Job Profile: Public Rights of Way Officer

Location: North East England

Employer: Local Authority

Job Responsibilities: 

Responsible for organising Highway Authority maintenance responsibilities for the recorded Public Rights of Way (PROW) network. Working with landowners to ensure they are aware of and undertake their responsibilities toward the network and if necessary, participating in relevant enforcement. Encouraging development and improvement of the network including working to improve accessibility. Representing PROW interests concerning planning and development. Undertaking cyclic inspections of the recorded PROW network. Contributing to PROW related legal processes, such as applications for diversions, creations, extinguishments and recording of new routes. Maintaining legal PROW records such as the definitive map and statements. This is not an exhaustive list.

My time is mainly split between maintaining the recorded PROW network, both through actions on behalf of the Authority and works requests to landowners as well as legal processes.

I spend roughly 60% indoors, 40% outside with seasonal variation in the tasks. The work never stops, however the maintenance work will change through the seasons.

Qualifications needed:

I’d say experience is more important rather than formal qualifications.

Additional training: Formal training and membership through the Institute of Public Rights of Way (IPROW) is strongly recommended.

Skills needed: Multitasking, working with people, budgeting and financial management, recordkeeping, attention to detail, negotiation, diplomacy, research, IT including mapping software, orienteering, time management, resilience and working to deadlines.

Advice to anyone looking at similar roles:

You need to be dedicated, hardworking and resilient to perform effectively in such a role, particularly when working on your own as I do. PROW Officers can frequently be caught in between parties over issues so resilience is crucial but this can come with time and experience.