Senior Driver

Education Authority (Northern Ireland); Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Education Authority (Northern Ireland) seeks an experienced transport supervisor to support the Transport Officer in delivering school transport services for children with mobility needs. You will coordinate drivers, manage daily operations, ensure safety policies, and support maintenance and documentation.

Role includes training new drivers, handling time sheets, and liaising with school principals to schedule buses across the region.

Qualifications

• Hold a full category D Licence.
• Hold a valid Driver Qualification Card (CPC).
• Digital Tachograph Card required.
• Experience driving a bus (17 seats+).
• Demonstrable experience in staff management.
• Willingness to undertake evening/weekend work.

Responsibilities

• Provide transport for children with severe/moderate learning difficulties as required.
• Assist children with mobility problems as required.
• Ensure that the Education Authority behavioral policy is observed and implemented.
• Operate tail lifts and ramps on vehicles and ensure security of wheelchairs.
• Liaise between School Principals and Transport Section regarding scheduling and duties.
• Co-ordinate drivers to facilitate allocation of school trips.
• Instruct drivers on work allocated by Transport Unit staff and assign duties.
• Prepare and submit time sheets accurately and promptly.
• Check and verify vehicle log sheets/tachograph charts and submit for processing.
• Organise temporary cover for absences and undertake emergency driver cover.
• Train new drivers in EA procedures including vehicle and documentation procedures.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal and communicat

Effective team working

Excellent customer service

Proven ability to meet deadlines

Education

Category D Licence

Driver Qualification Card (CPC)

Digital Tachograph Card

Bus driving experience (17+ seats)

Experience in managing staff

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Job Description

• Provide transport for children with severe/moderate learning difficulties as required.
• Assist children with mobility problems as required
• Ensure that the Education Authority behavioral policy is observed and implemented
• Operate tail lifts and ramps on vehicles and ensure security of wheelchairs
• Liaise between School Principal/s and the Transport Section at Headquarters regarding the scheduling of buses and the allocation of duties during the school day
• Undertake any other duties within the Transport Unit as may reasonably be required.
• Co-ordinate drivers to facilitate the allocation of school trips as directed by the Transport Unit
• Instruct drivers on work to be carried out as allocated by the Transport Unit staff and assign duties as necessary
• Prepare and submit time sheets on an accurate and timely basis
• Check and verify vehicle log sheets/tachograph charts and submit to the unit for processing;
• Organise temporary cover for periods of absence of drivers and escorts
• Undertake emergency driver cover as required
• Train new drivers in Education Authority operational and vehicle documentary procedures in respect of the following areas:

Job Description

Reports to: Transport Officer

Responsible for: The supervision of the day-to-day operations of drivers and escorts within the geographical area.

JOB PURPOSETo provide support to the Transport Officer and his assistants in the delivery of the service.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide transport for children with severe/moderate learning difficulties as required.
• Assist children with mobility problems as required
• Ensure that the Education Authority behavioral policy is observed and implemented
• Operate tail lifts and ramps on vehicles and ensure security of wheelchairs
• Liaise between School Principal/s and the Transport Section at Headquarters regarding the scheduling of buses and the allocation of duties during the school day
• Undertake any other duties within the Transport Unit as may reasonably be required.
• Co-ordinate drivers to facilitate the allocation of school trips as directed by the Transport Unit
• Instruct drivers on work to be carried out as allocated by the Transport Unit staff and assign duties as necessary
• Prepare and submit time sheets on an accurate and timely basis
• Check and verify vehicle log sheets/tachograph charts and submit to the unit for processing;
• Organise temporary cover for periods of absence of drivers and escorts
• Undertake emergency driver cover as required
• Train new drivers in Education Authority operational and vehicle documentary procedures in respect of the following areas:

Vehicle maintenance procedures

Completion of relevant documentation- log sheets, accident reports etc

Use of specialist equipment

• Examine and report vehicle defects including those buses allocated to Youth Service and ensure that these vehicles are presented to the Education Authority’s Maintenance Depot for routine servicing and repair work.
• Investigate and report on accidents as required by the Transport Unit
• Ensure prompt submission of accident forms.
• Employees will accept any training to facilitate the undertaking of duties for jobs up to and including their own grade
• Employees will accept training for jobs graded at higher levels than their own. Payment will only be made where there is a requirement by the authority for the higher level duties to be carried out.
• All duties must be carried out to comply with: -

The Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1987.

Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments, Regulations and other legal requirements.

Codes of Practice.

• All duties will be carried out in the working conditions normally inherent in the particular job.
• All necessary paperwork must be completed.
• Duties will be carried out for jobs up to and including those in the same grade, provided such duties are within the competence of the employee.

This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

• You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
• You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
• The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
• Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
• Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
• In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form on how you meet any desirable criteria.

Section 1 - Essential Criteria

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage.

Experience

Factor

Essential Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications/

Hold a full category D Licence

Hold a valid Driver Qualification Card (CPC)

Digital Tachograph Card (Candidates MUST have a valid Digital Tachograph card prior to commencement of employment)

Have experience in a paid capacity of driving a bus (i.e. 17 seat vehicle and above)

Have demonstrable experience of managing staff

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Willingness to undertake some evening/weekend work to support schools and managers

The Successful Candidate Will Be Required

to have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion;

OR

be able to provide sufficient information on the application form that will satisfy the employer that he/she has access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable them to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner and thus meet this essential criterion.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Section 2 - Essential Criteria

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage.

Abilities

Factor

Essential Criteria

Method of Assessment

Skills/

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Effective team working skills

Excellent customer service skills

Proven ability to work successfully to deadlines

Interview

Knowledge

Factor

Essential Criteria

Method of Assessment

Skills/

Have knowledge of Health and Safety legislation

Have knowledge of driving standards

Have a working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook

Interview

Values Orientation

Factor

Essential Criteria

Method of Assessment

Skills/

Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values. You will find information about our Values here.

Interview

Our Values

Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery. These reflect our aim which is to meet the needs of all our children and young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed on www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/accessni-criminal-record-checks or www.justice-ni.gov.uk/articles/about-accessni

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES