Assistant Trees & Woodland Adviser

National Trust; Chesterfield; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme (up to 10%)

Free entry to National Trust places

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Discounts (gym, shopping, cinema)

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Flexible working

Employee assistance programme

Free parking

Job summary

National Trust is seeking an Assistant Trees & Woodland Adviser to support woodland creation, restoration and management across the Midlands and East of England. The role involves advising on tree establishment, woodland management and operational delivery and contributing to the strategy of creating 250,000 hectares of nature-rich habitat.

The position is hybrid, based at a local National Trust office with home-working options.

Qualifications

• Technical knowledge and experience in tree and woodland management, including ancient/veteran trees.
• Experience delivering woodland projects and operations.
• Familiarity with UKWAS standards and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of National Trust woodland priorities across the region.
• Provide guidance on tree establishment, woodland management and planning.
• Assist with funding proposals and delivery of planting operations.
• Help protect ancient woodlands and veteran trees through appropriate management.
• Provide guidance on legal compliance, health & safety and contract management.

Skills

Tree and woodland management

UKWAS standards

Tree safety management

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Summary

We’re looking for an Assistant Tree & Woodland Delivery Partner to support our ambitions for high‑quality woodland creation, restoration and management across the Midlands and East of England. You’ll be joining us at an exciting time, as our strategy People and Nature Thriving sets out a bold ambition to restore nature at scale, including creating 250,000 hectares of nature‑rich habitat across three countries.

You’ll help colleagues improve the condition, resilience and long‑term management of woodlands by providing professional advice on tree establishment, woodland management and operational delivery. You’ll contribute to our national 20‑million‑trees target, support UKWAS‑compliant woodland management, and help protect Ancient Woodland and Ancient and Veteran trees — some of our most precious natural assets.

Interview date: 11th November 2026

What It's Like To Work Here

You’ll be part of our Restore Nature team, working closely with the Tree & Woodland Delivery Partner and colleagues across the Midlands and East of England. The role is hybrid, based at your local National Trust office, combined with the flexibility to work from home when appropriate.

Your week will be varied — balancing office time, home working and time spent supporting teams on the ground. You’ll spend plenty of time in the woods, working across a wide range of landscapes, from coastal to upland sites, established woodlands to new planting sites and helping colleagues deliver high‑quality outcomes for nature.

You’ll be supported by our national Tree & Woodland team, who provide specialist guidance, training and technical expertise. Collaboration is central to how we work; you’ll build strong relationships with property teams, regional specialists, contractors and partners as you help deliver woodland priorities across the region.

What You'll Be Doing

Your work will support the delivery of National Trust woodland priorities, including:

• Tree Safety Management – Helping properties implement mandatory procedures, including providing advice and supporting training.
• UKWAS‑compliant woodland management – Providing Woodland Management and planning advice, silvicultural guidance and certification reporting.
• Tree planting and woodland creation – Supporting colleagues and partners to identify opportunities, develop proposals, secure funding and deliver planting operations.
• Ancient Woodlands, Ancient & Veteran Trees – Helping properties improve condition and ensure protection and appropriate management of these irreplaceable features.
• Compliance and best practice – Providing guidance on legal compliance, contract management, health & safety, tree health and general silvicultural issues.

Who we're looking for

We’d love to hear from you if you’re:

• technical knowledge and experience in tree and woodland management; manging complex tree collections including ancient and veteran trees and overseeing forestry operations
• understanding of tree safety management principles and experience of delivery
• familiarity with the UK Forestry and UK Woodland Assurance Standards
• knowledge and experience of woodland creation and tree establishment
• strong problem‑solving skills and commitment to delivering high‑quality outcomes
• confident communicator able to build collaborative working relationships, mentoring, supporting and training colleagues
• ability to work independently, manage time effectively and balance multiple priorities
• membership of a relevant professional body, or looking to work towards it, such as the Institute of Chartered Foresters or the Arboricultural Association.

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Rental deposit loan scheme
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.
• Flexible working whenever possible
• Employee assistance programme
• Free parking at most Trust places

National Trust place: Hardwick Consultancy Hub, The Croft, Chesterfield, S44 5QJ

Documents

Assistant Trees & Woodland Adviser - Grade 7.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Closing Date

1st November 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here.

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.