DEVELOPMENT & FUNDING OFFICER (TREESCAPES)

Location: Blackburn, Darwen and Blackpool - based at County Hall Preston
Salary: £32,020-£36,298 per annum
Contract: Full Time, Fixed Term to 31/03/2025, 37 hours per week
Job ID: 1853

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the creation of a new team to help combat climate change and create new and sustainable habitats by planting trees and woodlands in Lancashire for future generations.

We are recruiting two temporary full-time officers to work closely with Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Councils and other key partners, to help accelerate woodland creation and tree planting in 'Greater' Lancashire (Lancashire County plus the unitary authority areas of Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen).

These are 2-year fixed term posts, hosted by Lancashire County Council and funded by DEFRA and the Forestry Commission under the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund. We are also recruiting two Woodland and Urban Treescapes Engagement Officers who will assist the Development Officers with the programme delivery.

We have committed to creating 170 hectares of new rural woodland and plant 30,000 urban and peri-urban trees by 2025. Are you willing to help us meet the exciting challenge that we and our partners have set ourselves?

As a passionate, motivated team player who enjoys and recognises the benefits of collaborating with others who share the vision, you will provide support to policies, projects and programmes through engagement and will play a vital role in the delivery and implementation of the tree planting ambitions for Greater Lancashire.

You will have a sound understanding of woodland creation and tree planting issues, and in particular, the constraints on land assembly. You will understand the conflicting tensions in land-use change and also in tree planting in the urban environment.

You will use your experience in tree planting and/or woodland creation projects to engage with a range of stakeholders to develop, commission and implement woodland and tree planting programmes which deliver the objectives of the environmental and climate policies of the three councils. The work will complement and closely assist key stakeholders with existing well-developed and progressed tree-planting programmes, such as the Ribble Rivers Trust and Groundwork Trust.

These new roles present an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated person to use their previous experience and transferable skills to bring a wide range of people and organisations together to plan for ambitious uplifts to canopy cover at the local level which will also help underpin delivery at the National scale.

You will join the rapidly expanding Environment and Climate Team where you will work alongside other specialists who are responsible for delivering a range of work which makes a significant contribution to the conservation, protection and enhancement of Lancashire's environment.

The post will notionally be based in County Hall, Preston. Lancashire County Council operates a flexible working policy where the requirements of the role permit it.

We are aiming to hold interviews on Wednesday 19th April 2023.

Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria for the role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

Click here for the job description.

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