Job Title: Sligo Ambassador Network Manager
Reports To: Sligo Business Improvement District
Head Office: Sligo Tourist Office, O’Connell St, Sligo, F91VAK2
Company Description
Sligo Business Improvement is a business led place management company set up in 2016 in Sligo town. The company represents the interests and ambitions of 758 cross sector businesses in Sligo town. Sligo BID works in the areas of tourism development and promotion, festivals and events, trade shows, retail and hospitality promotion and the safety and wellbeing of town centre users. The Sligo Ambassador Programme is funded by the Department of Justice and Sligo BID and the network manager will manage interactions with local stakeholders including Public Representatives, Sligo County Council Officials, An Garda Síochána, HSE, local residents, local business representation and representatives of the community & voluntary sector.
Sligo is a Purple Flag award winning town (the international award for towns and cities in reaching a standard of excellence in the Evening and Night Time Economy across specific measurable criteria). Sligo BID is committed to the principle that residents have a role to play in building and improving the sense of town centre users in visiting, walking, shopping and socialising in the town centre both during the day, evening and night-time.
Sligo BID is seeking to roll out a volunteer-led Sligo Street Ambassador Programme. The area covered will include Sligo town centre and environs. Volunteers drawn from the local population will be a visible presence on the streets of Sligo as friendly faces and helping hands. Whilst this type of programme is common across UK towns and cities, this is the first such structured programme in the Republic of Irleand.
The voluntary Sligo Ambassadors will be information points of contact for what’s on in Sligo and where key services, attractions and entertainment events are located. In the Evening and Night Time Economy, the voluntary Ambassadors will be additional eyes and ears across the town centre and will operate in an observer capacity only.
Job Summary:
The primary role of the Ambassador Network Manager is to recruit, train and manage approx. 50 volunteers operating across both daytime and night time economy on the streets of Sligo. The manager and volunteers will provide a visible, positive social presence delivering community assurance in highly visible locations in the town centre. The Ambassador programme will operate from the BID office located at the Sligo Tourist Office, O’Connell St, Sligo.
The Ambassadors will operate both on the streets of Sligo during the daytime and in the Evening and Night Time and also from the tourist office building.
The role of the network manager will incorporate building strong community relations and work directly with residents, businesses, other local stakeholders and service providers including An Garda Siochána, Sligo County Council, Non-Governmental Organisations and address issues which give rise to perceptions of safety such as damage to property, congregation of vulnerable individuals, organised begging and issues around the built environment. Training for the volunteers will be coordinated by the network manager working in conjunction with local experts in volunteer and tourism led training programmes.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Manage and organise the training of a dedicated, committed and energetic team of Sligo volunteers who are committed to showcasing Sligo’s welcome and friendliness.
- Managing a team of volunteers and ability to tailor training modules to suit needs of the volunteers.
- Street Ambassadors maintaining a highly visible, friendly and reassuring presence across the core streets of the town centre and being person centred, open, proactive and approachable.
- Establish effective working relationships with key stakeholders including an ability to liaise proactively with local businesses, residents, members of the public and visitors to the area.
- Referring issues impacting on safety and the perception of safety to key stakeholder agencies, including but not limited to An Garda Síochána, Sligo County Council, Sligo Purple Flag Team, Sligo BID.
- To be familiar with and remain updated on all relevant services in the area.
- To provide a ‘signposting’ function to relevant services for both residents and visitors with directions and other information as requested.
- Be familiar with current national policies that inform the performance of the programme (Town Centre First Policy, Purple Flag, ENTE Pilot).
Team Work
- To work as part of a team in co-operation with other team members to ensure the highest level of service to those intended to benefit from this initiative.
- Good administrative skills, maintaining records of all reports/referrals made, issues raised, and responses received including issues as they relate to observations that effect health and safety and or incidents as they relate to the perception of safety.
- Good people management skills in recruiting and retention of volunteers.
- To lead and actively participate in team meetings as required.
- To attend and participate in on-going training and review days as required.
- Administration
- To assist the management team in the collation of statistics as required.
General Responsibilities
- To continuously assist with the development of the role of a Street Ambassador Programme under the guidance of the management team including recruiting, training and retention.
- To ensure that the Sligo Ambassador Programme is run in an effective and appropriate manner that meets the aims and objectives of Sligo BID, Sligo Purple Flag team and the operators in the ENTE.
- To participate in internal/external meetings, training events, conferences and other functions as directed by the management panel.
- To participate in regular support and supervision meetings including quarterly reviews.
- To carry out work in a professional manner at all times.
- Undertake any other duties that may be required by Sligo BID which are commensurate with the role as directed by the management panel.
Skills and Abilities
- Demonstrable qualifications and/or experience that are clearly aligned with the skillset required for this role.
- Strong communication and inter-personal skills across all levels.
- Ability to be clear and explicit about professional boundaries.
- Proven organisational skills.
- Ability to work on one’s own initiative.
- Ability to establish and utilise effective internal and external networks for the benefit of the community.
- Ability to be proactive, flexible and adaptable.
- Ability to work well in a team and foster team spirit.
- Ability to act calmly in difficult circumstances and respond in a professional manner if presented with a challenging or stressful situation.
- Ability to work within organisational structures, policies and procedures.
- Must be prompt and punctual.
- Garda vetted.
Attitude
- Enthusiastic and committed to providing a high standard of service to the community.
- A team player committed to working in an inclusive and consultative manner.
- Person centred, approachable and flexible, with a strong commitment to achieving success.
- Commitment to working within an environment which promotes Equal Status principles for all and has a regard for the health and safety of others.
- Open to feedback from the stakeholders within the designated area.
- Ability to give and receive feedback with colleagues and the management panel.
Contractual
To work onsite and off site in the designated area.
Desirable
Full, clean driving licence is desirable.
This job description is a guideline and may change from time to time according to the needs of the business.
Full uniform, equipment and appropriate training will be provided.
Please apply in writing with a cover letter and full C.V. and indicate if you wish to be considered for this full-time position. Interviews will be held in March 2023.
Job Types: Full-time, 37.5 per week, Fixed Term Contract
Salary: €40,000 per annum
Schedule:
- 8-hour shift
- Day/Evening/Night shift
- Weekend availability
Work Location: Sligo BID Office, O’Connell St, Sligo
Application deadline: 10/3/2023
Reference ID: Sligo Street Ambassador
Expected start date: 10/04/2023