Senior Road Safety Officer - Engineering in Bournemouth

Starting salary for this role is £44,075 (pro rata for part‑time colleagues). All new starters begin at the entry point of the band, ensuring fairness and consistency across the organisation.

Role Purpose

To identify, prepare and deliver road safety engineering and highway improvement projects to enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duties with respect to road safety in line with its strategic objectives and Vision Zero casualty reduction approach. To conduct collision investigation and analysis to identify collision hotspots and implement site‑appropriate casualty reduction interventions to help reduce both the frequency and severity of future accidents. To provide specialist complex advice to brief the engineering teams and to help project manage the road safety capital programme as a key priority of the Local Transport Plan. To provide professional support and advice on road safety issues and design principles to include carrying out road safety audits as Team Leader. To manage and deliver specific road safety related schemes which may include some design work. To provide up‑to‑date information on and ensure effective communication in respect of road safety to members of the public, partners, colleagues and elected members. To manage, prioritise and deliver the Safer Routes to school, accessibility and pedestrian/cycle crossing programmes, to promote the use of safe sustainable transport options.

Main Responsibilities

• Delivery of a range of technical, analytical and promotional projects to meet unit objectives, including design, procurement, implementation and supervision of traffic management and safety initiatives.
• Carry out regular road safety audits as the Team Leader.
• Respond to queries/complaints on road safety issues from residents, colleagues, external partners and elected members including public meetings, petitions, consultations and correspondence.
• Provide timely and relevant information to assist with preparation of technical reports and advice and attend meetings in support of the Road Safety Team Leader.
• Assess and prioritise requests for safety cameras, vehicle activated signs, drop crossings, crossing facilities, safer routes to school schemes and other minor transport improvement requests and feed advice into highway maintenance or network management schemes.
• Manage the installation of equipment where required.
• Use the Council’s Collision Database and specialist software to provide data and complex specialist advice to colleagues and external organisations.
• Undertake joint Fatal collision Investigations with Dorset Police.
• Interrogate, monitor and analyse the Collision Database to identify trends and sites for potential improvements on a cluster, route and area‑wide basis.
• Select appropriate interventions and prioritise using cost‑benefit analysis and behavioural change techniques and deliver through the Capital Programme in accordance with targets.
• Oversee the day‑to‑day running of the road safety team’s technical support, research and analysis of data to provide advice and guidance to Dorset Road Safe, partners and council staff delivering enforcement, engineering, education, training and publicity projects including monitoring of effectiveness and undertaking remedial action if required.
• Work co‑operatively with partner authorities and organisations to build effective partnerships to help achieve the Council’s casualty reduction objectives to improve road safety.
• Produce Annual Road Safety Report.
• Evaluate and submit prospective road safety engineering projects for the annual Travel Safety Measures and Accessibility Capital Programme for works to a value of around £1 million.
• Examine highway engineering scheme proposals submitted by colleagues, consultants and developers to ensure road safety requirements are met, including carrying out road safety audits to independently review the road safety implications of highway schemes on all road users.
• Recommend enhancements to improve the safety and accessibility of schemes.
• Assist and deputise as necessary for the Road Safety Team Leader in the strategic management of the road safety team including budget and performance monitoring against agreed targets and attendance at public meetings including Dorset Road Safe.
• Comply with all relevant Health and Safety at Work legislation and undertake any other duties commensurate with the grading of the post as required.
• Provide expert advice and coaching to others and support their development in line with strategic objectives.
• Contribute to and celebrate the success of the team.
• Manage the prioritisation and delivery of the SRTS programme to a value of approximately £0.5 million including chairing the regular SRTS meetings.
• Where required, use AutoCAD to design, project manage and deliver minor highway improvement schemes.

Ideal Candidate – Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent or post‑graduate qualification in a related discipline (Essential).
• Relevant membership of a professional body or equivalent experience with evidence of professional development and knowledge of best practice (Essential).
• Demonstrate extensive relevant experience in complex highway design (Desirable).
• Demonstrate extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of road safety engineering techniques and casualty analysis (Essential).
• Specialist training in safety audits and collision investigation to work at team leader level e.g. RoSPA (Essential).
• Experience of successful partnership working with major public bodies (Desirable).
• Project Management Experience including planning and risk assessment (Essential).

Ideal Candidate – Personal Qualities & Attributes

• Excellent ICT, budgetary, data analysis, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to write engaging technical reports and create dynamic, articulate presentations.
• Ability to be part of a positive team and inspiring and supportive working culture.
• Ability to think differently and promote innovative ways of working including an openness to negotiate, promote and adopt new initiatives from within the team and from other partners.
• Encourage others and listen to new ideas and have a positive approach to effective change and willingness to meet new and challenging targets.
• Represent the Council effectively with a commitment to customer care.
• Willingness to work flexibly and to promote flexible working.
• Recognise the value of diversity within the team and the need to meet the diverse needs of the public, paying particular attention to people with protected characteristics.
• Ability to work as part of a team or on own initiative.
• Ability to work with conflicting priorities and deadlines to meet challenging targets.
• High level of resilience, emotional intelligence, calm under pressure.
• Ability to work sensitively with confidential/personal information and treat road collision victims and their families sympathetically.

Job Requirements

• Must be able to travel, using public or other forms of transport where they are viable, or by holding a valid UK driving licence with access to own or pool car or bicycle.
• This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.
• Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Our Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process ensuring every candidate and colleague has the support and reasonable adjustments they need to thrive. Reasonable adjustments may be provided upon request.