Tree Establishment Officer

City of Port Phillip; City of Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 103,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working conditions

Training & study assistance

Paid parental leave

Employee Assistance Program

Health & wellbeing program

Job summary

The City of Port Phillip is seeking a professional to lead its tree establishment program and urban forest initiatives at St Kilda Town Hall or the South Melbourne Operations Centre. You will drive planning, delivery, and continuous improvement to build a thriving city canopy with sustainable practices.

You will partner with internal teams and contractors, ensuring efficient program delivery, high-quality planting standards, and data-driven decision making in a dynamic local government

Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in Arboriculture, Horticulture, Landscape Architecture with 5+ years' local government experience.
• Broad technical knowledge of urban forest management and related legislation.
• Experience implementing tree planting and urban greening programs with data management.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and implement tree planting plans and establishment programs for street and park trees to support the Urban Forest Strategy 2024-2040.
• Respond to enquiries from stakeholders, provide specialist advice, and issue work instructions to contractors.
• Monitor compliance with contract specs, service standards, and maintenance programs; maintain records for accountability.

Skills

Arboriculture

Horticulture

Landscape Architecture

Urban forest management

Education

Arboriculture/Horticulture/Landscape Architecture qualification

Job description

• Salary Range Band 6 $102,620 to $111,855 plus 12% Super

• Full time, permanent position

• Located at St Kilda Town Hall or the South Melbourne Operations Centre with flexible working arrangements.

About the Organisation

The City of Port Phillip is an inner-city council with around 1000 employees who deliver more than 100 programs and services to our residents, businesses and visitors. These range from childcare and immunisations, to libraries, management of parks and open space, rubbish collection, road maintenance and more. City of Port Phillip has zero tolerance for child abuse and is a committed Child Safe organisation.

About the Role

You’ll be joining our dedicated Parks and Trees Team, a passionate team committed to enhancing community spaces and delivering exceptional outcomes for our urban environment. As a key contributor to this high‑performing team, you will play a leading role in shaping the future of our City’s tree canopy.

You will drive the planning, delivery, and continual improvement of Council’s tree establishment program, ensuring every tree planted has the best possible start to thrive. You’ll champion quality, innovation, and sustainability as you guide program development, and support best‑practice urban forest management across the organisation.

Duties:

• Prepare and implement tree planting plans and establishment programs for new and replacement street and park trees identified through customer requests, tree removals, and infill planting assessments, to support the delivery of Council’s Urban Forest Strategy 2024-2040.
• Respond to enquiries and service requests from internal and external stakeholders regarding tree planting and tree management matters, providing specialist technical advice, resolving issues, and issuing work instructions to contractors as required.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with contract specifications, service standards, management plans, maintenance programs, and planting programs, maintaining accurate records and documentation to support program delivery and accountability.

Skills and Experience

• Relevant qualification in Arboriculture, Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, or a related discipline, together with a minimum of five years' relevant professional experience, preferably within a local government environment.
• Demonstrated broad technical knowledge of urban forest management, including a sound understanding of relevant legislation, standards, policies, and industry guidelines.
• Proven experience in the development, implementation, and management of tree planting, establishment, and urban greening programs, or similar initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience providing specialist technical input into the implementation and review of policies, strategies, plans and guidelines relating to urban forest management and tree canopy enhancement.
• Demonstrated experience in the accurate collection, recording, and management of data using digital devices, software applications, and information management systems.

Culture

People enjoy working at the City of Port Phillip because we are a welcoming, healthy and inclusive workplace. We offer a vibrant and diverse work environment where our employees can develop both professionally and personally whilst planning and delivering a range of important services and programs to the community.

Benefits

• We offer a workplace that accommodates your working style and needs.
• Be supported and empowered by a leadership team that is community-focused, with a strong desire for change and a culture that encourages teamwork and innovation.
• Training and development opportunities, study assistance, flexible working conditions, paid parental leave, an active social club, a health and wellbeing program with access to fitness gyms, pools and facilities, and a well-regarded Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Security Requirements and Professional Obligations

Pre-employment screening will apply to all appointments.

Prior to a formal letter of offer, preferred applicants will be asked to provide:

• Evidence of mandatory qualifications/registrations/licences,
• Sufficient proof of their right to work in Australia, and
• Sufficient proof of their identity.
• Complete a National Police Check completed via City of Port Phillip’s Provider.
• Evidence of a Working with Children Check (employee type with City of Port Phillip registered as the organisation).

Applications close 11.59pm Sunday 4th October 2026.

The City of Port Phillip is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive and accessible environment where diversity is valued. We actively welcome and encourage candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nation and Torres Strait Islander candidates, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and candidates with a disability.

If you have accessibility requirements or require an adjustment to participate in our recruitment and selection process, please contact Yass Mustafa (Recruitment and Employee Experience Advisor) email: [e-mail]