• Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils - Stowmarket Depot, Creeting Road West, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5AT
• £26,835 - £30,060 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• 18.5 - 37 hours per week*
• Permanent or Fixed Term Contract from April to October 2025

Full time, part time and job share opportunities will be considered.

What we are looking for

We are looking for Countryside (Seasonal) Rangers to join our Public Realm Team. To be successful, you will share our values, commitment, and motivation to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities.

About the role

The Public Realm Team are responsible for the day to day management of the District Councils’ countryside sites and open spaces. These include informal recreational sites, local nature reserves, parks and smaller picnic areas.

In addition, the Team is responsible for Council owned play areas, management of the Councils’ tree stock, routine grounds maintenance on roadside verges and open spaces within Council housing areas as well as keeping the Districts clean through litter collection, mechanical sweeping and removing fly tips. 

In this role, you will play a key part in keeping sites throughout the joint district clean, tidy and welcoming for residents and visitors. This will include a number of site specific nature improvement and vegetation management tasks.

You will supervise the public’s use of all countryside sites including welcoming visitors and advising them of on site rules. You will patrol sites on foot, driving between the sites as and when required.

*Working hours:

• The one full-time role is for 37 hours per week spread over 5 working days.
• The two 18.5 hour per week roles will be 2.5 working days (pattern to be agreed).
• Working pattern will include weekends and bank holidays.

About you

You will:

• be confident in your ability to communicate well with members of the public, colleagues and supervisory staff as well as understanding and practicing good customer care.
• enjoy working outside either individually or as part of a team. You will be proud of the work you do and keen to provide a service to residents and visitors alike.
• need to demonstrate a pro-active approach and a flexible attitude.
• have an awareness of The Health and Safety at Work Act, practice and responsibility. You will need to demonstrate computer literacy and the ability to use email and mobile devices as well as the ability to maintain accurate work records.
• need to hold a full UK driving license.

About us

Working together across our Councils and with our partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, we provide excellent services to our 190,000 residents across Babergh and Mid Suffolk.

We are proud of the role we play in creating the environment, economy, and communities for our districts. We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work. With picturesque market towns, 60 conservation areas and with two National Landscapes within our districts, it is little wonder that we are consistently within the top 50 places to live in the UK.

Benefits

• Great opportunities for learning and development.
• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 26 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support Programme.
• Employee Assist Programme.
• Health Care Options.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page (suffolkjobsdirect.org) and view `The best things about working for Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils (youtube)` to find out what our employees say about working for us.

Our ways of working

Work is what we do, not where we go! We are committed to working in a more Hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business needs permitting). This has worked well for us and is something we will be continuing with.

We are committed to supporting equality and diversity, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils provide opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible service for our residents.

For more information

If you wish to have an informal discussion, please contact Stephanie Christou by emailing [email protected]

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification (pdf) before applying for this job opportunity.

Closing date: 5 pm, 28 January 2025.

When applying, please ensure: 

• that you complete the application form as fully as possible with your employment and educational history as shortlisting will be based upon the application form and supporting statement only.
• your statement indicates how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of the Job Description/Person Specification (JDPS).

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.