Job info	Job info details
Job title	Public Transport Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency
Business unit	Strategy and Project Management (Planning, Transport and Environment)
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Service Manager Strategy and Project Management
Accountable to (line manager)	Service Manager Strategy and Project Management
Salary grade	H
JE ref	PLA015

1. Key purpose of job

• To work with operators and partners to deliver high quality public transport services that grow passenger numbers across the network, ensuring that local people have access to an effective, user-friendly and integrated bus network that meets the needs of the local population and visitors.
• Ensure the Council is providing its statutory duties in relation to public transport.
• Support the Council to meet the corporate objectives for carbon neutrality specifically through public transport. 
• Facilitate safe accessibility to public transport services and integration between all transport modes. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Ensure policies, plans and partnerships in relation to public transport are developed and maintained as required within the strategic framework of local and national policy and plans. 
• Provision of a high standard of Public Transport in Torbay with safe and accessible transport infrastructure.
• Publication of accurate travel information and data, accessible to all.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• Ensure bus infrastructure is well maintained across Torbay, including shelters, signs and lines, and real time information systems, including through effective contract management with providers.
• Implement bus infrastructure improvements, such as new shelters, flags, stop information, and bus priority measures.
• Manage the continued development, review, and delivery of the LTA’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and provide support to the governance structure of the Enhanced Partnership (EP).
• Build and support the partnership with local bus operators and other stakeholders, including negotiating with these groups to ensure their commitment to the funding and delivery of the BSIP/EP to enhance public transport patronage and improvements.
• Identify opportunities for new and understand the need for continuation of existing supported services within the budget to meet the needs of the community, through social need assessments across Torbay to identify unmet need or critical areas ensuring that local people have access to an effective, user-friendly and integrated bus network.
• Procure and contract manage supported services.
• Work with neighbouring LTAs to ensure cross-boundary services are suitably integrated.
• Work with other teams across the authority, especially highways, traffic, parking, planning, events, economy and education, to ensure bus is integrated into the decision making and to understand and promote (both within the authority and externally) the wider role of the bus in delivering outcomes across the authority’s agenda, including economic and social outcomes such as climate change/air quality, employment, education, and health.
• Work with bus operators on marketing, communications, and information to ensure that bus services are well publicised across the LTA area.
• Ensure appropriate levels of concessionary fares reimbursement for operators with ongoing monitoring of data as required. Lead officer for contract with consultancy on concessionary fares.
• Support the administration of concessionary bus passes, including provision of support and on-going technical advice on the qualification criteria.
• Seek and incorporate best practice on buses from across the country.
• Monitoring the operation of the Road Train and other public transport services in addition to the core bus network within Torbay.
• Collecting, collating, maintaining and reporting on relevant bus, other transport and/or associated data, ensuring key performance indicators are updated as required and that accurate service registration files are held by and reported to Council or Government.
• Ensure accurate public transport information is available to the public online and at stops (as well as by other means such as apps or real time information), with up to date webpages internally and close working with the ‘Traveline’ database.
• Respond to enquiries and complaints about Public Transport from members or the community through the Councils Corporate Complaints Policy.
• Undertake or commission user and non-user surveys to understand public opinion and the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the network.
• To identify funding opportunities for bus, whether from central government or local sources.
• To understand the Public Service Equality Duty and ensure that buses provide a service for all residents, especially given that protected characteristic groups use the bus disproportionately more than the general population.
• To understand legislation and guidance from government departments that impacts buses, and how to make best use of it to deliver improvements to buses. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• Provide advice on most effective, best value spend, to meet the corporate objectives across the public transport and concessionary fares budgets.
• Raise orders, agree invoices, and monitor budgets (capital and revenue) across public transport and concessionary fares budgets, including but not limited to bus subsidy, concessionary fares reimbursement, and bus stop infrastructure. 
• Raise orders, agree invoices and monitor budgets for grant funds received by the Council in relation to public transport.
• Raise orders, agree invoices, and monitor budgets and contracts in relation to the tendering of operation of non-commercial or supported bus services.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• Line management and supervision of the Public Transport Support Officer. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Predominantly office working environment (can be homeworking).
• Travel to and attendance at site visits and meetings in other locations may be required, particularly those on and around the public highway to assess bus stops and at bus depots.
• Some lone working is required and this may be out of core hours. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort, including walking distances in excess of 1km, moving around on rough ground and use of public transport.
• Occasional carrying and installing of bus stop infrastructure materials such as timetable cases and replacement screens. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Use of specific software, typically web-based.
• Equipment needed to update timetable information, display cases or similar from time to time. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• SWISCo. 
• Public (and other) Transport Operators. 
• Public Transport Infrastructure Providers. 
• Traveline Partnership. 
• ATCO Partnership. 
• Department for Transport. 
• Traffic Commissioners. 
• Transport Focus and other user representative groups. 
• Customers. 
• Community. 
• Council partners (including NHS Trust, South Devon College and Community organisations). 
• VOSA. 

Internal: 

• Elected Members of Torbay Council.
• Various internal departments (including Planning, Parking, Events, Finance, Legal, Procurement). 

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 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 is eligible for hybrid or home working with requirement for site visits as necessary. The office base for the team is Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.

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	Public Transport Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Place
Service	Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency
Business unit	Strategy and Project Management (Planning, Transport and Environment)

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Proven ability to analyse and interpret data for presentation in a variety of formats and provide basic advice based on this.
• Ability to communicate with internal and external agencies using tact and diplomacy.
• Networking skills and ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and key personnel within and outside the authority.
• Ability to prepare reports that can be understood by a wide variety of audiences.
• Flexible and adaptable with proven organisational skills and the ability to prioritise conflicting deadlines displaying a professional approach.
• Ability to monitor budgets. 
• Customer focused approach and prioritise customers needs. 
• To be able to demonstrate problem solving skills. 
• Effective communication skills. 

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• A full working knowledge of key public transport regulations and sources of information. 
• Knowledge of government policy relating to public transport management and objectives. 
• Knowledge of setting performance standards to achieve high standards and best value. 

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of wider transportation policy. 
• Knowledge of the local area. 
• Knowledge of the Traffic Signs Regulations.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• A proven track record of public transport or sustainable transport planning/development.
• Experience of managing budgets and contracts.
• Experience of concessionary fares reimbursement and monitoring. 
• Proven IT skills using PC based applications including Excel, Word. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Project Management experience. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to A-level standard or Higher National Diploma standard or equivalent.
• 5 GCSE’s or equivalent. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Membership of the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers. 
• Membership of the Institute of Logistics and Transport or similar professional institution. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to customer service. 
• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional unsociable hours working.