Assistant Countryside Warden
| Posting date: | 30 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £27,254 to £29,540 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 21 May 2026 |
| Location: | Horsham, West Sussex |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Horsham District Council |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | CS1757 |
Summary
About the role:
Horsham District Council is looking for an Assistant Countryside Warden to work across the Parks and Countryside estate, helping the warden team to manage both urban and rural sites which are valuable for both wildlife and people.
As Assistant Countryside Warden you will carry out a range of estate management tasks, such as mowing and strimming, fencing and repairs, livestock welfare checks, and litter-picking. You will undertake site safety inspections, patrol at our busy sites like our Country Park and answer public enquiries. You will be working with and supporting volunteer practical tasks. You will also assist with the organisation and running of some events. There may be the opportunity to carry out habitat and species monitoring.
Occasional weekend working may be required.
About you:
This role has previously been a stepping stone into countryside management jobs, so we are looking for someone keen to take that step, with practical experience and skills in habitat and land management, maintenance of fencing and path works and a real interest in wildlife and enthusiasm to maximise the conservation and community engagement opportunities of the role. You will be part of a small hard working team and be willing and adaptable to the daily challenges of the role by dealing with issues as they arise. You will be able to work outdoors, in rough terrain and in all weathers. As this role involves driving council vehicles, it is essential that you have a full UK and current driving licence
For an informal discussion about this role please call the Countryside team on 01403 256890 and leave a message. A Countryside Warden will call you back on their return to the office.
Council Vehicles:
As this role requires the post holder to drive Council vehicles, periodic driving assessments will be required.
About us:
We have a friendly and supportive working environment and being a smaller Council, you can really get to know everybody.
We encourage and support our employees to have a healthy work life balance by offering 28 days’ (207.2 hours) annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata), and flexible/hybrid working options where applicable.
We offer a generous benefits package including an online platform offering discounts from online retailers and access to a car lease scheme. Staff are also eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), where the Council contributes circa 20% of pensionable salary.
To support employees’ professional development the Council provides reimbursement for professional subscriptions and a number of training opportunities, including extensive in-house learning resources, short courses, Apprenticeships, and qualifications such as Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Visit our Jobs and careers page to find out more about Working for Horsham District Council and Our employment commitments.
To apply:
If you would like to apply for the role, we highly recommend you show clearly within the ‘Experience Section’ of the application form how you meet the essential criteria detailed within the Role Profile when applying. If you do not make this clear, it is unlikely you will be shortlisted for interview.
Internal applicants, if you would like to apply for the role, please submit an expression of interest to HR@horsham.gov.uk explaining clearly how you meet the criteria and what you feel you can bring to the role.
Horsham District Council is looking for an Assistant Countryside Warden to work across the Parks and Countryside estate, helping the warden team to manage both urban and rural sites which are valuable for both wildlife and people.
As Assistant Countryside Warden you will carry out a range of estate management tasks, such as mowing and strimming, fencing and repairs, livestock welfare checks, and litter-picking. You will undertake site safety inspections, patrol at our busy sites like our Country Park and answer public enquiries. You will be working with and supporting volunteer practical tasks. You will also assist with the organisation and running of some events. There may be the opportunity to carry out habitat and species monitoring.
Occasional weekend working may be required.
About you:
This role has previously been a stepping stone into countryside management jobs, so we are looking for someone keen to take that step, with practical experience and skills in habitat and land management, maintenance of fencing and path works and a real interest in wildlife and enthusiasm to maximise the conservation and community engagement opportunities of the role. You will be part of a small hard working team and be willing and adaptable to the daily challenges of the role by dealing with issues as they arise. You will be able to work outdoors, in rough terrain and in all weathers. As this role involves driving council vehicles, it is essential that you have a full UK and current driving licence
For an informal discussion about this role please call the Countryside team on 01403 256890 and leave a message. A Countryside Warden will call you back on their return to the office.
Council Vehicles:
As this role requires the post holder to drive Council vehicles, periodic driving assessments will be required.
About us:
We have a friendly and supportive working environment and being a smaller Council, you can really get to know everybody.
We encourage and support our employees to have a healthy work life balance by offering 28 days’ (207.2 hours) annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata), and flexible/hybrid working options where applicable.
We offer a generous benefits package including an online platform offering discounts from online retailers and access to a car lease scheme. Staff are also eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), where the Council contributes circa 20% of pensionable salary.
To support employees’ professional development the Council provides reimbursement for professional subscriptions and a number of training opportunities, including extensive in-house learning resources, short courses, Apprenticeships, and qualifications such as Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Visit our Jobs and careers page to find out more about Working for Horsham District Council and Our employment commitments.
To apply:
If you would like to apply for the role, we highly recommend you show clearly within the ‘Experience Section’ of the application form how you meet the essential criteria detailed within the Role Profile when applying. If you do not make this clear, it is unlikely you will be shortlisted for interview.
Internal applicants, if you would like to apply for the role, please submit an expression of interest to HR@horsham.gov.uk explaining clearly how you meet the criteria and what you feel you can bring to the role.
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Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.