Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Officer

Medirest Signature; Weston-super-Mare; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading local council is seeking a Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Officer to join their team in Weston-super-Mare. This role will focus on promoting active travel, managing projects, and implementing policies that enhance sustainable transport and road safety. Candidates should have strong project management skills and a passion for environmental solutions.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension

Opportunities for professional development

Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work scheme

Training opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience managing projects and working with communities.
• Understanding of sustainable transport solutions.
• Experience in behaviour change initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Formulating and promoting sustainable travel policies.
• Providing professional advice on road safety projects.
• Managing consultation and engagement for transport initiatives.

Skills

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Emotional intelligence

Education

Degree level education

Project management qualifications

Job description

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

Join us in transforming how people travel in North Somerset - help cut carbon emissions, improve air quality, and design solutions for a greener, healthier future.

The STARS Team has recently led on exciting projects such as the Pier to Pier Way, Weston Central Liveable Neighbourhood, School Streets and rural route improvements along Festival Way. You'll help shape transport policies and initiatives that reduce car dependency, encourage walking, cycling and public transport use, and make our communities more climate resilient.

We are seeking a dedicated and ideally experienced Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Officer to join our team, primarily focused on the scheme pipeline of active and sustainable transport projects for our Integrated Transport Block programme.

The Sustainable Travel & Road Safety Team are responsible for feasibility, engagement and works to enable active and sustainable travel and make roads safer and accessible through infrastructure and behaviour change projects. Our workstreams include: active travel schemes; behaviour change and road safety; development management mitigation comments; electric vehicle infrastructure; feasibility work; and policy development.

The creation of our active travel network is strategic. The adopted Active Travel Action Plans (ATAPS) have shaped what future improvements may come forward working with our local communities, as well as other strategic documents such as our EV Strategy, and joint Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan.

Funding streams made available from DfT and Active Travel England help to facilitate our future network of walking, wheeling, and cycling routes and develop schemes for implementation, and provide behaviour change activities to promote these. The team ensures that local routes are created, as part of new developments and that they tie into the existing network.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OZEV) provide further funding to North Somerset to use for the creation of charging hubs and infrastructure within our network and we run initiatives to increase electric vehicle uptake. The team provides road safety education for children, Bikeability cycle training within schools as well as other education, training and publicity campaigns.

We work actively with the Climate Emergency team to change behaviour positively to ensure we address carbon emissions through transport, which is the biggest contributary sector within North Somerset. We work closely with a range of other teams within the authority to help ensure active and sustainable transport is considered as part of everyday activities within the council.

In this role, you will work on the following areas:

• The formulation, progression, implementation and promotion of sustainable travel and road safety policies and projects, including the promotion of behavioural change;
• Providing professional advice to the council in relation to sustainable travel and road safety projects;
• The feasibility and engagement of active and sustainable transport proposals and projects before infrastructure projects are delivered by the engineering section;
• Working closely with other service areas within the council, and with partners, to achieve an integrated approach to sustainable travel and road safety within North Somerset;
• The evaluation of sustainable travel and road safety impacts of new developments, travel plans and transport improvements;
• The promotion of travel plans and the delivery of road safety advice and practical training in schools;
• The preparation, delivery and maintenance of workplace travel plans, for the council’s own staff and for other major employers; and
• The organisation and delivery of road safety advice, education, publicity and practical training to identified priority groups/locations.

Progress through the grades will be dependant on obtaining appropriate qualifications and developing further skills and competencies, on service requirements and any post vacancies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project and programme management of new capital schemes.
• Scheme proposal assessment.
• Process and organisation of the scheme pipeline of projects.
• Undertaking consultation, engagement and behaviour change programmes.
• Liaising with stakeholders, members and local residents.
• Undertaking tasks for day-to-day management of the team, including finance, Cycle to Work Scheme and administration.

Valid driving licence and/or own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role, including for work in more rural areas.

This position is currently based at our Town Hall office in Weston-super-Mare, but a hybrid working style is adopted by the team.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 1-3 days in the office.
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

About You

Transferable skills: If you have experience managing projects, working with communities, or promoting behaviour change, we’d love to hear from you , even if you’ve never worked in transport or sustainability before.

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about providing sustainable transport and road safety solutions, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrable project and programme management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, with a high degree of emotional intelligence.
• Report writing skills for Cabinet, Corporate Leadership Team and Senior Management.
• A team player, who is adaptable and understands the key priorities, according to risk, timescale, budget and who is requesting the information.
• Ideally educated to degree level.

Desirable Criteria:

• Project management qualifications.
• Post graduate qualification, or work training or qualifications relevant to the post.
• Ability to cope with conflicting priorities and undertake multiple tasks at the same time.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Local Government Pension.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums.
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year.
• Dedicated in-house Wellbeing Team.
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes.
• Training opportunities.

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How To Apply

If you share ourvision and valuesand are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Frankie Mann, Active& Sustainable Transport Manager, at [e-mail] or 07941 358172.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: To be confirmed.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.