Electrical Officer

Job Introduction

About Us

It is an exciting time to join Oxfordshire County Council’s Highway Structures and Electrical Assets.

We’re determined to deliver a high quality, safe, sustainable, and reliable network. The service structure has recently been re-imagined, ensuring we’re best positioned to meet the high expectations of our customers, and evolving challenges such as climate adaptation. 

Oxfordshire County Council is looking for a Senior Officer (Electrical) to work within the Highway Electrical Assets Team.

We are responsible for street lighting and illuminated signs in most towns and villages throughout the County and also in Oxford City. A few Parish Councils also own their street lighting, as do district councils and housing associations in car parks and garage areas etc.

We have approximately 60,300 streetlights on roads and footpaths, and 7,100 illuminated signs/bollards (including Zebra Crossing and School Signal Crossing Beacons, Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) & Highway/Subway drainage pumps.

We ensure to repair faulty lights/highway electrical equipment quickly (i.e. within 7 working days of when contractor receives a report and carry out routine maintenance, the cleaning and changing of lamps on signing equipment every 2-3 years to ensure good operation of highway equipment and for electrical and structural safety.

We also provide a street lighting design service in accordance with British standard 5484 for new housing developments, capital & highway safety schemes across the county, this also includes our own private electrical cable network and an electrical solution to new innovations. 

About the Role

The post involves assisting the Team Leader and Senior Officers with all the technical aspects of the street lighting service, including dealing with the input of all fault reports, and to assist as required with the technical, operational and maintenance aspects of street lighting, illuminated signs/bollards, highway drainage pumps and other miscellaneous highway related electrical apparatus. Giving technical assistance to our internal and external customers.

Providing highway lighting designs utilising specialist software package i.e. Lighting Reality.

Updating the asset management system and the monitoring procedure /performance of the contract and liaising with the contractors to issuing works instructions, programming works, consultations and to ensure works completed to agreed programme etc. 

Managing the operational effectiveness of highway electrical programme delivery, including finance and budget reporting, procurement processes, contract management and risk management.

The post holder will require the ability to communicate complex issues effectively by telephone, in writing, by e-mail and in person with our customers, District & Parish, Councillors and members of the public etc.

The role is intended to support the team in all aspects of the business. This will involve the raising of purchase orders to the County Councils supply chain and arranging payment to be made to invoices received thereafter. In doing so the post holder will ensure that Council procurement and financial guidelines are being adhered to.

Undertaking site investigations to determine best value solutions for electrical maintenance and improvements needed on the County Roads.

About you

We are looking to recruit an Officer (Electrical) with hands-on experience in the Electrical/Lighting sector and with great communication skills to promote our service to the local community, businesses, internal & external customers, and potential funders. 

Managing the operational effectiveness of highway electrical delivery, including finance and budget reporting, procurement processes, contract management and risk management. 

Ability to use and analyse data and identify remedial action based on events and in association with site survey and inspection reports.

You will have a high attention to detail and be able to see tasks through to their completion.

Undertaking site investigations to determine best value solutions for electrical maintenance and improvement needs on the County Roads.

You will need to be willing to learn new skills in a fast-paced environment and to work without direct supervision.

You will need to be a team player and contribute positively to build a positive and engaged working environment.

You will be confident in raising suggestions for process improvement and take a proactive approach to solving problems where they are identified.

The designated work location will be in County Hall, Oxford, although much of the work is anticipated to be able to be carried out whilst agile working, (i.e. other offices locations in Oxfordshire or from home). You will be required to carry out site visits with other members of the team to gather information/site surveys, inspections etc. You will also need to have access to your own transportation. 

For an informal discussion about the roles please contact – Anthony Palman-Brown – Team Leader, Electrical 

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Up to 33 day’s holiday p.a. plus bank holidays
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development

Our commitment to:
 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk