Rights of Way Officer

Do you love the countryside and want to help make sure people can get out and safely enjoy Staffordshire’s beautiful landscapes? 

We are looking for experienced and enthusiastic people to join the Rights of Way Team to help manage and maintain our path network.  

The Rights of Way team oversees Staffordshire’s public rights of way – an impressive 4500km network of footpaths and bridleways that plays an ever-increasing role in providing greener travel choices, support for local businesses and physical and mental health benefits for our communities.  

In this role, you will help us to make sure the network is accessible and help inspect and tackle reported issues. You will need to be able to access remote areas beyond the reach of public transport, covering a large area, working alone but also at times with others and in all weather.  

This is a two-year fixed term appointment, working 37 hours per week Monday to Friday. The work is mainly site based with hybrid working. 

Main Responsibilities

In this role you’ll: 

• Ensure the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) network is open and accessible, conducting inspections and audits to meet legal requirements. 

• Investigate, negotiate, and resolve issues on the PRoW network, advising and engaging with stakeholders. 

• Build and maintain positive relationships with landowners, user groups, and councils to encourage community involvement. 

• Advise and negotiate with landowners on lawful changes to the PRoW network. 

• Organise and implement enforcement procedures, process applications for changes, and respond to formal notices. 

• Contribute to the preparation and implementation of plans, processes, and reports, including the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. 

The Ideal Candidate

You’ll have: 

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline  

• Knowledge and understanding of rights of way legislation, policy and practice in England  

• Technical understanding of rights of way issues and solutions  

• Experience and track record of successful negotiation and dispute resolution  

Essential skills: 

• Ability to interpret maps and legal information  

• Ability to undertake regular site visits in a lone working situation where public transport may not be available and involving difficult terrain 

• Effective communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills 

• Negotiation skills  

• Organised and flexible approach and ability to manage multiple tasks  

• Excellent team working skills  

• Demonstrable computer skills, using Microsoft packages  

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 26 February 2025. 

Don’t feel you meet all the requirements? We value transferable skills, experiences and qualifications so consider applying anyway. 

For an informal discussion, please contact Paul Rochfort, Rights of Way Team Leader, at paul.rochfort@staffordshire.gov.uk. 

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. 

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.