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Overview

The Rights of Way Operations Team is looking to recruit a Rights of Way Officer. The successful applicant will be part of a small team of experienced officers carrying out inspections and assessments of the condition of the rights of way network across 2000+ miles of path, that give access to some of the most beautiful countryside in the Southeast of England.

About the role

This busy and challenging role requires ensuring that the Council’s legal obligations to maintain paths are carried out, and when necessary, take enforcement action to ensure that paths remain open.

The post carries a high-volume workload in one of the most popular walking and riding areas in the country. You will work closely with other members of the Rights of Way Operations Team, landowners, and the Council’s approved contractors to deliver maintenance projects. Ideally you will have experience in Rights of Way or other highway maintenance, particularly around practical works involving bridge, gate and stile installations and repair, but also experience of solutions for other types of maintenance works including stone surfaces and surface drainage. You will need knowledge for commissioning work, including drawing up works specifications for seeking quotations from contractors for works that have been identified, and overseeing the project for delivery.

You will need good organisational skills and the ability to remain focussed on the task. It is a challenging role, which will ideally suit you if you are educated to degree level or equivalent, with at least 2 years’ experience of rights of way management and enforcement work including serving legal notices. You must be computer literate, and if you have GIS database skills, that will be a distinct advantage. Contract and project management and the ability to communicate with clarity and diplomacy will be other key qualities.

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

For anyone who is passionate about public access to the natural environment, this is an opportunity to work in an extremely rewarding profession, alongside supportive colleagues, and team members, which will offer a unique opportunity to develop knowledge and skills.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintaining close working relationships within team, with colleagues and other partners and stakeholders, internally and externally.
• Implementing policies and procedures for access to the countryside, and ensuring that the Council’s statutory duties in connection with the protection, management, and enforcement of the County’s rights of way network are met as far as resources are available.
• Fostering and promoting a greater understanding of countryside access rights and responsibilities with the public and landowners and promoting easier resolution of problems.
• Managing and keeping up to date the databases and other digitised data for the area, ensuring that all necessary records are complete and entered in the database.

For full details please see the job summary.

About you

The successful candidate will be passionate about access to the countryside, and the maintenance, protection, and enhancement of the public rights of way network, across all user groups.

Educated to degree level or equivalent, with at least 2 years’ experience of rights of way management and enforcement work, and have good communication skills with the ability to understand and explain the legislation relevant to a particular case.

Have good ICT/GIS and organisational skills and map reading skills, be able to prepare maps and plans for specific sites, and be confident to attend site meetings and site inspections alone.

Know when assistance is required on a case, and draw necessary experience from other team members when required; and work within the team environment to problem solve and develop best practice.

Confident to source competitive contractors for groundworks and raising site specific works orders, and oversee works on the ground.

For full details please see the job summary on our website.

Other information

Number of positions available: one

Closing date: midnight 8th June 2023

Shortlisting date: 9th June 2023

Possible interview date: w/c 12th June TBC

Interview-type MS TEAMS with GIS/Database literacy assessment – following instructions.

To discuss the post please contact Joanne Taylor, Rights of Way Operations Team Leader on 01296 383410. [email protected]

Interviews could occur throughout the advertised period with final interviews during week commencing 22nd May 2023.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• Unspent convictions and/or unspent conditional cautions only

For further information on how long it takes for convictions and conditional cautions to be spent, please refer to Nacro’s guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Communities directorate works across the county to deliver a number of the key customer-facing services that our residents, businesses and visitors rely on every day.

This directorate includes a wide range of services, including:

• collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
• maintaining our roads and Rights of Way network and parking
• ensuring the delivery of school transport, and supporting sustainable travel including public bus services and School Crossing Patrollers
• managing Country Parks
• leisure facilities, museums, theatres and libraries, as well as developing our Cultural Strategy
• licensing, cemeteries and crematoria

The customer is central to how we develop and deliver all of these services, which help promote our rich and vibrant culture and special environment.

We are looking for enthusiastic, ambitious and committed individuals to join our team and help us to continue to make Buckinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit. This is an exciting time for us as we bring together the services previously run by five separate councils before Buckinghamshire Council was created. Whilst making major changes to contracts affecting residents across Bucks, we continue to focus on delivering great customer service. You will join us on our journey of continuous improvement - whether that’s through developing strategies and ways of working or delivering services on the ground, every person in Communities is a valued member of the team.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. We also offer a salary sacrifice personal car lease scheme and the opportunity to gain membership to Costco. We have discounted gym memberships, Travel discounts with Arriva and Chiltern Railways and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/