Job Description

Job info	Job info details
Job title	Heritage Project Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency
Business unit	Development Management
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Service Manager Development Management
Accountable to (line manager)	Service Manager Development Management
Salary grade	I
JE ref	PLA033

1. Key purpose of job

To assist in the preparation and review of Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Strategies / Plans as required to ensure up-to-date guidance is available for all conservation areas.
To prepare, promote and progress enhancement schemes for conservation and other appropriate areas where appropriate.
To prepare submissions for conservation related schemes and initiatives with regards to council assets in collaboration with colleagues and external agencies where required.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

Assisting in the delivery and management of a Local Heritage Forum.
Support the delivery of a programme of public engagement events including awards, exhibitions, training sessions, community and promotional events.
Ensuring that development plan policies and guidance are prepared with due consideration to heritage matters.
Providing accurate and up to date guidance on heritage related matters including the HARR, local lists and Conservation Appraisals and Management Plans.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

To assist in the preparation and review of Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Strategies / Plans as required to ensure up-to-date guidance is available for all conservation areas.
To prepare, promote and progress enhancement schemes for conservation and other appropriate areas where appropriate.
To assist in the delivery and management of a local Heritage Forum.
Supporting the delivery of a programme of public engagement events including awards, exhibitions, training sessions, community and promotional events.
Assisting with survey, plan and production of documentation, reports, graphical material and plans and development briefs to support the ongoing management of council -owned heritage assets.
To advise on corporate work relating to the management of council owned historic buildings and heritage and assist with the co-ordination, management and monitoring of projects as requested.
Assist in developing and facilitating external partnerships, and liaising with external partners, community groups, other Council departments and other organisations to promote awareness of the historic environment, including assisting in identification and procurement of funding opportunities.
To assist in developing and implementing physical and intellectual access to the heritage of the bay.
As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

The post holder has no direct budget responsibilities but will be required to ensure that any budgets relating to the heritage function at Torbay Council are properly spent in line with the Council’s standing orders.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

No direct supervision but may from time to time be required to oversee the work of more junior staff. Expected to work independently.
Supervises multidisciplinary project teams to deliver historic environment projects.
Post holder will report to the Team Leader (Development Management).

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

Mainly office based with minimal exposure to disagreeable, unpleasant or hazardous environmental working conditions from regular site visits or to people-related behaviour when attending public meetings and consultation events.

7. Physical demands of the post

The post will be office based with the need to use computer screens.
Regular site visits to existing heritage sites and proposals within sites of heritage importance.

8. Specific resources used by the post

Regular computer use with relevant software packages and plan viewing/measuring programmes.
Use of primary resource material relating to the heritage information.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

Customers of the services (Agents, Developers, Applicants, Investors, service providers, local heritage organisations and interested parties).
Statutory and other consultees such as the Historic England, Gardens Trust, the statutory amenity societies, Neighbourhood Forums etc.

Internal

Officers within the Spatial Planning Business Unit.
Officers of other groups within the Council (highways, natural environment etc).
Managers and officers of other Directorates (e.g. legal services, estates, finance, housing etc).

10. Other duties

To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Heritage Project Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency
Business unit	Development Management

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

Self-motivated, productive, dynamic and innovative.
Effective computer literacy skills (MS windows).
Sound level of numeracy.
Effective analytical and problem-solving skills.
Presentation skills particularly in relation to presenting reports to stakeholders and the general public.
Report preparation skills.
Communication and negotiation skills.
Able to convey information accurately and clearly in a manner which is clearly understood.
Assertion skills, i.e. able to determine and use behaviour which is appropriate to the situation and to exercise tact and diplomacy.
Administrative skills, i.e. a thorough organised approach to work with the ability to prioritise and manage workloads.
Able to see tasks through to a successful conclusion, meeting challenging deadlines whilst maintaining attention to detail.
Contributing successfully to effective team working.
Flexible approach to working hours.
A conscientious attitude to work
Willingness to maintain and improve standards and performance through implementation of good practice and personal development.
Commitment to customer focus.
Able to effectively project manage a number of projects at the same time.
Ability to demonstrate initiative and flexibility.
High level of productivity.
Skills in creativity.
Social media literate.
An ability to build and maintain meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships.
This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

Thorough understanding of the wider Planning functions including Planning Policy and Development Management.
Specialist knowledge of historic building conservation.
Working knowledge of all relevant planning and heritage legislation and national policies and guidance.
Understanding of wider national heritage issues and how they relate to the context of Torbay’s economic growth aspirations.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

Experience of applying for, managing and reporting on heritage-related management and enhancement schemes.
An ability to recognise and communicate about significance in the historic environment.
A working knowledge and understanding of planning, including listed building legislation, policy guidance and circulars and the ability to apply that knowledge to conservation matters.
Good understanding of current conservation techniques and best practice.
Working knowledge and/or previous experience of supporting public engagement programmes and events, and communication and positively influencing people and/or organisations.
Awareness of wider environmental issues, including climate change, sustainable transport and how the historic environment links to the wide corporate and national sustainability agenda.
Knowledge of the development management process and planning policy development.
A working knowledge of Conservation Area Appraisals and how they relate to development planning and development management.
Experience of legal and procedural matters relevant to the post.
A working knowledge of the archaeology, landscape history and the historic environment.
An ability to recognize and communicate about significance in the historic environment.
Understanding of current conservation techniques and best practice.
Experience in IT including Word, Excel and planning software packages.

Desirable knowledge

Degree or diploma in Town Planning, Architecture, Building Conservation or a related discipline or significant relevant experience.
Membership or eligibility for membership of Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveying or other appropriate professional body.