Job Description
Job Title: Active Travel Officer, Hub, Kilmarnock
Reference: SUS1989
Salary: Grade F: £21,534 - £24,103 per annum (dependent on relevant experience)
Hours: 37.5 per week (to include weekend work)
Fixed term: Contract to 30 June 2017
(Possible extension dependant on funding)
Base: Active Travel Hub, Kilmarnock Railway Station and East Ayrshire Council Offices, The Johnnie Walker Bond, 15 Strand St, Kilmarnock.
Job Purpose:
The primary purpose of the Active Travel Officer, Hub will be to maintain and promote the Active Travel Hub, Kilmarnock. The post holder will be based in the Hub engaging with visitors and disseminating information and advice to the public about local sustainable and active travel opportunities. There will also be a key role in assisting and promoting Active Travel Hub activities and initiatives.
The purpose of the Active Travel Hub is to promote walking, cycling and sustainable travel modes in the community. The post holder will be the main point of contact at the Hub, providing sustainable travel advice to the public, encouraging footfall to site and keeping the Hub’s social media platforms up to date and active as well as maintaining the Hub.
The post holder will assist with encouraging employees, residents, individuals and community groups to choose active travel for short journeys and to engage with adults and young people to increase levels of walking and cycling through the facilitation of practical activities and dissemination of active travel advice.
Dimensions of the job:
The post holder, working with Kilmarnock Railway Station Heritage Trust, will be responsible for managing the day to day running of the Hub, promote Hub activities, disseminating sustainable travel advice and maintaining the Hub and be responsible for keeping the social media platform up to date and active.
To work closely and assist the Active Travel Officer, Communities and colleagues in the Active Travel Hub in Ayr.
Place in organisational structure:
The post holder will report to the Smarter Choices Coordinator, Communities, be a member of the Smarter Choices Team in Sustrans Scotland and will be embedded in Ayrshire Roads Alliance, East Ayrshire Council. The post holder will work in partnership with various council departments, link with workplaces, community groups, schools and NHS partners and work alongside the Active Travel Officer, Communities and the Active Travel Officers in South Ayrshire. The officer will also recruit and manage volunteers.
Key Relationships:
Internal: Smarter Choices Coordinator (Communities), Edinburgh
Volunteers Programme Coordinator (Communities), Edinburgh
Smarter Choices Team (Scotland)
Smarter Choices Manager, Edinburgh
Deputy Director, Behavior Change, Edinburgh
Other Sustrans staff and volunteers
East Ayrshire Council
Project Manager, Traffic, Transportation and Road Safety Section ARA
Chief Executive
Communications Office
Elected Members
Outdoor Access
Vibrant Communities
Active Schools
Outdoor Education
Road Safety Education Team
Leisure Services
Economic Development
Democratic Services
Education
External: Kilmarnock Station Railway Heritage Trust
Transport Scotland
Scottish Cycling
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
Cycling Scotland
Ayrshire College Ayrshire and Arran Tourism
Visit Scotland
Local bike retailers
Supporting organisations i.e. local cycling groups
Local media
Key Responsibilities:
1. To be a member of the Sustrans Smarter Choices Team, Ayrshire Road Alliance (ARA) team developing the Active Travel Hub programme in Kilmarnock. To work closely with the project manager of Traffic and Transportation Section of ARA.
2. To continue to set up and maintain the Hub in good working condition and to stock the Hub with the correct equipment, maintaining them in good working order, adhering to Sustrans’ health and safety policy.
3. To work with the Active Travel Officer, Communities, to promote the Active Travel Hub to local organisation’s and the community through various mediums ensuring all promotional activities are undertaken in co-ordination with Sustans/ARA to ensure maximum uptake.
4. To identify opportunities to engage with the local community to recruit volunteers, providing them with appropriate training to delivery activities.
5. To empower and manage volunteers to carry out tasks associated with the day to day running of the hub and promotional activities.
6. To promote existing cycling and walking opportunities and to promote the delivery of a range of walking and cycling initiatives to encourage and enable members of the public to benefit from increased levels of physical activity.
7. To assist in producing and disseminating information about active travel opportunities to the local community, signposting other relevant activities.
