Access Ranger

Do you want to ensure that Public Rights of Way (PRoW) are in good condition and available to enjoy in West Sussex? In this role, you will make sure that visitors and residents of our County can enjoy all its outstanding natural beauty.

About the job

Salary: £31,586 to £34,314 per annum.

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full time 37 hours per week.

Location: Your base will be Clapham Depot nr. Worthing BN13 3UR however, travel to sites will be required.

Interview Date: Tuesday 22 April 2025

As an Access Ranger you will join our friendly, knowledgeable and supportive team. You will work closely with landowners, volunteers and contractors to maintain and improve the PRoW network.

You will be responsible for covering area 5 of the County which is the central eastern area around Horsham. Your main responsibility will be managing the routine inspection and maintenance programme in this area. Some of your daily tasks will include:

• Organise and carry out inspections including coordinating volunteers who will assist with the inspections.
• Engage with landowners to resolve issues and take enforcement action where necessary.
• Log and update issues using our IT system (Confirm).
• Investigate reports from the public and other stakeholders providing technical and legal advice and seeking solutions.
• Deliver small scale improvements working with landowners and/or contractors.
• Identify work to be delivered by volunteers or the Annual Works Programme.
• Respond to planning application consultations to protect and improve the PRoW network where possible.

The role requires a significant amount of lone working and occasionally walking up to 6 hours a day. As a guide the role is approximately one-third on site and two- thirds office based. Prioritising and organising workloads is a fundamental part of the role.

The postholder may be required to work occasional evenings and weekends. The work involves occasionally dealing with people with strongly conflicting interests where tact and diplomacy are essential.

Experience and skills

Key Skills:

• Ability to work in a customer focused way, providing a high-quality service.
• Ability to organise/prioritise work, co-ordinate a variety of tasks in a clear and logical way and meet agreed deadlines.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate problems and make sound pragmatic decisions.
• Ability to read maps and scale and apply this on site.
• IT skills including Word, Excel, databases and GIS mapping, in order to record and manage data, present information clearly, concisely and accurately, and research information.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Significant experience of access and rights of way management, either within an office or in the field, including;
  • Implementation of legislation
  • Day to day maintenance
  • Small improvement projects
  • Providing advice to landowners, farmers, the public and other interested parties.
• Experience of working in partnership with individuals and organisations.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring.
• A strong supportive management team.
• A range of discounts including Tesco, Samsung, Asos, B&Q and many more.
• Free access to employee assistance programmes.
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres.
• Car benefit scheme.
• A range of commuting and business travel discounts and initiatives.

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is EIE01383.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Neil Vigar, Countryside Services Manager at neil.vigar@westsussex.gov.uk.

For an informal conversation regarding the application process, please contact Rosa Siracusa (Recruitment Specialist) at Rosa.Siracusa@westsussex.gov.uk .

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk .

Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Click apply below, upload your CV, and complete the application form, explaining how you meet the key skills in the attached job description and experience you can bring to the role. Please ensure all that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to right to work within the UK, satisfactory references, and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.

RSi