• Approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm.
• Strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability.
• Create novel solutions to improve services and ways of working and challenge conventional practices.
• Seek out income generating opportunities and efficiencies and aim to provide more for less to achieve the best possible value and high standards of service delivery.
• Be enthusiastic about the Council’s services and look for opportunities to promote and sell them.

Using and Managing Resources Efficiently and Effectively

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc:

• Take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage.
• Use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness.
• Seek out ways to improve the use of resources.

Engaging with the Customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services:

• Provide a helpful and friendly service to customers, both internally and externally.
• Take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues.
• Make efforts to fully understand the customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “we know best”.
• Ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer.
• Seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide.

Working well Together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition:

• Co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation, seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals.
• Demonstrate consideration and respect for other’s feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions.
• Maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council.
• Seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved.
• Demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others.

Other conditions

• This position does not require a DBS check 
• This position is not politically restricted
• This post is entitled to a lease car

Job profile updated: March 2025

Values and behaviours

Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.

Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.

Our vision

We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results

Our core values