Assistant Natural Environment Officer

at  Reading Borough Council

Job description
Reading Borough Council offers more than just your next job. It’s a place where you can shape your career and we will ensure that you have every opportunity available to you to progress. This includes regular performance appraisals and feedback from your line manager, supporting you to develop your skills and experience.
Reading has played a significant role in the nation’s history and has a legacy of considerable heritage assets, but at the same time is a vibrant town subject to considerable development growth that can place pressure on those assets as well as provide an opportunity to better preserve and reveal those assets.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Assistant Natural Environment Officer will report to the Natural Environment Officer and are part of the Planning Policy Team. The Natural Environment Team provides technical and professional advice to the planning service in respect of all planning matters relating to trees and landscaping, including all matters relating to Tree Preservation Orders (TPO), trees in Conservation Areas, High Hedges Legislation, trees and development and related compliance monitoring. The post holder will assist with administrating service requests and dealing with enquiries seeking technical advice.
You will have an organised approach to work and a capability to prioritise, work under pressure of deadlines and manage a heavy workload. You will have good literacy skills – able to write concise, clear letters on complex subjects and to précis information. You will be able to use IT systems with confidence for data management and report writing. While working as part of a team you also need to work with minimum supervision and confident of using your own initiative.
You’ll be part of a team where each individual plays their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.

Qualities and Experience required for this role:

• You will have a degree or equivalent qualification relating to the natural environment; a qualification in Arboriculture or Forestry is desirable
• You will be eligible for membership of a relevant professional organisation, preferably the Arboricultural Association or Institute of Chartered Foresters
• You will have knowledge of the planning process, relevant tree legislation and British Standards
• You will have at least 1 year’s experience working in an environment where dealing with tree aspects of The Town & Country Planning Act 1990 played a key part
• You will have experience of dealing with complaints in relation to tree and landscape matters and of working in a customer orientated environment
• You will be able to demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills
• You will be able to demonstrate an organised approach to managing your own workload under pressure and using your own initiative
• You will be able to show that you can get results through negotiation and working on your own initiativ