Tree and Woodland Development Officer

Tree and Woodland Development Officer – Job advert

Responsible for: Development of tree and woodland projects across Greater Manchester and halo areas on private and public land.

Location: City of Trees, Unit 3, Discovery Works, Third Ave, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M17 1BW

Hours: Full-time, 36 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term (2 Years) with a 6-month probationary period

Salary: £28,074- £35,093, dependent on experience

City of Trees is looking to recruit a Project Officer to join our existing team who can work in the field, engaging with landowners and their representatives to develop planting plans for new woodlands, hedgerows, and urban trees. These plans will support delivery by City of Trees and its partners and help shape future planting schemes for upcoming project pipelines.

We are seeking an experienced professional in the environmental sector with a strong understanding of the benefits of trees and woodlands, the ability to interpret maps for site assessments, and good experience in creating detailed planting plans. Proficiency in GIS, along with excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, is essential.

We are City of Trees, the Community Forest for Greater Manchester and registered charity. We plant trees, we look after trees, we promote a culture of trees. We plant trees for people; to create better, greener places; to boost health and wellbeing; to enhance green skills; and to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency. We’re rooted here in Greater Manchester, the place we live and work.

We are proud to call Greater Manchester home and are passionate about making our region even better, one tree at a time.

• 25 days paid holiday plus 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees)
• Training and development opportunities
• Employer match up to 8% contribution pension scheme after 3 months service
• Cycle to work scheme

• Undertaking site assessments across Greater Manchester and halo areas with, when appropriate, landowners and their representatives to identify potential planting opportunities and constraints on open spaces. This will involve desktop-based checks, plotting potential tree locations and recording site information, including existing habitats, vehicle access points, soil conditions, site usage, and any features of historical interest. Consideration should also be given to the potential for other Natural Flood Management (NFM) opportunities.
• Producing site assessment reports, draft planting plans and scheme costings and use GIS for mapping planting proposals and project management tools. Planting proposals will include recommendations for funding, timelines and next steps.
• Consulting with landowners and their representatives on draft planting plans to achieve initial sign-off and ascertain other local stakeholders where engagement and endorsement may be required.
• Producing planting specifications setting out tree numbers, species, tree protection, and any ground preparation requirements, and ensure all specifications are fully costed and meet funding requirements to guarantee project viability.
• Preparing Landowner and Grant Agreements for developed schemes.
• Preparing proformas and assist with the preparation of appropriate regulatory information regarding planting schemes to the Forestry Commission (public register and Environmental Impact Assessment Enquiry Form) and other local advisory bodies.
• Providing progress updates to the Tree & Woodland Development Manager and scheme development updates at internal and external meetings, where appropriate.
• Working flexibly and undertaking any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time, including representing CoT at local/ national events where appropriate.
• External communication and engagement with stakeholders, landowners and their agents/representatives.
• Working autonomously and as part of a team, effective diary management and meeting many project-specific deadlines to ensure project delivery is achieved during a short planting window.
• Performing duties with full regard to Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety…