Lancaster High Streets Heritage Action Zone Project Officer
This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic, self-motivated and experienced individual to join the Council’s Regeneration Team to help deliver place and heritage-led regeneration.
Lancaster, one of England’s designated historic cities, has a compact centre layered in history. The commercial core is relatively strong but some areas immediately around are less so and the city council is working to regenerate these. As part of a government national programme led by Historic England, the Council has won High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) status for a characterful area at the interface between the pedestrianised core and the large Canal Quarter regeneration priority area. The HSHAZ is a four-year programme which is underway and designed to secure lasting improvements to historic high streets for the communities who use them. Working closely with key partners, the business community and local people the Council will deliver a balanced programme of investments into land and buildings along with training in practical skills and activities to engage the local community. The Council will also help deliver a complementary Cultural Programme working closely with Lancaster Arts, a National Portfolio Organisation based at Lancaster University. Collectively these activities will help preserve, enhance and uplift the historic character of the area making streets more attractive to trade from, live and spend time in.
We are looking for an appropriately experienced person who has a strong understanding and working knowledge of place and heritage led regeneration and project or programme delivery. The postholder will work closely with the HSHAZ programme lead and regeneration and conservation team colleagues on multiple activities to implement the programme including to deliver and administer the core building grants scheme, secure community involvement in the programme and to deliver capacity building. Work will involve engaging with a wide range of people and organisations including internal colleagues, funding partners, architects and conservation specialists, business and community groups, property owners, individual businesses, developers and individuals with an interest in the area. As such, the preparation of a Community Engagement Plan will be an early task and will support delivery across the lifetime of the programme.
The ideal candidate will have strong and proven abilities in project and financial management alongside a good understanding of heritage conservation, repair and enhancement and experience of delivering funding and grants programmes. They should have strong interpersonal, teamworking and communication skills in order to build good working relationships to deliver results.
This post is fixed term until 31st March 2024.
The hours of work for this position are 37 per week. The Council currently operates an excellent Flexible Working Hours Scheme which applies to this post. Subject to the needs of this business, this may allow employees to work between the hours of 6:00am-10:30pm.
At this time during the pandemic emergency most Council officers are working from home, however under normal arrangements the post would be based at Morecambe Town Hall but with ability to work from council offices in Lancaster as needed.
A full UK driving licence is not essential, but the post holder must be able to regularly travel to the HSHAZ area and city centre for site visits and other relevant activity. Pool cars are available locally for business activity.
Lancaster City Council has unanimously declared a climate emergency and will therefore work towards reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030. As part of this role, you will be expected to participate and work towards reducing carbon emissions.
We are a Forces Friendly employer, and an Armed Forces Covenant committed organisation. We welcome applications from defence reserves and other members of our armed forces community.
Excellent benefits include: A Local Government Pension Scheme (the Council makes a 15.5% contribution). Discounted gym membership and discount on days out, activities and retail.
Interview Date: Friday, 09th July 2021
