National Trails Officer

Job Introduction

Lincolnshire County Council is seeking an experienced professional to contribute to the management and enhancement of the King Charles III England Coast Path across the Greater Lincolnshire coastline.

The role focuses on countryside access, partnership delivery, project activity and public route management, working across the coastal areas of Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

The post is partly funded by Natural England.

About the role

As National Trail Officer, you will play a central role in coordinating the management, development and enhancement of the King Charles III England Coast Path across the Greater Lincolnshire coastline. The post works collaboratively with Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council, alongside the Greater Lincolnshire King Charles III England Coast Path Partnership, Natural England and a range of regional and local organisations.

The role contributes to delivery of the Coast Path in accordance with Natural England’s National Trail Quality Standards, including the principles of Experience, Enhancement, Engagement and Economy.

You will:

• Deliver day‑to‑day maintenance, development and enhancement activity to maintain a high‑quality visitor experience across the Greater Lincolnshire coastline
• Contribute to the development and delivery of annual work programmes, projects and performance reporting aligned to the 4 E’s
• Contribute to partnership budget management and grant‑funding processes, including required reporting to Natural England
• Provide professional officer input to the Greater Lincolnshire King Charles III England Coast Path Partnership, including preparation of agendas, reports and minutes
• Work across organisational boundaries with officers from Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council, as well as with landowners, user groups, volunteers, tourism interests and environmental organisations
• Contribute to initiatives that enhance the Coast Path and support its role in the local coastal economy
• Undertake procurement activity and contribute to contract delivery in line with council policies
• Represent the partnership professionally within the Council and when engaging with external partners and the public

The role includes site visits, stakeholder engagement, project activity and reporting, together with occasional travel to meetings across the region.

About you

You will bring:

• A degree (or equivalent experience) in a relevant subject, with experience in countryside access or rights of way management
• Effective communication and partnership‑working skills, including operating across organisational and professional boundaries
• Experience of working on and contributing to the delivery of projects, including coordination of work programmes, contractors and stakeholders
• Demonstrable project management skills, including planning tasks, monitoring progress, managing risks and reporting against defined objectives
• Experience contributing to budget management within funded programmes
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
• An interest in countryside access, high‑quality public routes and engagement with a wide range of users

Experience of GIS, grant‑funded projects and working in coastal or rural environments is desirable, as is knowledge of local government processes.

Why join us?

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to delivery of a flagship coastal path across a diverse and distinctive coastline, working with partner authorities and organisations to improve access, support local economic activity and protect the coastal environment.

Lincolnshire County Council offers flexible working, a professional team environment and the opportunity to work on place‑based projects that deliver public benefit.

Closing date: 17/05/26.

If you would like an open and informal discussion regards this role then please contact Andrew Fletcher  via email at andrew.fletcher@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Due to recent changes in immigration law in the UK we are unable to offer skilled worker visa sponsorship for this role as it does not meet the requirements.

PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council.

Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application.

Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. Please also note: once an application is submitted it is final and cannot be amended. If you withdraw your application, it cannot be reinstated and you will not be able to submit another application for that vacancy. If you have an issue with your submitted application, please contact recruitment@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

A Smarter Working Employer

We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary.  Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.

Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.

Fluency Duty 

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Our values – collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible – guide everything we do. We’re looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.