Countryside Capital Programme Officer, SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Guardian Jobs; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement up to 31 days

Pension

Carers leave

Volunteer days

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Learning & Development hub

Wellbeing discounts

Job summary

Surrey County Council is hiring a Countryside Capital Programme Officer for the Countryside Access Maintenance and Enforcement Team, based at Merrow Depot in Guildford.

The role blends office, site and home working with flexible hours to deliver a diverse programme of infrastructure projects across public rights of way, focusing on accessibility, safety and long-term resilience. You will secure external funding and coordinate with partners across the county.

Qualifications

• Real passion for enabling access to our rights of way network.
• Understanding of rights of way and countryside access, with interest in maintenance.
• Knowledge of contract commissioning and practical construction techniques.
• Experience delivering projects, managing small capital projects like bridge works or surfacing.
• Strong organisational, communication and IT skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Understanding of planning processes and external funding opportunities.
• Flexibility to work weekends and evenings, and outdoor work in all weather.

Responsibilities

• Developing and delivering a programme of countryside capital projects from concept to completion.
• Managing contractors to deliver projects safely, on time and within budget.
• Identifying opportunities to improve accessibility and resilience across the rights of way network.
• Preparing funding bids and securing external investment.
• Building relationships with teams, councillors, landowners, contractors and partners.
• Ensuring countryside infrastructure remains safe and accessible for the future.
• Delivering projects that leave a lasting legacy across the county's footpaths and byways.

Skills

Passion for rights of way

Rights of way understanding

Contract commissioning knowledge

Project management experience

Organisational skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Stakeholder engagement

Planning & funding understanding

Weekend/evening flexibility

Tools

None

Job description

The starting salary for this full-time, permanent position is £38,090 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

Help shape the future of countryside access across the Surrey.

Are you looking for a varied and rewarding role where you can make a visible difference to the countryside and the people who enjoy it? Do you have a passion for delivering projects that improve access to the outdoors?

We have an exciting opportunity for a Countryside Capital Programme Officer to join our fantastic Countryside Access Maintenance and Enforcement Team based at Merrow Depot in Guildford.

This role combines office-based, site-based and home working - offering flexibility while ensuring contact with colleagues and a visible presence on projects.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service plus bank holidays
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About The Role

The Countryside Access Team sits within Highways Operations and Infrastructure, and manages almost 2,200 miles of public rights of way. Our work helps people connect with the countryside through the maintenance, protection and improvement of the network, while supporting biodiversity and promoting the wider benefits of outdoor access.

In this role, you will lead the delivery of a diverse programme of infrastructure projects, helping to maintain, enhance and future-proof our extensive public rights of way network. Working across some of the county's most valued landscapes, you will identify, develop and manage a range of capital improvement projects, from bridge refurbishments and replacements to path surfacing schemes and accessibility improvements on the public rights of way network. You will also play a key role in securing external funding to enable further investment in countryside access and infrastructure.

This role contributes directly to the County Council's statutory duties and strategic priorities, delivering projects that benefit residents, visitors and local communities alike.

Your key responsibilities as a Countryside Capital Programme Officer will include:

• Developing and delivering a programme of countryside capital projects from concept through to completion
• Managing contractors and commissioned works to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget
• Identifying opportunities to improve accessibility and resilience across the rights of way network
• Preparing funding bids and securing external investment to support improvement projects
• Building effective relationships with teams within the authority, councillors, landowners, contractors, local communities, partner organisations including the Environment Agency and Natural England and other stakeholders
• Helping ensure our countryside infrastructure remains safe, accessible and fit for the future
• This is a unique opportunity to deliver projects that leave a lasting legacy across the county's public footpaths, bridleways and byways. No two days are the same, with a rewarding blend of project planning, partnership working and site-based delivery.

If you are passionate about improving access to the outdoors and want to help shape the future of our public rights of way network, we'd love to hear from you.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills:

• A real passion for enabling everyone to access our rights of way network, whether in the countryside or in urban areas
• Understanding of rights of way and countryside access, and an interest in rights of way maintenance
• Good knowledge of contract commissioning and practical construction techniques
• Experience of managing or delivering projects, with the ability to manage small capital projects such as bridge refurbishments or replacements, and surfacing projects
• Strong organisational, communication and IT skills
• The ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• An understanding of planning processes and external funding opportunities
• In this role you will require the flexibility to occasionally work weekends and evenings, and ability to work outdoors in all weather and sometimes in difficult terrain.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and as part of this role, candidates will be required to visit inaccessible locations with equipment, and sometimes at short notice. Therefore, Officers will require a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 27/09/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!