Senior Urban Forest Officer
The Green Infrastructure Assets team manages the City’s trees, parks and landscaped areas as vital public assets. We plan, protect and enhance the urban forest and open space network to support cooling, biodiversity and community liveability, delivering sustainable and long-term outcomes for the city.
About the role
The Senior Urban Forest Officer will provide technical arboriculture advice and risk-based decision making across a range of tree-related matters, including inspections, assessments and stakeholder requests. The role contributes to the high-end delivery of a balanced approach to tree management, considering safety, environmental outcomes and community expectations
The below responsibilities align with core arboriculture functions including assessments, escalations, proactive programs and advisory services:
- Provide technical advice and recommendations on tree retention, pruning or removal
- Respond to escalated customer requests and internal referrals
- Support risk-based prioritisation of tree inspection and maintenance activities
- Manage and oversee proactive tree management programs, including inspections, succession planning and tree healthcare initiatives
- Review arborist reports and ensure consistent, evidence-based decisions
- Laise with internal stakeholders, contractors and the community
We’re looking for people who have:
- Strong knowledge of tree risk assessment and urban forest management principles
- Proven experience in arboriculture assessment and decision making
- AQF Level 5 (Diploma) in Arboriculture or equivalent experience
- Experience applying recognised tree risk assessment methodologies
- Ability to balance risk, cost, and community expectations in a practical way
- Well-developed communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Confidence in managing complex or escalated tree matters
- C class drivers licence
Be part of shaping the Gold Coast’s future
The Gold Coast is inspired by lifestyle and driven by opportunity. We are the second largest Council in Australia.
We care about being the most flexible government organisation in Australia. We have a range of benefits to help you create the right balance:
- 9-day fortnight
- Flexible work arrangements to suit your lifestyle, including hybrid/work from home options, flexible working hours and locations
- Personal and professional development courses
- Access to 350+ fitness facilities through Fitness Passport
- 4 free confidential counselling sessions a year for you or an immediate family member
- 1 free nutritionist and financial advice session per year
We pride ourselves on our shared mission of being a high-performing, customer-focused organisation which delivers value-for-money services to the community.
How to apply
Please submit your application via the City of Gold Coast careers portal.
You will be required to upload your resume and a cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining how your skills, experience and personal attributes will enable you to be successful in this role. Please note that you may also be asked to provide relevant qualifications, where applicable.
Our selection process may include a one-way video interview via Criteria, a face-to-face/virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, reference checks via Xref and additional checks including police checks, employment history checks, qualification checks, pre-employment medical reviews and drug and alcohol testing.
We’re committed to creating a diverse workplace and inclusive culture. We take pride in people who align with our high-performance principles. We believe that the diverse makeup of our workforce reflects the community we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities, and encourage candidates to discuss any support or adjustments they may need throughout the recruitment process.