Natural Environment Officer (Community Forest)

Plymouth City Council; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Plymouth City Council seeks a Natural Environment Officer (Trees and Communities) to drive the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest programme. You will design and deliver tree planting and woodland creation projects across the region, aligning with national funding and local needs.

The role requires delivering infrastructure pilots, engaging communities, partners, and stakeholders, and ensuring schemes meet UK Forestry and British Standards. A degree in natural environments is essential.

Qualifications

• A degree in a natural environment or related field.
• Ability to provide technical guidance to teams, partners and stakeholders delivering tree planting and woodland creation schemes.
• Appropriate knowledge of standards, policies and procedures related to environmental and ecological project implementation.
• A passion for nature and the outdoors.
• Ability to engage community groups and enable them to shape their local greenspaces.
• Proven experience working with diverse groups to deliver project outcomes.
• Ability and knowledge to work safely, including risk assessments and compliance with safety procedures.
• Confidence managing agreed budgets and time management across a diverse programme with seasonal needs and pressures.

Responsibilities

• Support the further development of an ambitious tree planting and woodland creation programme across the region.
• Provide guidance and support to colleagues and third parties in the design, consultation, and delivery of tree planting and woodland creation schemes.
• Ensure all PSDCF schemes are delivered to relevant UK Forestry and British Standards for woodland creation and planting trees in streets and urban space.
• Facilitate and administer grant funding to local communities, residents, landowners, and businesses to achieve scheme creation.
• Engage numerous stakeholders and partners in the entire scheme process, inclusive wider outreach and presentation at events and workshops to ensure maximum reach and joined up working across the South Devon and Cornwall region.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on all PSDCF schemes throughout the project lifecycle, with data and feedback presented in numerous formats and to myriad audiences.
• Establish and maintain critical partnerships with delivery organisations inclusive Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trusts and wider ENGOs in the region, National Trust, and other local authorities.

Skills

Technical guidance

Standards & procedures

Passion for nature

Community engagement

Diversity experience

Safety & risk assessment

Budget & time management

Education

Degree in natural environment

Job description

Natural Environment Officer (Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest)

Grade F (£34,811 - £37,563 per annum)

• Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.
• This vacancy is only available for applications from existing Internal Plymouth City Council employees and Agency Workers who are in an active placement and have 12 weeks continuous service. Applications submitted by External candidates who do not meet this criteria will not be considered and will be rejected.

Are you ready to support transformative change for nature and communities in one of the UK’s most ambitious cities for environmental innovation, and across the South Devon region?

Plymouth City Council and partners are looking for an ambitious and energetic Natural Environment Officer (Trees and Communities) to support the delivery of Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest’s Tree planting programme. This is a unique opportunity to support the development of the Community Forest, design and deliver long-lasting natural infrastructure projects in a variety of settings, and deliver nature-based solutions that support equitable access to nature, climate resilience, health, and wellbeing.

You will be an individual with demonstrable experience delivering environmental projects with a trees, woodland, and forestry focus to support the continued development of a ground-breaking community initiative which has people and place at the centre of its activity. The purpose of this role is to facilitate a national funding programme and provide woodland creation and tree planting guidance and support to various stakeholders across Plymouth, South Devon, and Dartmoor National Park.

What You’ll Do

• Support the further development of an ambitious tree planting and woodland creation programme across the region
• Provide guidance and support to colleagues and third parties in the design, consultation, and delivery of tree planting and woodland creation schemes
• Ensure all PSDCF schemes are delivered to relevant UK Forestry and British Standards for woodland creation and planting trees in streets and urban space
• Facilitate and administer grant funding to local communities, residents, landowners, and businesses to achieve scheme creation
• Engage numerous stakeholders and partners in the entire scheme process, inclusive wider outreach and presentation at events and workshops to ensure maximum reach and joined up working across the South Devon and Cornwall region
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on all PSDCF schemes throughout the project lifecycle, with data and feedback presented in numerous formats and to myriad audiences
• Establish and maintain critical partnerships with delivery organisations inclusive Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trusts and wider ENGOs in the region, National Trust, and other local authorities

What You’ll Bring

• A degree in a natural environment or related field
• Demonstrable ability to provide technical guidance to teams, partners and stakeholders delivering tree planting and woodland creation schemes
• Appropriate knowledge of standards, policies and procedures related to environmental and ecological project implementation
• A passion for nature and the outdoors
• Ability to engage community groups and enable them to shape their local greenspaces
• Proven experience working with diverse groups to deliver project outcomes
• Ability and knowledge to work safely, inclusive conducting risk assessments and compliance with safety procedures
• Confidence managing agreed budgets and time management across a diverse programme with seasonal needs and pressures

Why Plymouth?

This role will be based within Plymouth City Council’s new NaturaL Environment Service – consisting of several groundbreaking programmes and teams across the themes of; Communities; Trees; Marine; Nature Recovery; and Environmental Operations. The new Natural Environment Service enhances Plymouth’s demonstrable leadership as a Nature City with a track record in innovation across Climate, Nature, People, and Place programmes – working collaboratively across themes to achieve maximum impact for the city and the wider region. This is a hugely exciting time to join us in delivering our ambitions, most recently published in our Plan for Nature and People .

This post funded through DEFRA’s Trees Programme Fund until 31/03/2030. You will be employed by Plymouth City Council.

Useful Links

• Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest – https://psdcf.com
• PSDCF Forest Plan 2025-2050 - 1-PSDCF-Forest-Plan-2025-2050.pdf
• Plymouth’s Plan for Nature and People https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/Plan-for-nature-and people.pdf
• Nature Towns and Cities – https://naturetownsandcities.org.uk

We are a flexible employer and provide a variety of working arrangements tailored to the needs of each role.

The Disclosure & Barring Service Check requirement for this post is: Basic.

For more information or an informal discussion regarding this role, please contact Peter Hawking-Sach on [e-mail]

Closing date: Wednesday 18 November 2026

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

Where a high number of eligible applicants meet the essential criteria, we may undertake a further shortlisting exercise to identify those who best demonstrate the essential criteria for the role.

Plymouth City Council is proud to be an Age Friendly Employer. We encourage applications from talented people at every stage of their career.