PROW Manager

Kirklees is the seventh largest Metropolitan District in England. The area has a unique blend of towns and countryside, making Kirklees an attractive place in which to live and work. The district contains a network of some 700 miles of recorded Public Rights of Way (PROW) which are crucial to support the Council's agendas, including active travel and wellbeing.

The Council is seeking to appoint a Public Rights of Way Manager who will act as the professional lead for all PROW related matters across the authority, with responsibility for ensuring consistent and effective management of the network and compliance with the Council's statutory duties.

You will be an experienced, qualified Public Rights of Way practitioner, bringing in-depth knowledge and expertise in all aspects of law, practice and policy. You will be fully conversant not only with the full range of relevant legislation but also with its practical implications for the successful delivery of the PROW function.

You will lead and guide a team of specialist staff, organising and prioritising a full and varied workload. This will include:

• Ensuring the continuous review and development of the District's Definitive Map and Statement.
• Managing the progression of applications for Definitive Map Modification Orders; overseeing and guiding the work of Definitive Map Officers.
• Managing planned and reactive improvements and maintenance of the network undertaken by Project Officers.
• Organising and producing responses to complex technical enquiries from a range of internal and external partners.
• Determining and implementing appropriate enforcement action in response to illegal, unlawful and unauthorised uses of Rights of Way.

Therefore, your knowledge will encompass both the practical (including highway design, construction and maintenance practices and principles) as well as the theoretical (including processes around modifications, closures and diversions).

As the Council's senior specialist you will formulate, assess and implement strategic policy decisions and development. You will provide technical advice, interpretations and conclusions to senior management, elected members and other Council departments and partners to inform their decisions.

You will be an excellent communicator, able to distil complex subject matter for non-specialist audiences as well as representing the Council as its expert, whether in discussion with legal representatives or other third parties, or at Public Inquiries and other court proceedings, sometimes in contentious and sensitive circumstances. You will have excellent analytical and negotiation skills and be IT literate, able to use a range of bespoke mapping and related systems.

You will be aware of forthcoming developments in the field of Public Rights of Way and take the lead in shaping the PROW function's direction of travel, devising and progressing a challenging programme of activities to deliver positive outcomes for the district.

In order to be shortlisted for this job you will be asked to demonstrate how you meet the Employee Specification and that you possess the required knowledge, qualifications, skills and experience detailed in the attached Job Profile.

At Kirklees Council, we want to support your professional development to give you the right skills, confidence, and support to really achieve your potential. We offer a variety of courses and training designed for this exact purpose.

We value the importance of having work-life balance, so therefore we offer provisions such as flexible working, generous holiday entitlement, a variety of special leave policies and employee healthcare services.

For an informal discussion about the post please contact Mark Scarr on 01484 221000. Donna Hodgson is the manager for this role, please contact them on 01484 221000 for an informal discussion, or if you need any more information.

We know there's a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and we encourage applications from people with all differing abilities. So, if you need any support completing an application form, or any other format for the application or Job Description please contact the Recruitment Team for help by email: jobs@kirklees.gov.uk or phone: 01484 221000 and ask for 'Recruitment'.

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