Transport Officer

Network Recruitment Wales are recruiting a Transport Officer for a temporary contract on behalf of one of our clients. 

HOURS: 37 Per Week

WORK PATTERN: 37 hours Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4.30pm

LOCATION: County Hall, Usk which may change in the future if the service location needs to relocate. Relocation or disturbance expenses will not be paid if this happens.

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE (DBS) CHECK:
No DBS Required for this post

RESPONSIBLE TO: Commissioning Manager, Passenger Transport Unit

WELSH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT:
Welsh language skills are desirable

SAFEGUARDING:
Child and Adult Safeguarding are key priorities for the Council. We aim to support children and adults at risk to be as safe as they can and to fulfil their potential. All Council employees and volunteers are responsible for playing their part in the well-being, safety and protection of children and adults at risk. All employees and volunteers will be trained to the appropriate level of safeguarding and have a duty to fulfil their personal responsibilities for safeguarding.
Our Purpose:-
We are responsible for the commissioning, management and monitoring of the Councils home to school transport service, ALN and Social Services transport. It is our responsibility to ensure that all those entitled to statutory or concessionary home to school transport can access our service in a safe way.
The Purpose of this Role:-
The purpose of this role is to ensure that Passenger Transport are providing safe, efficient and effective transport, which includes home to school mainstream transport, Additional Learning Needs Transport and Social Services Transport. This will involve procuring, managing and monitoring of contracts to ensure we are providing the most efficient service we can.
Expectation and Outcomes of this Role:-
To ensure that MCC and the Passenger Transport Unit are represented and promoted at every opportunity when discussions are held. To ensure that the contracted transport network to schools and other destinations is efficient, meets best value and is continually reviewed. To engage proactively with schools, parents and operators across Monmouthshire County Council to plan and implement transport routes and, where resources allow, improve quality of school transport.

