Tree and Woodland Management Officer

Essex County Council; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Woodland Manager to oversee 154 hectares of woodlands and drive the Trees and Woodland Management Initiative. The role involves project management, developing woodland creation projects, and ensuring compliance with regulations. Ideal candidates should have a degree in forestry, proven experience in woodland management, and strong stakeholder relations skills. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to climate action and environmental sustainability in Essex.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Support for unpaid carers

Employee benefits

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a forestry or woodland management environmental subject.
• Experience in woodland management projects with successful outcomes.
• Knowledge of environmental agencies and their roles.
• Strong relationships with stakeholders in both public and private sectors.

Responsibilities

• Manage woodland projects and resources effectively.
• Provide expert advice on woodland management.
• Build networks for improved environmental outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with procurement and legal regulations.

Skills

Project Management

Woodland Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Sustainability Knowledge

Education

Degree in Forestry or Woodland Management

Job description

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity up to 30/04/2029.

This is a unique opportunity to manage Essex County Council's 154 hectares of woodlands, and influence policy around tree planting. The role will involve driving forward the Trees and Woodland Management Initiative as part of the Council's Environment and Climate Action Programme, delivering a suite of woodland management and creation projects to address the impacts of climate change, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to those changes which are already inevitable between now and 2050.

Working as part of the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation team, the role will be responsible for developing and delivering the woodland management and creation elements of the Trees and Woodland Initiative project, facilitating the creation or enhancement of multifunctional green and blue infrastructure connected to wider landscape, by managing the 154 hectares of ECC woodland and developing projects that relate to the woods regeneration, expansion and connection.

Carrying out an annual woodland management regime in the woods, the postholder will harvest tree seeds and cuttings for the associated tree nurseries, develop wood products, promote educational visits and volunteering opportunities and enable new woodlands to be created. The post holder will meet the annual tree management targets through working in partnership, developing new and existing grant applications, and sponsorship agreements. The post involves annual delivery of projects with stretch targets year on year.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Climate, Environment and Customer Services

Responsibilities will include…

• Formulating, developing and delivering effective project management methodologies for new woodland management and woodland creation projects. Ensuring resources are used effectively in the delivery of projects, meeting timescales, including financial and delivery reporting to managers.
• Providing expert tree and woodland advice and guidance. Informing ECC woodland and tree planting decisions making. Seeking to advise on tree and woodland management across the ECC's estate, including the 154 hectares of authority woodland and where necessary other woodlands belonging to the authority.
• Building strong networks at local and regional level in respect of woodland management and new woodland creation, to deliver improved joint environment outcomes, including managing the Essex Forest Partnership, a collaboration of the public authorities in Essex. Working collaboratively, developing and maintaining an understanding of needs and concerns with internal and external partners.
• Sharing best tree and woodland practice, explore and realise opportunities for joint initiatives on woodland management and woodland creation. Identifying cost saving through the delivery of multi-functional woodlands and tree planting and exploring funding of different functions e.g. nature recovery, timber products, carbon generation, flood reduction, visitor income, educational visits, and health benefits.
• Providing intelligent client capacity on new woodland and tree planting issues and wider cross-cutting relationship within Environment and Climate Action.
• Exploring external tree management and planting funding opportunities. Contributing to, managing existing funding applications or making new funding applications, resulting in enhanced and supported service delivery.
• Ensuring compliance with all appropriate external and internal procurement, finance and legal regulation and processes. Supervision of tree planting and partner contracts and MOU agreements.
• Developing and delivering effective tree planting communication across authorities, partners and stakeholders. Maximising tree management and planting education and awareness.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to degree level in a forestry or woodland management environmental subject or equivalent by experience.
• Experience of a relevant forestry or woodland management field, with an understanding of project management and experience, with evidence, of successful project outcomes and delivery of environmental initiatives.
• Experience of managing change to deliver improvements in efficiency and customer service in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. This includes knowledge and experience of working within a legal/political framework.
• Good understanding and knowledge of key environmental agencies and partners' remit in relation to woodland management, forestry and tree planting.
• Good knowledge and understanding of regional, national and international environment-based external environmental and tree management, including the associated planting funding programmes.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with stakeholders, public, private and voluntary sector bodies which encourage collaborative and partnership objectives.
• Significant understanding of sustainability and environmental issues and their implications for Essex.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge in relevant professional area.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government's devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [e-mail].

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.

Downloads

Pay and Reward | Our Ways of Working | About Us | Organisation Behaviours