Tree Support Coordinator

Street Trees for Living is a Lewisham based charity that plants street trees with residents and communities. Our aim is to bring to bring people and trees together by planting in the streets of Lewisham and neighbouring boroughs (currently Southwark and Lambeth). 

Tree Support Coordinator Role Description

The focus of the Tree Support Coordinator is to maximise and track the survival rates
of our trees. Over time, you will be the lead on our “Tree Audit” and help support the Tree
Care Team to improve the health of our trees. 

The ideal candidate will be highly proficient working with spreadsheets and have
excellent communication skills. A knowledge of Lewisham, arboriculture and GIS are helpful
skills but not essential. 

• Salary: £22,500 per annum on 3 days week (£37,500 pro rata at 0.6 FTE – Full Time Equivalent)
• Schedule: 3 days a week (0.6 FTE), flexible working hours with core days to include
  Thursdays if possible. Expected to be available for meetings within office hours as well as occasional evening
  and weekend work.
• Location: South London, Home working with 2x office days per month and regular site visits.
• Leave: 16.5 days annual leave + bank holidays, usually 8 days
• Reports to: Head of Operations with oversight from Heads of Residential
• Line Manage: None
• Contract: Freelance / Contractor (currently all workers at Street Trees for Living are freelance
  but this is being reviewed this year). 3 days a week – this role is expected to continue indefinitely
• How to Apply: Please email a CV & Cover Letter to [email protected] with the subject line:
  TSC Application
  • Deadline for applications: 10am on 20th February
  • Interview date: 26th February in Deptford (if you cannot make this date then please
    let us know).

Responsibilities 

Primary Focus: Tree Audit* and Tree Care
*the tree audit is a twice yearly check of all the trees and their health, in the first
instance you will support the Head of Residential and Head of Operations to deliver this. Long
term you will lead on this.

• Coordinate tree guardians and audit volunteers
• Send out audit requests, monitor responses and work to fill gaps where
  necessary
• Deliver on-site tree audits 
• Act on audit information, reporting to the tree care team where trees are in poor
  health or escalate issues to the local authority
• Understand and develop data systems to improve auditing outcomes:
  • Automatic watering reminders etc.
  • Research new systems
  • Create ideas for the pre-planting stage
  • Update tree care documents
• Attend tree care sessions 
• Evaluate the maintenance process of trees historically planted
• Ensure all tree data is up-to-date and records reflect information on the
  ground

Tree Planting Programmes Support

• Support programme managers on tree planting projects
• Support programme managers to generate ideas to promote tree care ahead of tree
  planting
• Support programme managers in engaging schools with tree care
• Assist with various forms of tree labelling
  • Collect information for labels
  • Arrange the printing, delivery and hanging of tree labels
• Assess new planting models for best practice with future maintenance (weeding /
  re-staking / de-caging / gator bags etc.)
• Liaise closely with LA Tree Officers for tree planting coordination and tree
  maintenance
• Understand the importance of guardianship and develop ways to build and improve
  this within all programmes
• Oversee detail and systems to be submitted to contractors and suppliers for
  residential planting programme
  • Checking site listings
  • Preparing sites for council scanning
  • Checking tree order

Additional Responsibilities

• Train in tree specialism: researching best trees for best locations and best ways
  to plant (e.g use of bio char, climate change impact and sustainable drainage
  systems)
• Train in GIS: learning best ways to analyse spatial data and how to present work to
  stakeholders
• Work alongside Marketing & Communications Coordinator to promote tree
  care

We have no prerequisite for your previous experience, you do not need to have worked in
the environment or charity sector but we would like you to demonstrate experience in the
below. 

Skills & Personal Qualities 

Essential:

• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent work with data systems
• Highly proficient at Excel
• Good communication
• Excellent at monitoring and evaluating outcomes and consequently developing working
  systems
• Excellent organisational skills
• Proficient reading and using maps

Desirable: 

• Arboriculture knowledge 
• Knowledge of Lewisham Borough

Your Experience

Essential: 

• Spreadsheets
• Databases

Desirable: 

• Practical work on trees
• Working with volunteers
• Working with varying stakeholders (contractors, councils, schools, community
  groups)
• Geographical Information Systems