Utility Arborist Chargehand

Become a Utility Arborist Chargehand with SSE Renewables in the UK. Lead teams in tree cutting to maintain safety around power lines. Enjoy a competitive salary, overtime potential, and flexible benefits including healthcare discounts and generous holiday. Join SSE Renewables as a Utility Arborist Chargehand, based in Petersfield, Aldershot, Basingstoke, or Portsmouth, UK. In this mobile, field-based role, you'll lead teams in a cyclical tree cutting program to ensure safety around power lines. Enjoy a salary of £34,749 - £40,939, with overtime and standby payments, plus flexible benefits like healthcare discounts and generous holiday entitlements. Be part of a team dedicated to a net zero future.

SSE Renewables On-site Full Time GBP 35k–41k yearly UTC+00:00

Portsmouth, United Kingdom Basingstoke, United Kingdom Petersfield, United Kingdom Aldershot, United Kingdom

SSE Renewables

Company Overview

Name

SSE Renewables, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SSE plc

Headquarters

Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom

Founded

2010

Size

Approximately 4,900 MW of renewable capacity as of March 2023 (source: dcfmodeling.com). SSE plc reported £8.4 billion in revenue for 2023 (source: dcfmodeling.com).

What They Do

SSE Renewables specializes in the development, ownership, and operation of renewable energy assets, primarily focusing on onshore and offshore wind farms, as well as hydroelectric generation. The company is a key player in the renewable energy sector, with a significant emphasis on expanding its capabilities in emerging technologies such as battery storage and hydrogen. SSE Renewables operates within SSE plc's broader low-carbon infrastructure framework, which includes extensive electricity transmission and distribution grids that span nearly 132,000 km and serve approximately 3.8 million customers (source: en.wikipedia.org). The company has a strong commitment to sustainability and aims to address the climate emergency through large-scale renewable projects.

Projects & Track Record

SSE Renewables has an impressive portfolio of completed projects, including the 504MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm, which was completed in 2012 off the coast of Suffolk, England, and the 588MW Beatrice offshore wind farm, which became operational in 2019 off Caithness, Scotland. The company also developed the 100MW Glendoe hydroelectric scheme near Fort Augustus, Scotland, completed in 2009, and the Clyde wind farm, which was operational by 2013, making SSE the largest onshore wind generator in Great Britain and Ireland at that time. Additionally, the 72MW Meentycat wind farm in Ireland is notable for supplying 100% renewable electricity (source: sserenewables.com). The company is currently engaged in major projects such as the 1.1GW Seagreen offshore wind farm, which began construction in 2020 and is set to be completed in 2023.

Recent Developments

In June 2023, SSE Renewables published a brochure celebrating 20 years of offshore wind, highlighting significant milestones from the Arklow Bank project in 2003 to the ongoing construction of the Seagreen project and the development of the Dogger Bank project, which is poised to be the world's largest offshore wind project. In 2023, SSE plc invested £2.3 billion in renewable assets, including wind and solar, achieving a total renewable capacity of 4.7GW, with SSE Renewables contributing 4.9GW by March 2023 (source: sserenewables.com). The company has committed to investing £24 billion over the next decade to further enhance its offshore and onshore wind capabilities.

Working There

SSE Renewables offers a variety of roles across its operations, including positions in renewable energy development, engineering, and customer service. The company operates from key locations such as its headquarters in Perth, Scotland, and various project sites including Cromarty Firth and Nigg, where significant construction activities are taking place for projects like Beatrice and Seagreen. The company culture emphasizes sustainability and community engagement, with initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Fund launched in 2013/14 to support local communities near renewable projects (source: sseheritage.com). SSE Renewables also provides training opportunities, particularly at its Dundee training facility, to ensure employees are well-equipped for the evolving energy landscape.

Contact

Website · Careers · LinkedIn

Last updated on 2025-12-27 | Report an issue

Our Arborist teams help to ensure that during bad weather, trees do not fall on power lines. Working with highly skilled teams, they clear trees and vegetation in proximity to our overhead transmission and distribution network, ultimately keeping the lights on for our customers.

We're growing our team and looking for people who love being outdoors and have experience climbing or working at height. If you have previous experience in tree cutting, forestry or arboriculture, we want to hear from you!

Utility Arborist Chargehand

Base Location: Petersfield, Aldershot, Basingstoke, Portsmouth

This role is mobile and predominantly field based, and we require your base 'home' location to be within 30 minutes distance of our depots listed above.

Salary: £34,749 - £40,939 + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing, and family:

37 hour working week.
Up to £4,442 for overtime payments & up to £3,820 for standby payments, giving you a potential of £8,262 extra per year (subject to qualifications).
Full PPE and tools required for the position.
Access to a company vehicle.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time

We are looking for a Utility Arboriculture chargehand to join our busy team!

In this role you will work as part of a cyclical tree cutting programme on more reactive, customer focussed work. As a leader within the team, you will help us manage trees & vegetation around our distribution network. Safety is at the forefront of all activities at SSE, and you will work with your team to evaluate, prepare, and carry out tree cutting works on a variety of sites and voltages.

In addition to your daily role, during high winds and storms, trees can contact our equipment and cause power cuts, and so we cut them down or trim them back to keep the lights on.

To see a snapshot of what a day in the life of a Utility Arborist looks like, please click on the link below:

You have

Previous experience in forestry/arboriculture.
Relevant NPTC certificate units for the use of chainsaws, and qualifications including NPTC UAs.
Enthusiasm and drive with a flexible approach to work and an ability to adapt to changing business and project priorities.
Previous climbing experience is essential, and experience working near power lines would be an advantage.
A high regard for safety, embedding yourself in our safety culture and adhering to guidelines in everything you do is a key priority.

Travel is required and as a result we can only accept applications from candidates that hold a current driving licence.

SSE has a bold ambition - to be a leading energy company in a net zero world. We're investing around £10 million a day in homegrown energy to help power a cleaner, more secure future.

SSEN Distribution, part of the wider SSE group, powers 3.9 million UK homes and businesses. Our team of more than 4,200 skilled engineers, customer service advisors and energy experts keep customers connected to a safe, reliable supply of electricity while investing in and developing the flexible networks needed for our low carbon future.

Flexible benefits to fit your life

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest-free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact [email protected] / 01738 344051 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.