Rights of Way Manager

Do you want to be instrumental in shaping the future of the Public Rights of Way and access provision for Staffordshire? And are interested in delivering an excellent service? Yes? Then this may be the job for you. 

Access to the countryside has never been more important and rights of way are a vital resource for our communities and visitors. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to lead innovative approaches to the development and management of 4500km of Public Rights of Way across Staffordshire. This important role will continue to transform the service ensuring the delivery of statutory functions, championing novel approaches and responding to new challenges.

We are looking for a confident leader with a strong track record delivering at a strategic level. You will have a high level of knowledge and experience in rights of way / highways and access legislation, policy and practice. You will bring innovation and the skills to put it into practice to ensure the ongoing improvement of the service. Your excellent interpersonal skills will ensure positive relationships with elected members, colleagues, partners, stakeholders and volunteers.

If you’re looking for a role where you can make a meaningful impact and be part of a team driving positive change in Staffordshire, we would love to hear from you. 

This is a permanent full-time role working 37 hours per week Monday to Friday. The work is typically office and depot based with hybrid working. 

Main Responsibility

In this role you will: 

• Deliver statutory duties related to Public Rights of Way (PROW), open access, and promoted routes across Staffordshire.
• Lead the strategic management of the PROW network, ensuring accessibility, sustainability, and legal compliance.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and improvement plans to enhance rural access and rights of way.
• Engage and consult with stakeholders, elected members, communities, and forums to support evidence-led decision making.
• Manage staff, budgets, and resources to deliver inspections, enforcement, maintenance, and improvements across the network.
• Integrate rights of way into infrastructure planning, while promoting innovation, volunteer involvement, and digital solutions to expand service capacity.

The Ideal Candidate

You will have: 

• Qualified at degree level or equivalent in an appropriate discipline.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of rights of way (highways) and access legislation and practice in England.
• Significant experience of rights of way procedures and management, including experience of enforcement, dispute resolution, analysis of historical evidence and demand prioritisation.
• Significant knowledge and experience of risk assessment and management, safe systems of work and CDM regulations 
• Experience of budget management, procurement and contract management
• Effective and strategic leadership and management skills
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills including ability to engage the public, collaborate with partners and constructively resolve disputes
• Good IT skills including GIS
• Ability to deal with difficult situations and resolve conflict
• Current driving licence

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 Sarah Bentley, Head of Environment and Countryside, at [email protected]