Lead Forester & Arborist — Urban Tree Specialist

Leeds City Council; Leeds; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and annual leave

West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Flexible and hybrid working

Career progression opportunities

Staff wellbeing benefits

Job summary

Leeds City Council is seeking an experienced Chargehand Forester/Arborist to lead a skilled team across the city. The role focuses on supervising arborists, ensuring high standards, scheduling operations and collaborating with partners to maintain Leeds’ green spaces.

The post requires a driving licence, strong leadership, and a commitment to safety, training and effective use of digital tools for reporting and planning.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a team of arborists.
• Commitment to staff training and mentoring to support progression.
• Confidence in promoting and using IT systems to improve efficiency.
• Genuine passion for arboriculture, woodland management and forestry.
• Willingness to respond to severe weather incidents as part of standby rota.
• Strong communication with stakeholders, partners and the public.
• Ability to travel independently to diverse sites across the city.
• Collaborative leadership style that inspires high performance.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and organise the workforce on tasks within the Forestry Section.
• Lead practical Arboriculture and Forestry to high industry standards.
• Respond to severe weather and emergency calls, including on-call duties.
• Ensure security and maintenance of tools and equipment.
• Utilise tree management software to record works and update orders.
• Provide CPD and training; mentor junior arborists and apprentices.
• Contribute to risk assessments, method statements and legal records.

Skills

Team leadership

Staff development

IT proficiency

Arboriculture passion

Standby rota

Communication

City-wide travel

Collaborative leadership

Education

Arboriculture qualification or equivalent

Tools

Tree management software

Job description

Leeds City Council is seeking an experienced Chargehand Forester/Arborist to lead a skilled team across the city. The role focuses on supervising arborists, ensuring high standards, scheduling operations and collaborating with partners to maintain Leeds’ green spaces.

The post requires a driving licence, strong leadership, and a commitment to safety, training and effective use of digital tools for reporting and planning.