About the role

We are looking to recruit a Trees and Hedgerows Officer on a permanent/part time basis to join our Conservation Team.

The role is to assist the Local Authority in its statutory duty to protect Trees and Hedgerows within the county, through implementation of relevant statutory legislation and to provide advice and support to a range of stakeholders regarding all matters relating to trees and hedgerow.

Main duties to include:

• provide information and guidance on TPO’s to include making, modifying and revoking TPO’s, and for stakeholders on the Hedgerow Regulations
• process applications for works to TPO trees and/or trees within Conservation Areas, and processing Hedgerow Removal Notices (HRN), recommending for approval or refusal to the Corporate Lead Officer
• review of TPO guidance notes and maintain and review online access to TPO data
• provide professional reports to PEDW in relation to TPO and Hedgerow Removal Notices decisions at appeal stage
• maintain and update the Ceredigion County Council TPO database and the TPO GIS layer
• provide consultation responses to NRW on TPO protected woodlands subject to Felling License Applications
• provide consultation responses to planning officers and outside agencies eg NRW, Dwr Cymru, in accordance with BS5837 and assess suitability for retention of trees, hedges and hedgebanks on proposed sites where appropriate
• issuing of Hedgerow Retention Notices
• produce guidance on relevant tree and hedgerow issues for inclusion in Ceredigion County Council policies and guidance
• provide professional tree, hedge advice hedge bank advice to CCC Officers and CCC teams on:
  • management of trees, hedges and hedge banks
  • new tree, shrub and hedgerow planting associated with landscape proposals
  • guidance on hedge bank protection, management and translocation
• input to the Ceredigion County Council Tree Safety Policy for trees on land owned and managed by Ceredigion County Council
• work with the Ceredigion Local Nature Partnership to set up and deliver the Council’s Voluntary Tree Warden scheme
• liaise with The Tree Council and other organisations locally and nationally on amenity and hedgerow tree planting and establishment
• work with other Ceredigion County Council volunteer coordinators and offer opportunities to other volunteers
• any other duties commensurate with the role as required by line manager

We are looking to recruit an individual who is or has:

• good knowledge of tree and hedgerow legislation and conservation
• a passion for conserving the environment
• excellent written and spoken communication skills with the ability to communicate on a variety of levels, including public speaking
• comfortable in dealing with members of the public and in times of conflict
• excellent interpersonal and presentational skills
• flexible approach
• good understanding of health and safety and ability to undertake risk assessments
• skills in diplomacy and negotiation and political awareness
• proven ability to work independently and as a committed member of a team
• sensitive to the political and organisational context of local government
• able to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• ability to travel in line with organisational requirements

In addition to the above, we require an individual with a degree of fluency in the Welsh language. A successful applicant without the required Welsh language skill will be fully supported to reach the desired standard within two years of appointment.

In exchange for your skills and commitment, we will offer you a range of employee benefits including competitive annual leave allowance and a generous pension contribution scheme. More information about our wide-range of employee benefits can be found here.

In addition, we are committed to developing our people and will not only provide support to enable you to quickly and confidently take ownership of this role’s key areas of responsibility but in addition, we are committed to supporting your development in order that you can progress your career with us.

We believe work-life balance is very important. To support you in achieving this, you will have access to the following discretionary benefits:

• Hybrid Working: Subject to certain conditions being met, you may choose to work from home or in an office location. 
• Flexi-time: Hours may be worked within a defined bandwidth, Monday to Friday, subject to service needs.

Job Description and Person Specification

For further information please contact: alison.heal@ceredigion.gov.uk; sarah.smyth@ceredigion.gov.uk

Interviews will be held on: tbc

Note: We reserve the right to extend the application closing date.