Parks Officer - Maternity Cover

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Parks Officer to join our Parks team at Enable!

About Us: Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. We work with councils, charities and other local organisations to deliver health, leisure, community services and events that enrich people’s lives and strengthen our local community. At Enable, we value our employees and our culture, focusing on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive, flexible and fun environment for employees to perform at their best.

On top of a competitive salary and flexible working environment, employees will also receive:

• 30 days of annual leave (plus 8 bank holidays)
• Life Insurance
• Reward Schemes (RewardHub Membership, wellbeing budgets and cycle to work)
• A variety of social and wellbeing activities each month
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Perks (Monthly talks, Wellbeing Hour, etc)

Based: Wandsworth Common

Contract: Full Time, Fixed Term until December 31st 2026

Reports to: Head of Parks

Salary: £30869 per annum (London Living Wage)

Work Arrangement: 40 hours per week, On-site

DBS: Basic

Role Overview: Enable Leisure and Culture is a non-for profit charitable organisation and the lead contractor employed by Wandsworth Borough Council to provide strategic management of the borough's parks and open spaces. This role sits within the Enable Parks team, a passionate group of people, who work together to manage and improve Wandsworth Council’s parks, commons, allotments and other greenspaces. We are keen to recognise, value, manage and enhance the natural and heritage landscapes - contributing to a healthy planet and the wellbeing of our communities.

Reporting to the Head of Parks, you will lead the delivery of innovative greenspace and biodiversity projects across Wandsworth’s diverse parks and commons. From concept to post-completion evaluation, you will develop projects that meet Green Flag and Biodiversity Action Plan standards while creating welcoming, resilient spaces that reflect the needs and aspirations of local communities. You will manage the full project lifecycle—from project development and costed design to community engagement and on-site delivery—with a strong emphasis on collaboration.

Working closely with residents, volunteers, contractors, and internal teams, you will deliver greenspace improvements, habitat enhancements, and inclusive spaces that support wellbeing and foster social connection. A key aspect of the role is supporting community involvement with all aspects of our sites. You will coordinate volunteering opportunities and lead initiatives that empower local groups to take an active role in enhancing and caring for their green spaces. You’ll also act as a point of contact for residents, offering advice and producing clear, engaging materials that communicate our plans effectively.

You will thrive in a dynamic environment, managing multiple projects while keeping a clear focus on outcomes and long-term sustainability. Combining creativity with attention to detail, you will confidently shape projects that are both practical and visionary—helping bring Wandsworth’s greenspaces to life. You will be happy to get your hands dirty from time to time but also be prepared to spend time producing proposals and reports. This is a role suited to someone who enjoys working outdoors, engaging with a wide range of people, and adapting to site conditions and community feedback. As a valued member of a small but ambitious team, you will play a central role in delivering Wandsworth’s vision for outstanding public green spaces.

Main Duties/Responsibilities:

• Ensure all greenspaces in the portfolio meet the standards of Green Flag to retain current awards and continue to increase the number of new awards.
• Devising and implementing site management and maintenance plans to further our public accountability in greenspace management and to ensure effective prioritization of projects.
• Devise and deliver greenspace and biodiversity improvements in line with site management plans and the Council’s biodiversity action plan; ensuring measurable outcomes and long term sustainability and promoting the inclusion of features that support community wellbeing, inclusive play, and social cohesion within public green spaces.
• Be responsible for project design, development, management and delivery from concept through to evaluation and monitoring to deliver imaginative, sustainable greenspace improvements that reflect community needs. This includes responsibility for developing costed briefs, devising and managing grant funding applications, ensuring effective and efficient resource allocation and ensuring appropriate progress monitoring and reporting.
• Support community engagement through coordinating volunteering opportunities, community participation activity, and leading initiatives that encourage active involvement in greenspace enhancement.
• Create information materials that ensure we are clearly communicating our plans and ideas to the community in visually appealing ways.
• Provide clear, professional communication with clients, stakeholders, elected members, and the public, including responding to enquiries and complaints.
• Actively participate in collaborative team working to ensure cohesive service delivery and deputize for the Head of Parks and other parks colleagues as required.

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable experience in planning and delivering greenspace and / or biodiversity projects, (including both hard and soft landscaping) in line with management plans and contractual requirements.
• Experience instructing, managing and supporting volunteers (delivering soft/hard landscaping improvements with volunteers is desirable).
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently to a high standard.
• The ability to work collaboratively as part of a team on common goals and shared projects to ensure the work programme is delivered effectively and on time.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with experience engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders including community groups, elected members, and contractors.
• Be able to travel between sites regularly as the work requires and able to work occasional additional early morning, evening and weekend hours for which time off in lieu will be given.
• Be fully proficient in the use of a range of IT including MS 365 packages and (ideally) have some experience of GIS mapping software.

Enable is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.