Kent County Council

Assistant Ranger

North and West Kent Ranger team

Shorne Woods Country Park

Starting salary £19,389 per annum

2-year fixed term contract, Full time, 37 hours per week

You will assist the Ranger Services Manager in managing sites in the North and West Kent Country parks area. You will primarily be based at Shorne Woods Country Park supporting the delivery of the biodiversity enhancement project but will assist the ranger team managing seven sites, including five SSSI’s across approx 1000 acres. The sites are a mixed habitat that includes ancient, coppice and plantation woodland, wood pasture, chalk grassland, grazing meadows, ponds and acid grassland.

The biodiversity enhancement project aim is to protect veteran trees and to enhance the habitat for dormice by connecting the coppice woodlands to other areas of the park through planting hazel and woodland understorey corridors and copses throughout the park and introducing a different coppice regime to maximise the habitat for dormice.

You will be involved in many practical aspects of management including coppicing, tree planting, wood processing, fencing, livestock management and access works, as the sites are extremely varied. You should hold certificates of competency or be willing to train in chainsaw, brushcutting, tractor driving, trailers and herbicide use and some other practical skills as required.

You should demonstrate knowledge and experience in countryside management as a volunteer or paid worker, have a good understanding of landscape and nature conservation management, public access & interpretation, and be educated to HNC, HND or degree level (or equivalent) in a relevant subject .

You will be reliable and possess good interpersonal skills and have a positive attitude towards customer care. Your health should be appropriate to the needs of the role. An ability to travel in between sites at short notice is essential.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

For an informal discussion or should you require any further information, please contact Tim Bell on 07740 185209.

To apply please click here to complete an online application form.

Closing date: 24th March 2023.

Contact details

Tim Bell, 07740 185209, timothy.bell@kent.gov.uk

Closing Date: 24/03/2023  Location: Shorne Woods Country Park