Assistant Heritage Officer

Abingdon

Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon. The councils operate in a truly flexible and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes, not where you work. Salary and grade : £30,797 to £36,032 - Grade 4 Duration of role: Permanent Hours per week : 37 (Full time)

Closing date : 12 May 2024 (midnight)

About the role and what we’re looking for

This is an opportunity to join a shared Specialist Team within a busy and forward looking planning service. You’ll champion the historic environment within the planning service, wider council services and the community. You’ll also assist in providing effective professional advice on conservation areas, listed buildings and heritage assets as well as helping to facilitate informed decisions by ensuring that officers and councillors are appraised of issues and receive relevant, up-to-date advice.

Assistant Heritage Officer Responsibilities

Respond to telephone and email enquiries related to the historic environment and listed building issues.

To lead on the preparation of draft conservation area character appraisals and management plans. Involving fieldwork, documentary research, the compilation of draft texts, maps, public consultations and preparing draft committee/cabinet reports for checking by senior officers.

To lead in the co-ordination, monitoring and supporting of local interest groups with character appraisal project work. This will include progress reporting, appraising draft documents, participating in public consultation and preparing draft committee/cabinet reports for checking by senior officers.

Assisting in the drafting of guidance and explanatory notes related to historic environment policy and supplementary planning documents.

Providing basic advice on matters relating to listed buildings and conservation areas ncluding repair methods and conservation techniques.

Assisting in the checking of applications for listed building consent prior to registration to ensure that all necessary information has been submitted as requested.

Assist with specialist advice on applications for listed building consent and planning permission. This will involve assessment of proposals on site, discussion with planning and other colleagues and negotiation with applicants/agents.

Undertaking condition monitoring of simpler applications to ensure that work to listed buildings has been carried out in accordance with approved plans.

To assist with planning, conservation area and listed building enforcement action.

To keep abreast of new legislation and guidance of relevance to conservation and design of the built environment as well as the interpretation of it in appeals and case law.

To assist conservation colleagues with background information on complex applications, appeal and enforcement matters and any other duties commensurate with the post.

A flexible approach to hours of work which may include evenings to assist with service events or training, public consultation and attendance at committee meetings.

The duties may vary from time to time without changing the nature of the post or the level of responsibility and the post holder may also be required to carry out any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post.

About you

Excellent communication skills (written and oral), with the ability to communicate ideas and information clearly with an excellent customer focus

Able to work under pressure, meet deadlines and contribute to targets with a team focus

Innovative and creative approach to work and solution focussed

Commitment to continuous improvement

Good IT skills and experienced in the use of the Microsoft suite

Understanding of relevant planning legislation and a desire to keep knowledge up to date, maintaining a high level of competency to deal with changing legislation

Ability to research concepts and projects with minimal supervision

Ability to interpret scale drawings and Ordnance Survey maps

Your essential qualifications

A degree or diploma in Historic Building Conservation or a relevant discipline or studying for a degree level qualification and/or equivalent level of experience

Eligibility for full membership of relevant professional body, for example IHBC

Hold a Full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle, insured for business use

Knowledge of planning legislation and building conservation

The benefits we offer

A basic 25 day annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.

Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!

Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.

A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary.

The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!

Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye test for DSE users and more).

We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.

A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.

You may also have experience in the following: Heritage Officer, building Conservation, Historic buildings, Heritage Admin, Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant, Planning Services, Secretary, Office Manager, Executive Secretary, Administrative Manager, Team Administrator, Office Administrator, Administrator, Admin Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Administration, Office Assistant, Office Admin, PA, etc.

REF: 212 940