Parks Officer (Trees)

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils (trading as South & Vale); Abingdon; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are seeking a Parks Officer (Trees) to inspect, manage and maintain the council’s tree stock, ensuring safety and canopy health across parks, highways and open spaces.

The role involves risk assessment, advising residents and councillors, and coordinating with contractors and in-house teams to deliver safe works in line with best practice and policies.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Arboriculture or equivalent is essential.
• LANTRA PTI or similar qualification in tree inspection and risk assessment is essential.
• Strong technical knowledge of arboriculture, including inspection and risk assessment, essential.

Responsibilities

• Inspect and assess council-owned trees, recording condition and defects.
• Carry out tree risk assessments to identify risks to public safety and property.
• Respond to storm events and urgent issues, prioritising works based on risk.
• Specify, procure and manage tree works, including contractor quotations and value for money.
• Provide professional arboricultural advice to residents and councillors; investigate complaints and incidents.

Skills

Arboriculture expertise

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Workload planning

Driving licence

Education

Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Arboriculture

LANTRA PTI or similar qualification

Job description

About The Role

Why join us

We believe in putting our people first – we work hard every day to make sure everyone can achieve a healthy and enjoyable work-life-balance. That is why we have a very flexible hours system.

We are seen as being customer focused, approachable and business‑like. We are honest and open and are renowned for providing high quality cost‑effective service.

About the role

The Parks Officer (Trees) is responsible for the inspection, management and maintenance of the councils’ tree stock, ensuring it is safe, sustainable and supports high‑quality public spaces. The role involves assessing tree condition, identifying risks and specifying appropriate works to protect people, property and the environment, while maintaining and enhancing the local tree canopy.
Working across parks, highways and open spaces, the postholder provides professional arboricultural advice to council services, residents and councillors. They play a key role in managing tree‑related risks, supporting planting programmes, and ensuring that all tree works are delivered effectively, safely and in line with best practice and council policies.

Essential criteria for the role (pull across the most essential qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience, not all of them)

• Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Arboriculture (or equivalent)
• LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection (PTI) or similar recognised qualification in tree inspection and risk assessment
• Strong technical knowledge of arboriculture, including tree inspection, risk assessment, and best practice in tree maintenance and management.
• Experience of inspecting and managing trees, including identifying defects, assessing risk, and specifying appropriate remedial works.
• Ability to analyse information and make sound professional judgements, balancing public safety, environmental considerations, legal, regulatory and insurance risks, and available resources.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to provide clear advice to residents, councillors, contractors and colleagues, and handle enquiries professionally.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and manage workloads, including overseeing contractors and coordinating with in‑house teams, and maintaining accurate records using digital systems.
• Full driving licence and use of a car for work.

Key responsibilities for the role

• Tree Inspection and Risk Management
  • Inspect and assess council‑owned trees, recording condition, identifying defects and determining required maintenance or remedial action
  • Carry out tree risk assessments and identify risks to public safety, property and infrastructure
  • Respond to storm events and urgent issues, prioritising works based on risk
  • The post may require occasional work out of normal working hours to cover dangerous tree related issues after storm events for example.
• Planning and Delivery of Works
  • Specify, procure and manage tree works, including assessing contractor quotations and ensuring value for money
  • Liaise with contractors, suppliers and the in‑house Grounds Maintenance Team to deliver maintenance and planting schemes
• Advice, Enquiries and Reporting
  • Provide professional arboricultural advice to council services, residents and councillors
  • Investigate complaints, incidents and insurance claims, producing clear reports and recommendations
• Asset Management and Improvement
  • Maintain accurate tree records using specialist systems (e.g. Arbotrack)
  • Identify and respond to pests, diseases and biosecurity risks
  • Support tree planting and replacement programmes and long‑term canopy management
• Health, Safety and Collaboration
  • Ensure works are carried out in line with health and safety requirements
  • Work collaboratively across services and provide guidance or training where required.

A full list of the duties this role provides, as well as the benefits we offer, can be found within the job description.

Please note that we do not hold a sponsor licence and are unable to support visa applications. To be considered for this role, you must already have the legal right to work in the UK. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please refer to the UK Government’s guidance before applying.

Thank you for taking the time to read our advert, we look forward to receiving your application.