Flood Risk Officer

Full Vacancy Description

Job Title:                                          Flood Risk Officer

Role Purpose:

Fantastic opportunity to work with, and support, the Flood and Water Management Officer in delivering the aims of the Council to reduce flood risk across the borough and compliance with flood and water management duties for the Borough.

To develop and implement the actions needed to be undertaken by the Council in response to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, in matters predominantly relating to sustainable drainage.

The priority for this role will be to provide responses to planning applications in order to secure appropriate drainage proposals within new developments and other Council projects, as well as the provision of advice to secure sustainable solutions to drainage issues to other Council projects being developed.

Job Description

Resident & Community Contribution

To demonstrate understanding of the Council’s Customer Care Standards and ensure that these standards are met in order to deliver the Council vision of ‘putting our residents first’.

To reduce flood risk to residents across the borough

To contribute to a better community understanding of flood risks and what can be done and is done to reduce these risks.

To write briefings and guidance for internal and external stakeholders regarding the Council’s flood and water management functions.

To attend public meetings and meetings of other organisations as may be required in connection with the duties of the post.

To carry out inspections, site visits and investigations in response to residents' reports or service requests; to research options and decide on the appropriate action to be taken; and to prepare recommendations and advise interested parties.

People Management

This role has supervisory responsibility for contractors in carrying out small scale works and support senior officers in the supervising of works of a more complex nature, issuing instructions to carry out work, quality control, measurement, arranging for the issuing of variation orders and agreeing accounts.

To continuously monitor and meet regularly with contractors' site management in order to review and optimise contractors' performance.

Operational Service Delivery

Attend training as and when required.

Reflect the Councils Core values in all aspects of delivering the service such as equal opportunities, health and safety, customer care etc.

To deputise for the Flood and Water Management Officer

Service Planning & Development

Maintain knowledge of the current requirements of flood and water legislation.

Clearly understand your role in delivering the requirements of the legislation.

To work in partnership with others to provide the most effective response to the Flood and Water Management Act.

Encourage the implementation of sustainable drainage systems (SUDs) in planning applications and considering the appropriateness of the proposals against national standards.

Review the technical details of SuDs proposals using your own technical knowledge and understanding of drainage calculations to make recommendations.

To support the FWMO in developing approaches to monitoring and measuring the implementation of the new Council’s Lead Local Flood Authority functions.

Financial & Resource Management

To demonstrate cost-consciousness and identify any cost-effective changes to own way of working.

Assist with procurement and project management of external consultants where necessary, to fulfil the Council’s strategic flood risk function.

To support the Flood and Water Management Officer in seeking external funding to carry out flood risk management works and to manage these projects, including consultant teams, where appropriate.

Service Improvement

To identify and suggest any improvements to current ways of working in order to deliver a more efficient and effective service for customers.

To support the Flood and Water Management Officer (FWMO) in monitoring the requirements of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and to develop and co-ordinate actions in response.

To support the FWMO in developing and maintaining and improving a record of all flood risk structures or features and a register of all that the Council considers having a significant effect on flood risk and to carry out risk-based inspections of structures where appropriate.

Contacts

Internal Contacts     

Elected Members; Local Strategic Partnerships; Senior Management Team; Emergency Planning; Highways Drainage; Corporate Property & Construction; Planning: Development Control; Planning: Planning Policy Planning: Enforcement

External Contacts   

Other Local Authorities; Environment Agency; Water Authority (e.g., Thames Water); Greater London Authority; DCLG; DEFRA; Regional Flood Defence Committees; Local Residents and Businesses

Additional Responsibilities

Ensure the Council is compliant with all Flood Risk Legislation, plans and guidance.

To support the FWMO in ensuring the Council is compliant with National Flood Risk regulations.

To carry out investigations of flood events and to identify structures that may need to come under Council control, in order to minimise impacts from future flood events. 

To assist with data collection for the purpose of compiling and maintaining the highways asset management and highways maintenance computerised management system, together with the input of data.

To carry out the Council’s statutory function of designating assets

To carry out the Councils statutory function of assessing applications and consenting works to structures included on the register of assets, or for works inhibiting flows on ordinary watercourses.

To provide expert pre- and post- planning advice on the SUDs.

Undertake the assessment and inspection of SuDs schemes where necessary.

To initiate and facilitate the design and implementation of schemes to alleviate flood risk where appropriate.

Complete other reasonable tasks in order to fulfil role purpose or as instructed by management.

Key Performance Indicators

Meet agreed targets.

Contribute to the development of the role.

To prepare an annual performance agreement and adhere to the Council’s system of performance management.

To respond to residents and planning queries or applications within appropriate timeframes

Deliver projects on times and within appropriate budge.

Person Specification

Qualifications

A relevant Degree in Civil Engineering or Geography or similar

Evidence of continued professional development and working towards membership of professional body (MICE, CIWEM, or RICS

Statutory or Role Specific Requirements      

Sufficient personal mobility to undertake site visits and attend meetings away from the Borough.

Capacity and willingness to work outside normal working hours in response to service needs.

Possession of a full UK driving licence.

To have a car for business use

Experience  

Experience of Land Drainage Engineering including the assessment or preparation of flood and drainage assessments and sustainable drainage.

Experience in managing complex flood or land drainage data and information from a variety of sources, and ability to analyse and interpret performance data using current GIS tools such as Arch Map.

Experience in designing and solving drainage issues using industry standard packages such as Micro drainage and equivalent.

Knowledge & Skills

Working knowledge of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010

Demonstrable experience of conducting inspections and dealing with complaints.

Demonstrable experience of supervision of contractors carrying out maintenance and remedial works in accordance with contractual obligations.

Ability to maintain and promote a flexible and positive approach to working in a pressurised environment with changing priorities.

Strong presentation, verbal and written communication skills including the ability to receive and present complex, sensitive or contentious data to individuals and groups, residents and colleagues.

Competencies        

“Can do” positive attitude.

Demonstrates a commitment to changing work practices and processes, and a willingness to try new ways of working or thinking.         

Takes responsibility and delivers results.

Adapts to changing demands to ensure that objectives are met, overcoming problems and making well considered decisions.         

Team working

Acts as a role model to others in the team, sharing knowledge and experience when necessary, whilst respecting and valuing the contribution other team members’ experiences can bring.       

Communication

Demonstrates well developed written and verbal communication skills, and the confidence to present reports and verbal accounts credibly to a variety of different audiences.  

Customer Care

Develops contacts and relationships with customer/ client groups, regularly reviewing service delivery and taking responsibility to ensure quality service provision.          

Takes ownership of personal development.

Takes action to develop own and others' capability and knowledge by promoting and supporting developmental opportunities to improve performance.