Senior/Principal Arboriculturist

Wardell Armstrong LLP (part of SLR); London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Wardell Armstrong, part of a leading global environmental consultancy, is seeking an Arboricultural Consultant due to business growth. The role involves conducting BS 5837 surveys, providing expert advice, and ensuring quality in arboricultural projects. This position offers excellent career progression, hybrid working options, and a supportive environment for professional development.

Benefits

Group Personal Pension Plan with up to 5% employer contribution

Payment of relevant professional subscriptions

24 days annual leave

Private Healthcare Scheme

Critical Illness cover up to £40,000

Life Assurance (3x salary)

Mobile Phone and Laptop

Flexitime and part-time working options

Hybrid working arrangements

Long service awards, Cycle to Work, Travel Loans, and Recruitment Bounty schemes

Qualifications

• Minimum Level 4 qualification in arboriculture or urban forestry.
• Experience with BS 5837 survey and reporting.
• Full UK driving license required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct BS 5837 surveys and prepare associated reports.
• Provide arboricultural advice to clients.
• Assist in preparing fee proposals and tenders.

Skills

Tree identification

Shrub identification

Pest identification

Disease identification

Understanding of tree biology

Understanding of tree biomechanics

Understanding of decay fungi

Education

Level 4 qualification in arboriculture or urban forestry

Tools

Surveying equipment

Surveying software

Job description

Following its recent acquisition by SLR, Wardell Armstrong forms part of a leading global environmental and sustainability consultancy working on projects across the world from over 100 offices. Starting as a UK business in 1994, SLR now operates as a global company with more than 3,500 people, delivering client-focused solutions across Europe, North America, Pacific Asia, and Africa. Throughout this time, SLR has strived to grow both organically and through welcoming other like-minded businesses, such as Wardell Armstrong, into its 'One Team' of talented consultants. Its core objective is to assist clients and colleagues alike in 'Making Sustainability Happen'.

The Opportunity:

Due to business growth, we have a new vacancy for an experienced Arboricultural Consultant, reporting to our Stoke office. The role can be based from Stoke-On-Trent, Birmingham, London, Bolton, Cardiff, Bristol, or Bury St Edmunds, with hybrid home/office working.

We will also consider applications from BS 5837 survey experienced arboriculturists for a shorter fixed term and/or subcontracting to assist with large-scale project work within Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire.

The main duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

• BS 5837 surveys and preparing Technical Notes, Constraints & Opportunities reports, Impact Assessments, Method statements, and management plans.
• Undertaking site supervision works.
• Safety/risk surveys and preparing associated reports.
• Providing arboricultural advice to clients and attending client meetings.
• Assisting with preparing fee proposals and tenders.
• Assisting with quality assurance of reports and plans.

We primarily undertake BS 5837 work, which has resulted in interesting and stimulating work: specifying and managing mature tree translocations; supervising tree protection measures; installing no-dig roads; and undertaking airspade root investigation supervision. We also undertake tree safety/risk management consultancy work, from inspections of a single tree to large-scale surveys and the production of tree risk management strategies. Our team of five Arboriculturists is based across four offices, working throughout the UK.

A successful candidate will have:

• A minimum qualification in arboriculture and/or urban forestry to Level 4 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
• Good tree, shrub, pest, and disease identification skills.
• Good understanding of tree biology, biomechanics, decay fungi, and their effects on risk and lifespan.
• Full UK driving license.
• Experience of BS 5837 survey and reporting work, including the use of surveying equipment and software.

Desirable Requirements

• LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection qualification.
• Training in tree risk management systems such as QTRA or VALID.
• Knowledge and/or experience of woodland management.
• Membership of the Arboricultural Association or Institute of Chartered Foresters, or willingness to work towards these.

Career Progression:

We offer excellent career prospects in a supportive environment with no restrictions on progression. We encourage professional development and offer financial support for chartership. Our bespoke training and mentoring programmes are tailored to individual needs, provided internally and externally.

We offer benefits including:

• Group Personal Pension Plan with up to 5% employer contribution.
• Payment of relevant professional subscriptions.
• 24 days annual leave.
• Private Healthcare Scheme.
• Critical Illness cover up to £40,000.
• Life Assurance (3x salary).
• Mobile Phone and Laptop.
• Flexitime and part-time working options.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Long service awards, Cycle to Work, Travel Loans, and Recruitment Bounty schemes.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing

Industries

• IT Services and IT Consulting