Soft Landscape Officer

Kent County Council; Aylesford, Ashford; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in the United Kingdom is seeking a Soft Landscape Officer to support its Highways & Transportation Soft Landscape Team. This full-time position involves management of landscape assets and contractor performance, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction. Candidates should have a background in landscape or horticulture, along with excellent communication and organizational skills. A driving license is required, and the role offers a hybrid working model along with competitive benefits.

Benefits

30 days holiday + public holidays

Flexible working hours

Local government pension scheme

Support with professional development

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service and managing landscape contractors.
• Strong background in landscape disciplines, environment, or horticulture.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with excellent people skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage and improve the landscape in the Garden of England.
• Deliver all aspects of highway related landscape management.
• Ensure excellent customer satisfaction and contract management.

Skills

Customer service

Contract management

Landscape management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Education

Chartered membership of the Landscape Institute

Job description

Soft Landscape Officer

Role Responsibility

An exciting career opportunity has arisen for a suitably experienced, competent, and enthusiastic individual to play a key role within the Highways & Transportation Soft Landscape Team. This role is fundamental in supporting the Landscape Manager and team in providing an excellent level of customer satisfaction and contract management to maintain and improve the highway landscape.

You will want to help manage and improve the landscape in the Garden of England, be able to demonstrate an interest and good understanding of the natural environment, along with experience in customer service, managing landscape contractors, contract monitoring and administration.

You will help deliver all aspects of highway related landscape management. This includes management of landscape assets, contractor performance management, re‑active site visits, specifying and procurement of contract works, customer service and finding opportunities for improving the highway natural environment for biodiversity, pollinators, and nature.

You will have a strong background and knowledge of landscape disciplines, environment, or horticulture, with experience of applying this in practical situations. You will have contract management expertise and been involved in landscape management or grounds maintenance.

You will be self‑motivated, confident, organised, accurate and be able to work both independently and as part of a team. You will need to demonstrate excellent customer service, problem solving, supervisory, technical, computer literacy and have confidence with maps and plans. Excellent people communication skills will be required to enable the post holder to deal with a wide‑ranging customer, stakeholder and contractor base.

You may have, or be working towards, chartered membership of the Landscape Institute or other relevant professional organisation or qualification. Structured training and industry certification will be provided.

The position can be based at our Aylesford (ME20 7TZ) or Ashford (TN24 8XU) highway depot and hybrid working. However, the ability to work at other depots and travel independently and be flexible to work across the entire county will be a pre‑requisite.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer‑facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

The post comes with the advantages of 30 days holiday + public holidays, flexible working hours, an excellent local government pension scheme, sickness provision, childcare voucher scheme, staff discount scheme and support with professional development.

This is a full‑time permanent post (37 hours per week, Monday to Friday).

Apply now, as great candidates will be invited for an early interview and the closing date may be brought forward.

A successful candidate will respond comprehensively to all the application questions on the Councils Recruitment Hub.

Contact Details

For further information on this role, please contact:

Paul Woodhatch, Highway Landscape Manager, 03000 413 872

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.

Job Description & Person Specification

• JD - Landscape Officer .pdf

Salary £34,421 - £38,304 per annum

Contract type Permanent Full Time

Working Hours 37 hours per week

Location Ashford (Kroner House) or Aylesford (Doubleday House), United Kingdom

Job category Transportation

Job Reference REF/TP/643/13982

Closing Date 26 November, 2025