Your responsibilities are to:-
Plan and arrange the provision of passenger transport and social services networks ensuring compliance with the “1985 Transport Act” and “Learner Travel Wales Measure”. Liaise and communicate with clients and service providers to plan, arrange and review passenger transport networks, Mission software where relevant, to ensure that they are provided efficiently effectively and economically to achieve service integration.
Prepare detailed service designs and tender specifications for the provision of passenger transport services, Social Services, Additional Learning needs (ALN / SEN) and Post 16 SEN to ensure the services are provided efficiently, effectively and economically and in accordance with the Authority’s procurement rules and financial regulations along with legislation. Evaluate tender submissions and make recommendations on awards. Maintain financial monitoring processes and keep accurate records on costs and recharges. This will include the administration and recording of Season Tickets and Personal Travel Budgets.
Assist with the management and supervision of the contracts for the provision of passenger transport to ensure compliance with the contract specification, contract terms and conditions and all relevant legislation. To collate, record and monitor key documents from contract transport providers ensuring current validity and compliance with legislative and contractual requirements. Maintain accurate records on CTX and any other systems used within Passenger Transport. Ensure all operators hold relevant DBS certificates in line with policies and legislation and conduct DBS risk assessments where required by Policy.
Arrange and carry out on-site monitoring and compliance exercises, including multi agency exercises. Assist with public service monitoring when required. Meet with contractors on a regular basis to ensure ongoing quality of service delivery.
Assist with the development and maintenance of the information service for passenger transport to ensure the customers are informed, the service is marketed to the public and operators are monitored to ensure compliance and delivery of a customer focused service.
Work closely with schools/colleges, other departments within the Authority, other local Authorities and external agencies to ensure the most efficient use of resources, to ensure that relevant information is shared, and to ensure that best practices are maintained and developed. To manage large amounts of sensitive information relative to learner travel users, applicants and staff, and ensure that the Authority complies with data protection regulations relative to the scale and sensitivity of such information.
Undertake and monitor risk assessments relating to all areas of the service, and scrutinise the production of risk assessments by contractors relating to the services operated by them under the contract to the Authority.
Work with Schools/Colleges, contractors, and other stakeholders to promote, develop and implement projects/initiatives to improve the behaviour of all pupils on learner transport. Manage and investigate behavioural issues and the incident reporting system on school/college transport services. Liaise with operators, head teachers (or their representatives), social workers and parents and carry out investigations and monitoring checks on board vehicles.
Respond to and investigate thoroughly complaints and allegations made about staff (both internal and contracted) deployed on contracted work by undertaking full investigation and reports.
Deputise as safeguarding lead in the Lead Officers absence by making decisions about referrals on Safeguarding matters to relevant Assessment Teams and Agencies. Represent the Department at Strategy Abuse Meetings in the absence of the lead officer.
Assist the Assessment and Allocation Officer and the Finance and Systems Officer when required.
To carry out other duties that may be assigned to you by the Contract and Compliance Manager that are deemed necessary for the running of the Passenger Transport Unit.
Delivering Results –
• Delivering a high quality service to customers and Operators in line with your role profile.
• Monitor own output against performance agreement.
• To co-ordinate the provision of all aspects of school transport in accordance with the authority policies.
Managing Relationships –
• Manage relationships with own staff to enable achievement of business requirements and liaise with staff to improve their awareness and understanding of your role undertaken
• Promote and market the role and its services so that it is perceived in a positive way.
• To contribute to the development of the service and implement new ideas and initiatives to improve performance.
• Develop and encourage & maintain mutually beneficial and effective working relationships both internal and external with partnerships with statutory bodies, elected members, external partners, local communities, contractors, volunteers. Including general communication / promotion, interpretation and awareness raising for the service.
• Assist the Commissioning manager when necessary in the co-ordination and delivery of the service and provide information as requested.
Managing Resources -
• Ensure the resources are utilised in the most effective and efficient manner.
• Ensure own professional / technical knowledge is current and up-to-date.
• Use other sources of information knowledge as required to deliver objectives.
• Make best use of technology.
Managing Processes –
• Ensure within your responsibilities that all the processes, practices and systems are operated / implemented in accordance with Monmouthshire’s requirements.
• Maintain effective systems for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating own performance.
• Manage the collation, analysis, interpretation, processing and presentation of a range of information or data as required
Future Focus –
• To establish, deliver and innovate any new proposals to enhance the service.
• To represent the service on internal and external working groups
• To undertake any other duty as may be required by Monmouthshire that is compatible with the level and remit of this position
You will be Commercially focussed;
• You will be driven by the need to maximise revenue streams through the effective management of the Council’s investment portfolio.
• You will always be curious, seeking out innovative opportunities and developing strong professional networks
• Keep up to date with inward investment and indigenous business growth to identify potential market gaps and resultant opportunities
• Ambitious and not accepting of the status quo default and always striving for growth
Result focussed;
• Continually monitor own output against performance agreement.
• Deliver a high quality service to internal and external clients and other stakeholders in line with current policies.
• Develop a Service Business Plan with transparent business goals, design strategies and coordinate business resources to advance those outcomes to meet targets and expectations.
• To ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations in the operation of our services.
• To provide a high level of service to our customers and citizens.
• To continually seek ways to innovate and improve our service achieving parity with financial and social outcomes
An effective communicator;
• Promote and market the team and its services so that it is perceived in a positive way.
• Manage relationships with colleagues to ensure they understand their responsibilities and business requirements and are committed to the delivery of the service’s principles.
• To contribute to the development of the service and implement new ideas and initiatives to improve performance and viability.
• Develop, encourage & maintain mutually beneficial and effective working relationships both internal and external with partnerships with statutory bodies, elected members, external partners, local communities, contractors, volunteers. Including general communication / promotion, interpretation and awareness raising for the service.
Effective at managing resources;
• Empower and mentor colleagues to enable them to maximise their own performance.
• Ensure the resources are utilised in the most effective and efficient manner.
• Ensure own professional / technical knowledge is current and up-to-date.
• Use other sources of information knowledge as required to deliver objectives.
• Effectively manage the budgets to support business objectives / service plans.
• Make best use of technology.
Processes;
• Ensure within your responsibilities that all the processes, practices and systems are operated / implemented in accordance with Monmouthshire’s requirements and are compliant with the RICS and prevailing legislation.
• Maintain effective systems for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating performance.
• Manage the collation, analysis, interpretation, processing and presentation of a range of information or data as required.
And Future Focused;
• To establish deliver and innovate any new proposals to enhance the service.
• To represent the service at internal and external meetings, working groups etc.
• To undertake any other duty as may be required by Monmouthshire that is compatible with the level and remit of this post.


How will we know if you are the right person for the role? As the successful candidate you will have demonstrated:-
• Practical experience of procuring and implementing home to School transport within a
commissioning environment.
• An understanding of home to school passenger transport services and systems
• Ability to confidently use computer systems, to develop, record, analyse and report contracts
• Is familiar with the safeguarding legislation and associated protocols
• To be able to undertake Monitoring of School contracts
• Have practical experience of reading and monitoring legal documents and ensuring compliance thereof
• Have experience of effective record managment, GDPR regulations and DBS requirements
• The ability to work to strict deadlines in a pressurised environment
• Effective working relationships with Stakeholders
• Can demonstrate examples of best Practice and innovative working
• To work on own initiative
• Be able to demonstrate flexibility and a willingness to adapt to changes in a customer focused environment
• Practical skill, knowledge and experience of a range of IT applications
• Effective and Efficient communication skills, both written and verbal
• Welsh Desirable. You may be required to learn or improve your existing skills through attending staff Welsh language training funded by the council. This will be implemented if a need for Welsh language skills in the role arises.
• You will need to hold a current driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work purposes, if required.