Mooring Ranger

Job title: Mooring Ranger

Salary: £31,220 including inner London allowance

Working Hours: 37 Hours Monday - Friday

Location: Little Venice, Paddington

We're the charity who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water.  Every role across the Trust plays it's part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions. The role of Mooring Ranger is to support the effective management of moorings and responsible use of the towpath in the Trust’s London & South East region.

This is an exciting time for the Central London Customer Support team.  Recent growth means we have additional new roles in the team, and we are looking to appoint 1 x full time (37 hours p/wk) positions. Within our London region we have an increasing number of boats registered on our waterways - they are busy, thriving places and The Regent's Canal is no exception.  To support boaters who visit the capital, the Regent’s Canal has a number of pre-bookable mooring sites including Paddington Basin, Rembrandt Garden and Islington Eco Zone. As we strive together to ensure cleaner air on the waterways for all, the role of a Mooring Ranger is to support the effective management of the towpath moorings, pre-bookable moorings and Eco Mooring Zone. You will act as the primary point of contact for engagement, providing support and information to boaters, local people and residents.

Locations and coverage:

This is a central London role, focused on the Regent’s canal, from Little Venice to Limehouse.

As Mooring Ranger, your formal base will be our Little Venice office located near Paddington, however you will spend most of your time every week out on the towpath along the Regents Canal being  highly visible, available and pro-actively engaging with our boaters and waterway customers specifically. You need to love engaging with others, sharing knowledge and facts, listening and educating and being responsive to enquiries quickly. This is an all-weather, all year around role, so you really need to like being outside! You will be working closely with other members of the Boat Licence Customer Support Team and will report to the Boating & Customer Services Manager. 

This is a customer facing role, interacting all day every day with local residents, our waterway users and visitors, and we are keen to hear from people who can demonstrate an ability to communicate with individuals and groups effectively, and show exceptional ability to engage and care about every interaction you have. The hours are 37 hours per week and will be worked mainly Monday – Friday, however, weekend work will be required from time to time to support with activities such as regional event days.

Find out more about our London & South East region here: Watch this short clip from our London & South East region

About the role

On a day to day basis your role will be to: 

• Establish an authoritative, yet friendly, customer-facing presence on the moorings sites.
• Patrol up to 5 miles a day
• Promote responsible and considerate behaviour amongst all Mooring users.
• Help monitor and manage the use of all moorings along the Regents Canal.
• Liaise with key stakeholders including customers, council officers, local police and Canalside residents.
• Mediate, resolve, record and investigate conflicts between towpath users, boaters and land-based neighbours, record, investigate and respond to complaints relating to moorings, use of the towpath, crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Produce and apply notices and letters to boats, personal property and other materials left on the towpath; and tags and temporary signs at mooring locations.
• Undertake towpath patrols and specific site visits to monitor mooring use, towpath use and Trust assets.
• Use smart-phone or handheld computer (tablet) technology to collect information on boats and to report moorings or towpath issues.
• Work with customers and internal colleagues to help resolve issues arising with paid for pre-bookable moorings (overstaying and payments)
• Manage and report any health and safety issues arising within your area and the surrounding areas.
• Report and where indicated address any defects with canal infrastructure and the Eco Mooring electrical bollard systems.
• Undertake minor works / operational tasks in support of good customer service, e.g. using small/power tools to replace signage, painting bollards and stencils, using burners to apply thermoplastic lettering etc. (training will be provided)
• Support the Trust to implement corporate policies and objectives as required, e.g. delivery of winter mooring scheme, monitoring of boats, assisting with movement and/or removal of boats, towpath survey work, addressing rough sleeping, towpath campaigns etc.
• Maintain effective and efficient records and comply with all relevant reporting procedures.
• Wear body worn video during towpath patrols as and when required.

Additional information:

The role will involve regular working from, and travel to, different offices in the London & South East region, as well as occasional travel outside the region.  Driving license is desirable as travel across the geographical patch and to some remote locations is to be expected.

The post-holder will be required to wear branded uniform (minimum of branded T-shirt/sweatshirt; and branded work trousers and outer jacket as appropriate) when on customer-facing duties, and appropriate safe footwear at all times.

About you

Skills, knowledge & experience - Essential

• Experience in customer service with excellent communication & relationship management skills including tact and diplomacy and conflict resolution skills when dealing with difficult situations
• Proven experience of working with volunteers/communities/supporter groups
• Understanding of local issues/customer groups
• Creative thinking
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Excellent presentation, verbal and communication skills
• Show integrity, fairness and consistency in decision-making
• Proficient in use of IT technology
• Demonstrate knowledge of, or interest in, boating or the inland waterways

Please contact CRT.Recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk with any questions related to this opportunity.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

This role is based within our inner London area.  Your total salary will be £31,220 (made up as follows: base salary £27,220 + Inner London allowance £4,000 p/a). 

In addition to your annual salary, we also offer a competitive contributory Defined Contribution (DC) Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements. These include:

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project you are passionate about.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.  Many of our vacancies can be considered for people who wish to work flexibly, job share or part time

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find our more about us on our website:  https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us