8. To deliver an appropriately tailored programme of engagement activities in community settings. Activities will be demand led, but are likely to include community events and advice/information sessions with cycle skills training and led walks and rides as required.
9. To link with existing initiatives and further promote walking and cycling to educational establishments, local journeys and work journeys by working with local authorities, and other partners, to help deliver Personal Travel Advice. The post-holder will not be expected to deliver cycle training to pupils, but will be delivering Bikeability Scotland National standards cycling training in the community.
10. To provide news articles and PR information to ARA for press opportunities. To create content, maintain and be responsible for social media platforms for the Hub.
11. To conduct research and monitoring activities in conjunction with ARA and Sustrans to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Active Travel Hub programme.
12. To create and maintain accurate records and file keeping to help compile progress reports and presentations as required.
13. To work with local authority when needed in the consultation, planning and delivery of cycling activities and community events involving active travel such as a pedometer campaign.
14. To be involved continuing the bike hire/borrow scheme to corporate users. To be involved in membership processes and hire/borrow agreements. To undertake basic maintenance and repair as required. Assist with the logistics of bike pick up and returns.
15. To build upon existing links between schools, colleges, communities and bicycle manufacturers, local retailers, bike parking manufacturers, local cycling groups and local authority services.
16. To share good practice with other local authorities in the area through presentations and workshops.
Communication and marketing
17. 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:
18. To attend essential Sustrans training as required by the Charity.
19. 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:
20. To support and comply with the organisation’s policy for the management of Health and Safety.
21. To support and comply with the organisation’s policies for the management of safeguarding.
22. To support and comply with the organisation’s policy and procedures relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and apply principles of best practice in own role.
Networks:
23. This role may have additional responsibilities as a member of a network of colleagues working on Sustrans-wide oversight of strategic communications.
Other
24. To perform any other duties consistent with the nature and grade of the role as agreed with the line manager.
Working Conditions:
The post holder will be required to work within the local community at the Active Travel Hub, ARA Offices, Sustrans Scotland and to work flexibly. The post holder will be regularly required to work outside of normal office hours, including at evenings and weekends. Days can be substituted from Monday to Friday in order to cover weekend working. Occasional overnight travel, for training and internal meetings, will also be required. Local travel on foot and by bike will be expected.
Employment will be conditional on clearance by the appropriate PVG Disclosure check.
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 jobholder.
Compiled: Smarter Choices Coordinator, Communities, Scotland
Date: September 2016
Active Travel Officer, Hub, Kilmarnock (SUS1989)
Person Specification
Criteria / EssentialQualifications, education and training / Good standard of education
Experience / Experience of delivering physical activity or behaviour change projects
Experience of working with adults, children and young people
Experience of partnership working within a community based or environmental project
Experience of project management
Experience of working with and managing volunteers
Skills and abilities / Excellent presentation skills
Excellent communications skills both verbal and written
Excellent interpersonal skills
Organisational skills and Ability to plan and prioritise own workload
Ability to motivate and enthuse others
Ability to work as part of a small team
Basic cycle maintenance skills
Knowledge / IT literate: competent user of email, internet, and Microsoft Office
Other / Committed to cycling and the ideals of Sustrans
Undertaken (or willing to attend) National Standard cycle instructor training course
Prepared to walk, cycle and use public transport for the majority of daily work journeys
Criteria / Desirable
Qualification, education and training / Educated to degree level or equivalent
Experience in delivering Bikeability National Standards Cycle Training. Completed Cycling Scotland “Cycle Trainer” training (or equivalent National Standards training)
Experience in the delivery of walking and/or cycling initiatives
Cycle ride and walk leader experience (training can be provided)
First Aid trained
Experience / Experience in Internet research skills
Experience of data collection and evaluation
Experience of leading group workshops and event planning
Experience of working with schools and local authorities
Skills and abilities / Good report writing skills
Formally trained in cycle maintenance (for example Weldtech). Training can be provided.
Experience of creating and maintaining social media platforms
Knowledge / Knowledge of the local area
Awareness of issues affecting physical activity and active travel at a national and local level
Other / Full UK driving licence