An exciting and challenging opportunity has arisen within the Council’s Access and Rights of Way Team for the position of Rights of Way Officer. WHAT IS INVOLVED? If you have an interest in public access to the countryside, are a good communicator with a proven track record in solving problems and dealing with people, this may be the ideal opportunity for you. You’ll make full use of your skills as you manage part of the network of public rights of way in County Durham, covering maintenance, enforcement and Public Path Order work. You’ll take the lead in your area to ensure that public rights of way are open and available, and that the rights of the public are protected and asserted. Where necessary you’ll ensure that proposals to change the network of paths are processed effectively, and you will help to deliver the objectives of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. The vacant post will initially be covering the east of the County, including the King Charles III England Coast Path. You’ll have a relevant qualification and experience and have a confident, diplomatic and persuasive personality to negotiate with, present to and influence a range of different people. You’ll also need to be a quick learner. This role demands good communication skills, self-motivation and flexibility. By joining our busy and dedicated team, you will help to maintain the Council’s legal record of Public Rights of Way. The 3500 km of public rights of way in County Durham are a key element in the transport network, helping people to get to work and school, to enjoy the countryside and take exercise. You will be joining an experienced team of Rights of Way Officers and Definitive Map Officers. The successful candidate will be based in the Access and Rights of Way Team, currently working partly from home but based at Meadowfield Depot near Durham, though you will also need to visit locations throughout County Durham. We encourage you to contact Mike Ogden via email at mike.ogden@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role. WHAT WILL I NEED? Applications are invited for the above posts from suitably qualified persons, with a minimum of an HNC or equivalent in a relevant discipline, and suitable experience. Training and support will be provided, though previous experience of public rights of way work is desirable. Good written and oral communication skills are essential requirements, as are ICT skills, familiarity with the use of maps and access to transport. The post is suitable for job share. Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria. INTERVIEWS Interviews will be held on Tuesday 2 June 2026 We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. OUR OFFER TO YOU We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application. If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27,(option 4) or via email RecruitmentNE@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates. CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website Anyone currently listed on the Redeployment Register who would like to be considered for this vacancy should contact the Resourcing team via email alternativeemployment@durham.gov.uk VPRS/161