Crew Leader (Lead Climber) 

Scale S01: Starting Salary £37,575, rising in increments to £38,769 plus very generous standby allowance and out of hour’s emergency call out payments.

1 x Permanent contract

Location: Kennington Park 

About Us:

It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were develop for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. 

About the Borough:

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. 

With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.

About the Team:

This is an exciting opportunity to join Lambeth’s Tree Services team, offering a wide range of tree management services in house and to private clients locally and further afield. Post holders will be part of a forward thinking and dynamic team including climbers, ground staff, tree officers and the wider Lambeth Landscapes operation. You can expect excellent training opportunities and career development within Lambeth Council.

About the Role:

The successful candidates will be required to carry out a range of duties including being the lead climber whilst managing the work of a small crew undertaking tree surgery operations. You will be experienced and able to undertake tree surgery and climbing operations on very large trees, on a daily basis where required by your line management, ensuring that work is carried out to best practice standards and specification and that all health and safety protocols are followed. You will also be expected to carry out and assist with other duties such as grounding, driving and towing plus other specified tree management duties where necessary.

You will also be expected to take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of all types of tree work equipment for your crew, including chainsaws, chippers and stump grinders. 

The role will require you to carry out physically demanding work such as climbing very large trees, undertaking heavy manual work, sometimes in challenging terrain and you must have a willingness to work outside in all weathers.

Contracted working hours are 35 per week Monday to Friday, and candidates must also be available to participate in the out-of-hours emergency call-out rota.

As well as good rates of pay, generous annual leave entitlement, a final salary pension scheme, successful applicants will be provided with full PPE and kit provided, excellent training and opportunities for developing your career within the tree service team and wider Lambeth Landscapes operations.

If you are self-motivated, hard-working, and committed to delivering arboricultural services to the highest standards, then we would love to hear from you.

To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence:

Core values and behaviours demonstrating equity, kindness, accountability and ambition.

You will have experience and knowledge appropriate to the position, including:

Relevant NPTC/CS certificates or equivalent:

• CS30 Maintain and Operate the Chainsaw
• CS31 Felling of Small Trees
• CS38 Climb Trees and Perform Aerial Rescue
• CS39 Use of the Chainsaw from a Rope and Harness
• Lantra Brushwood Chipper NPTC A06
• The operation and maintenance of all types of tree work equipment, including chainsaws and chippers and
• a full UK driving licence and be willing to undertake C1 + E entitlement.
• Physically able to undertake tree work operations including climbing and carrying out tree surgery operations in very tall, large trees
• Minimum 3 years’ experience as an arborist

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below:

Job description & person specification 

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Steve Durkin – sdurkin@lambeth.gov.uk, 07514 539614 or Andy Golds – agolds@lambeth.gov.uk, 07523 803566.

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close date: 11:59 on Sunday 12th May 2024

Shortlisting: Tuesday 14th May 2024

Interviews: Proposed date – Thursday 23rd May 2024

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms.
• Learning and Development opportunities, including Apprenticeships.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Secure Bike Storage facilities at our Town Hall and Civic Centre.
• Trade Union Membership.

How to Apply:

If you're interest in this opportunity, click on the apply button and complete an online application. 

In your supporting statement, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with an 'A' at shortlist stage. We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement.

At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here.

In addition, you will also be required to undertake a Cifas check.  Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas