Job Title: Project Officer, Personalised Travel Planning (PTP), Taunton

Job Description

Job Title: Project Officer, Personalised Travel Planning (PTP), Taunton

Reference: SUS2037

Salary:Grade F: £21,534 to £24,103 pro rata per annum

(depending on relevant skills and experience)

Fixed Term:January 2017 to October 2018

Hours: 30 hours per week averaged over duration of project. The post holder will be expected to work full time (37.5 hours per week) between January and August 2017 and January to August 2018 with part time hours for the remaining periods

BaseThe project field office will be based in Taunton

Purpose of the Job:

To manage the setup and delivery of a PTP project in the Killams area of Taunton, including co-ordination of a local team to undertake the PTP fieldwork over two periods of intensive activity (summer 2017 and summer 2018). The post holder will also set up and run activities and events to raise the profile of walking, cycling and public transport and encourage behaviour change, linking with other sustainable travel projects in the area.

Project Background:

Sustrans’ PTP approach involves offering local residents free tailored information and support over the doorstep, enabling them to walk, cycle and use public transport more often. PTP is a proven technique that delivers measurable and sustained reductions in car use, increasing levels of physical activity, reducing traffic congestion and helping to tackle climate change. It does this by addressing the subjective barriers to greater use of sustainable travel, for example by raising awareness of alternative travel options and responding to misperceptions of journey time and length.

This project is funded through Section 106 developer contributions and will deliver PTP to 10,000 existing households in the south half of the Taunton conurbation – 5,000 households in 2017 and 5,000 in 2018.

Place in the Organisation:

The post holder will report to the Delivery Coordinator, England South.

Key Relationships:

Internal: Delivery Coordinator, South

Head of Delivery, South

PTP Field Staff

Active Travel Officer, Taunton

PTP Specialists

Delivery Team

Research and Monitoring Unit (RMU)

Partnerships Team

Design and Engineering Team

Network Development Team

Other support staff and offices across Sustrans

External:Somerset County Council staff

Summerfield Developments

Local community groups and representatives

Other project partners (public transport operators, cycling and walking organisations/retailers)

Other key individuals supporting or important to the successful delivery of Sustrans’ aims and our funded work

Key Responsibilities (not in ranking order):

1. To engage closely with pre-selected communities with the aim of understanding their transport needs and how to bring about behaviour change.
2. To form key relationships with community groups and leaders.
3. To run events and activities, linking with the Sustrans Active Travel project in Taunton, raising the profile of walking, cycling and public transport options within pre-selected communities.
4. To organise and run project progress meetings with the project steering group.
5. To co-ordinate the production of project communications and resources and assist with the development of the project marketing package, including information on public transport, walking and cycling.
6. To assist in the recruitment and training of a team of part-time staff employed to undertake local fieldwork operations, including door-to-door canvassing, packing and delivery of information packs and data entry.
7. To procure, set up, run and close a temporary field office.
8. To manage the fieldwork team on a day-to-day basis and provide ongoing support and training, including the shadowing of staff.
9. To schedule staff shifts to ensure the necessary resources are deployed.
10. To set targets and agree these with the Delivery Co-ordinator and ensure that project standards and targets are met on a daily basis.
11. To supervise the performance of all fieldwork tasks.
12. To control stocks of all travel information materials and equipment, and re-order where necessary.
13. To prepare briefings and network with relevant partners.
14. To report progress on tasks and towards targets, and raise any operational issues requiring attention.
15. To communicate with the project steering group, the local community and other partners as required.

Communication and marketing

1. To support and comply with the charity’s guidance on branding, tone of voice and key messages, positively contributing towards raising Sustrans’ profile.

Training and personal development

1. To attend essential Sustrans training as required by the Charity.
2. To ensure own personal development by working to objectives set as part of the Charity’s appraisal process.

Health & Safety, Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

1. To support and comply with the organisation’s policy for the management of Health and Safety.
2. To support and comply with the organisation’s policies for the management of safeguarding.
3. To support and comply with the organisation’s policy and procedures relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and apply principles of best practice in your own role.

Other

1. Any other duties consistent with the nature and grade of the role as agreed with the line manager.

Working Conditions:

The postholder will be based in Taunton (location to be confirmed). There will be some requirement to work evenings and weekends, especially during the two periods of PTP fieldwork. Overnight stays away from home may be necessary when participating in organisational work away from the designated base. The post-holder must be prepared to cycle, walk or use public transport for the majority of work journeys.

Special Note:

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, but indicates how that contract should be performed. The job description may be subject to amendment in the light of experience and in consultation with the postholder.

Compiled by: Head of Delivery, South

Date:December 2016

Project Officer, Personalised Travel Planning (PTP), Taunton (SUS2037)

Person Specification

Criteria / Essential
Qualifications, education and training / - Good standard of education
Experience / - Project management experience, including resource planning and client liaison
- Experience of forming productive working relationships with a wide range of organisations and individuals
- Previous experience in leading a team of people
- Experience of planning and organising the work of others
Skills and abilities / - Ability to engage with local community groups
- Confident with organising activities and events with minimal support
- An effective people-manager capable of organising and motivating an efficient team working on a variety of tasks
- Proven ability of working effectively in a high pressured environment with multiple, changing priorities
- Highly organised and efficient, able to function on own initiative with limited supervision
- Practical approach to problem solving
- Strong communication skills, including ability to talk to members of the public and project funders
- Good report writing skills
Knowledge / - Excellent IT skills, proficient in MS Word/Excel, email and internet use
Other / - Can-do attitude
- Willingness to ‘muck in’, for example assisting with fieldwork operations and other activities/events when required.
- Ability to co-ordinate staff recruitment and willingness to undertake staff training.
- An understanding of local transport issues in Taunton
- Commitment to the promotion of sustainable transport
- Commitment to Sustrans’ vision
Criteria / Desirable
Qualifications / - Educated to degree level or equivalent
Experience / - Experience of database management
Knowledge / - Knowledge of behaviour change – theory and practice
- Good understanding and knowledge of sustainable transport policy, nationally and regionally