29918 - Medway Navigation Officer

We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working for all our vacancies and encourage you to include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. This exciting role within the Environment Agency (EA) protects and improves the environment for both people and wildlife. We are the navigation authority for the Upper Medway Navigation in Kent and are responsible for maintaining the river channel, its locks, weirs and sluices between Tonbridge and Maidstone. The Medway Navigation Officer plays a crucial role in maintaining the Medway navigation. They have responsibility for the day-to-day maintenance of the navigation to ensure we continue to deliver a first-class service for our customers as well as a 24/7 navigation incident duty response. We are looking for someone to join our navigation team based at Allington Lock near Maidstone. Your role will encompass a variety of activities ranging from;

• Routine maintenance of navigation assets, such as inspections, greasing and painting.
• Routine management of our ten lock sites such as tree works, grass cutting and vegetation removal.
• River based work such as tree management and silt removal.
• Working as part of a team to deliver small construction projects.
• River patrols and checks.
• Engage with our customers, issue and check boat registrations.
As part of the role, you will receive comprehensive training to helm and crew our boats, use powered machinery, provide customer service, undertake boat licence checks and patrols as well as respond to incidents on the navigation. The team Working in the Medway Navigation team based at Allington Lock you will report to the Medway Navigation Team Leader and will work closely with the Navigation Technical Specialists, Senior Navigation Officer and other Navigation Officers. The team have a broad range of skills from enforcement activity and lock keeping through to operating large construction plant. We are a customer facing, front-line service and the team takes pride in providing a first-class rapid response service.

Ideally you will have experience of asset maintenance and been directly involved in construction projects or the delivery of asset maintenance work. You will need to manage a varied workload and have excellent communication skills as well as a strong understanding of Health & Safety requirements. Knowledge of waterways and boat use would be an advantage but not essential as the EA prides itself on staff training. You should ideally have:
• Practical experience of routine maintenance activities and tools.
• Experience and awareness of health, safety and the environment.
• An understanding of incident response work.
• The ability to self-motivate.
• Practical qualifications (tickets for machinery, tools & working environments).
• Experience of work programmes and maintenance contracts.
• Ability to use information technology and associated EA software.