Senior Forestry and Woodland Officer

Please note this role will be offered on a fixed-term contract or secondment basis for 18 months.

You will drive forward the Essex Forest Initiative as part of the Council's Climate Action Programme. The Essex Forest Initiative will deliver a suite of woodland creation and management projects to address the impacts of climate change, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience across Essex.

Working as part of the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation team, the post holder will develop and deliver the Essex Forest Initiative project. The postholder will ensure the Essex Forest Initiative will facilitate the creation or enhancement of multifunctional green and blue Infrastructure connected to wider landscape, by planting over 100,000 trees in 2025/6 and continue planting increased tree numbers in the year to follow.

The post holder will meet the annual tree planting targets through working in partnership, developing grant applications, and sponsorship agreement. The post involves annual delivery of projects with stretch targets year on year.

The post will supervise the Forestry and Woodland Officer and steer the work of the Community liaison officer through quarterly steering group meeting with The Conservation Volunteers.

Accountabilities

Formulate, develop and deliver effective project management methodologies for new woodland creation and woodland management projects. Ensuring resources are used effectively in the delivery of projects, meeting timescales, including financial and delivery reporting to managers.

Responsible for providing expert forestry and woodland advice and guidance. Informing council woodland and tree planting decisions making. Seeking to advise on tree and woodland management across the ECC estate, including the 140 hectares of non-staffed woodland.

Managing the Forestry and Woodland Officer and steer the work of the Community liaison officer through quarterly steering group meeting with The Conservation Volunteers

Build strong networks at local and regional level in respect of new woodland creation, to deliver improved joint environment outcomes, including managing the Essex Forest Partnership, a collaboration of the 13 local councils in Essex. Working collaboratively, developing and maintaining an understanding of needs and concerns with internal and external partners.

To share best forestry and tree practice, explore and realise opportunities for joint initiatives on woodland creation and woodland management. Identify cost saving through the delivery of multi-functional woodlands and tree planting.

Responsible for providing intelligent client capacity on new woodland and tree planting issues and wider cross-cutting relationship with Environment and Climate Change.

Explore external tree planting funding opportunities. Contributing to, or making funding applications, resulting in enhanced and supported service delivery.

Responsible for 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.

Develop and deliver effective tree planting communication across partners and stakeholders. Maximise tree planting education and awareness, and its management and protection.

Manage the development of two community tree nurseries to further support the planting project and community engagement.

Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

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 forestry, tree planting and woodland management.

Good knowledge and understanding of regional, national and international environment-based external environmental and tree 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.