Countryside Liaison Officer

This role has a starting salary of £34,356 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

We are thrilled to be hiring a new Countryside Liaison Officer to join our fantastic Countryside team.

The role is based in Merrow, Guildford but we promote a hybrid approach to working, with the expectation to be on site or in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. As some of the groups we work with are not always available during the working day, this role will include occasional evening and weekend working.

We are proud of our strong focus on staff development, our positive team environment and that our work makes a real difference to local communities, so we're looking for someone who values these things too.

Rewards and benefits

• 26 days' holiday rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the team

This post will report into the Visitor Services arm of the Countryside Team, which sits within the Environment, Infrastructure & Growth (EIG) directorate. The team are responsible for managing public access to the countryside and for looking after the Council's 10,000 acre countryside estate. We want to help people engage with, appreciate and care for the countryside as much as we do, so that it can be enjoyed and protected by future generations.

About the role

As Countryside Liaison Officer you will be a visible point of contact for the Countryside team, responding to a variety of unique queries and helping to ensure the Council's duties, powers and responsibilities are implemented across its countryside estate.

After settling into your new role, you will use your excellent communication skills to undertake regular and effective messaging with the public, partners, landowners and other organisations. Your strong organisational skills will ensure you keep effective records, identify priorities and that relevant health and safety arrangements are in place to meet the Council's statutory obligations.

Queries are rarely simple so you may need to investigate reports or issues, seeking advice from others where needed or attending meetings to understand detail. You'll use your IT skills to write up reports for senior decision makers. As not everybody sees countryside issues the same way, it will be important to use your people skills to manage expectations and find compromises where necessary.

Shortlisting criteria

As part of your application you will be asked to submit a CV and answer the following questions:

• Please tell us about a time you liaised with a customer, client or partner who was unhappy and how you found a positive resolution to their issue
• Please tell us about a time you had to solve a complex problem involving multiple stakeholders and what you learned from the process
• Please describe the qualities you possess that makes your application for this role stand out above other applicants

In order to be shortlisted your CV and answers to the questions above will clearly evidence:

• Experience of managing relationships with a range of public audiences
• Experience of resolving concerns or complaints
• Understanding of countryside issues and areas of conflict
• Experience of administrative procedures and writing formal documents
• Ability to drive or otherwise visit inaccessible locations across Surrey

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Ben Sword by call 07971 976390.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 07/04/2024 with interviews planned for 15/04/2024.

A standard DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role.

Our commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.