Senior Travel Support Officer

Knowsley Council is an award winning Local Authority, named Local Authority of the Year in the Municipal Journal Awards 2024. Come join us and be part of our success. This is a new post presenting an excellent opportunity to assist with shaping the service for the future.

Position Overview:

You will be responsible for overseeing the provision of independent travel training and support for individuals with mobility challenges, disabilities, or other special educational needs. The role involves working closely with service users to assess their travel needs, provide tailored travel training, and ensure they have the confidence and skills to travel independently and safely. You will also lead a team of travel support officers, managing their development, performance, and the delivery of services in line with organizational policies and local authority guidelines.

Key Responsibilities:

• Travel Support & Training:
  • Conduct one-on-one assessments to identify the specific needs and challenges of individuals in relation to independent travel.
  • Develop personalised travel plans and strategies to help clients gain the confidence and skills required for independent travel.
  • Deliver practical travel training, including how to use public transport, navigate local transport networks, and understand timetables and routes.
  • Provide advice on safe travel options, considering both personal mobility and the local transport infrastructure.
• Team Leadership & Development:
  • Supervise, and support a team of Travel Support Officers to deliver high-quality travel training services.
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development to team members.
  • Oversee the performance and conduct of the team, ensuring high standards of service delivery.
  • Ensure team members are kept up-to-date with the latest transport changes, accessibility updates, and best practices in travel training.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with local transport providers, schools, colleges, and community organisations to ensure access to the most up-to-date travel information and opportunities.
  • Liaise with external agencies to ensure that travel needs are met and that the individual’s voice is represented in discussions around accessible transport services.
  • Deliver presentations to during education workshops
• Case Management & Reporting:
  • Maintain accurate records of training sessions, travel plans, and client progress.
  • Ensure that all reports, records, and evaluations are kept up-to-date and compliant with organisational standards.
  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the travel training program and make recommendations for improvements.
• Risk Assessment & Health & Safety:
  • Conduct risk assessments to identify any travel-related risks for clients and develop strategies to mitigate them.
  • Ensure all training and travel activities comply with health and safety regulations, safeguarding procedures, and policies for vulnerable individuals.
• Policy & Procedure Compliance:
  • Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  • Contribute to the development and review of travel-related policies and best practices within the organization.

 

Qualifications and Experience:

• Education:
  • A relevant qualification in social care, education, or a related field (e.g., Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent).
• Experience:
  • Experience in providing independent travel support or travel training for individuals with special educational needs or disabilities is essential.
  • Proven experience in team leadership, training, and development.
  • Experience of working with external partners, such as local authorities, schools, or transport agencies.
  • Knowledge of public transportation systems, accessible transport options, and best practices in travel training.
• Skills and Competencies:
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport with individuals, families, and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to assess and manage risk, particularly in relation to travel and mobility.
  • Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
  • Knowledge of safeguarding and health and safety protocols.
  • Proficiency in using IT systems for record-keeping and reporting.

 

At Knowsley Council we will consider requests for flexible working.  For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, working from home, compressed hours, part-time.

We promote applications from all sections of the community, regardless of background, belief, or identity, recognising the value that diversity brings to our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities as we acknowledge their underrepresentation in our workforce.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applicants.

At Knowsley we value our applicants and want them to feel well-informed and welcomed. If you have any questions about this specific job role or what it is like to work at Knowsley, please contact: 

Andrew Nimmo

Travel and Travel Support Manager

andrew.nimmo@knowsley.gov.uk

0151 443 2662

If you are interested in this vacancy, please upload your CV along with a supporting statement as one document in PDF or Word format. Your CV and supporting statement should be tailored to reflect the competencies within the person specification.

Please note if a CV and supporting statement does not reflect the person specification it is unlikely to be shortlisted.