Network Compliance Officer

West Sussex County Council; Chichester; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Chichester seeks a Network Compliance Officer to oversee street works and ensure compliance with regulations. The role involves field inspections, negotiating with stakeholders, and providing excellent customer service. Candidates should have experience in Network Management and possess strong problem-solving skills. The position offers a salary between £29,540 and £39,152 and requires full availability to work on-site across various locations.

Benefits

Access to benefits and rewards

Opportunity for career progression

Qualifications

• Experience in highway management or equivalent.
• Ability to conduct inspections independently.
• Strong character to handle challenging discussions.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and inspect street and road works activities.
• Ensure compliance with safety regulations.
• Provide excellent customer service and resolve queries.

Skills

Problem solving

Customer service

Political awareness

Education

Experience in Network Management or equivalent area

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic noticing database software

Job description

Overview

Salary: NJC Grades 7 to 9 £29,540 to £39,152 per annum (G7 £29,540 - £32,061 pa / G8 £32,597 - £35,412 pa / G9 £36,363 - £39,152 pa)

Contract Type: Fixed Term/Secondment until July 2026

Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, full time (weekend working may be required)

Location: Various locations in West Sussex, with regular travel to Chichester required

Please note:

• The post holder will be required to work on site at any location within the County and will therefore require a full valid driving licence. A West Sussex County Council vehicle is supplied for business use as required.
• The role includes walked site visits to undertake inspections, which involves working outdoors in varying weather conditions, which may at times be challenging. Appropriate PPE will need to be worn (provided by WSCC).

Do you have experience within Network Management and/or working in the highways sector?

Do you enjoy working in a variety of environments indoors and outdoors?

Do you enjoy working with people and making a positive impact?

Are you skilled at problem solving and providing an excellent customer service?

We have a fantastic opportunity to join our service. You will join our Network Management Service as a Network Compliance Officer, which includes planning, coordinating, monitoring, and inspecting street works and road work activities.

In this role you will support public utility companies, the County Council, and other contractors, to ensure road work activity is planned, inspected, processed, and carried out following regulations and a strict legal framework. You will also provide a high-level customer service relating to works and licenced activities on the highway, by responding to and resolving queries.

The Network Compliance Officer role is site based, where you will carry out inspections and work on public highway safety. You will be up to date with New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, Traffic Management Act 2004, and West Sussex County Council Permit Scheme, plus other relevant legislations and council policies.

You will provide advice and support to Network Permit Officers, and where required working with a Senior Network Compliance Officer to provide advice and solutions. This role also includes meeting the public, contractors, Councillors and other stakeholders, and may occasionally involve challenging discussions.

This role provides an excellent opportunity for career progression, spanning three grades with increasing responsibilities, as shown below.

About You

We are looking for someone to join us who understands Network Management (or work in an equivalent area), and who can carry out inspections by working on their own initiative to solve unanticipated problems.

Sometimes highway works can be sensitive and therefore you'll need to have a good level of political awareness when working with county members.

If you enjoy no two days being the same, working outdoors, answering varying queries, sharing your knowledge, and finding solutions to challenges, we would love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

Grade 7

• Using I.T systems such as electronic noticing database software and Microsoft Office.
• Carrying out a range of inspections, street and road works, and a pre-determined number of performance-based inspections (i.e., live sites and reinstatements).
• Investigating enquiries from members of the public and stakeholders.
• Ensuring permit and licence infringements are evidenced and recorded accurately (via a handheld device).
• Contributing towards the recovery of the street works revenue income budget, and to the revenue income budget for licences (approx. £400k to £2m per annum).
• Ensuring work is licenced, constructed safely, and to WSCC's specifications.

Grade 8

• Carrying out a range of inspections, street and road works, and a pre-determined number of performance-based inspections (i.e., live sites and reinstatements).
• Representing the County Council at meetings, with work promoters, and answer questions in those meetings (i.e., meetings relating to traffic management and licence applications).
• Liaising with other teams around safety matters, responding together or passing information between teams to cover differing responsibilities.
• Using a range of software, including handheld terminals, for the reporting of faults, writing reports and documents, sending emails etc.
• Contributing towards the recovery of the street works revenue income budget, and to the revenue income budget for licences (approx. £400k to £2m per annum).
• Investigating enquiries from members of the public and stakeholders, recording findings through inspection, information gathering, and evidence to allow the team to provide an accurate response within the required timeframes.

Grade 9

• Taking a lead in enforcement for infringements.
• Supporting the day-to-day activities of the Network Management Team and the Councils customer interface, ensuring that these services are provided efficiently and to excellent customer service standards.
• Co-ordinating and minimising the impact of work sites on the highway network by timely and targeted early communications.
• Liaising with work promoters and licence holders to prestart meetings, hold regular inspections, and check permit conditions to ensure that the work sites are run professionally.
• Carrying out a range of inspections, street and road works, and a pre-determined number of performance-based inspections (i.e., live sites and reinstatements) with minimal guidance from senior staff.
• Actively support change, contributing to new ideas, communicating and sharing knowledge, successfully convincing others of courses of action, and negotiating solutions.

For more information on the Responsibilities, Key Skills, Qualifications and/or Experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached. Please refer to the key skills in your application form as these will be used for shortlisting criteria.

About Us

The Traffic Management Act 2004 places a duty on the County Council as the local highway authority to manage the road network. The Network Management Service is responsible for meeting the Council's network management duty to keep traffic flowing.

Making sure the road network operates as smoothly and efficiently as possible is a key service for the Council. We know that works must take place on our roads, whether by the highway authority, utility companies or developers. It is important that these works are properly planned, monitored and carried out in a way that minimises disruption to all road users.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.

Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further information

The reference number for this role is EIE01463.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Application Form.

In your application form please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to three years referencing, and an occupational health check.

Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.

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