Solfest Traffic and Parking Manager Position

Solfest is seeking a Traffic Manager for its annual family music and arts festival.

Solfest is held over four days on August bank holiday weekend. The site is at North Lakes Country Park, Silloth, Cumbria CA7 4NQ. The site benefits from the breathtaking views of the Northern Lake District as well as clear views over the Solway Firth to the mountains of Dumfries and Galloway.

As part of our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, we encourage guests to use public transport where possible, we run buses from Aspatria railway station and promote car sharing. Despite these efforts and because of the rural location of the site, cars and live-in vehicles are still the main mode of transport for crews and people attending the festival. In 2021 there were approximately 2,500 vehicles.

In 2022 general public vehicles can arrive on-site from 10.00 am on Thursday 25th August and the majority of the egress takes place throughout Monday 29th August. As well as managing general public vehicles, traffic management will be required from Monday 22nd to manage site deliveries, traders and crew.

Solfest has always managed the traffic arriving on-site using an entire volunteer team. This year due to a change in the site layout, new box office and accreditation system and the need for traffic management the week prior to the event we are looking to employ a Traffic Manager to execute the traffic management plan and parking management of the event.

The traffic team are the first ‘representatives’ of Solfest that anyone driving to the site meets. In a sense, the traffic team is our ‘front of house’. We expect our traffic team to be able to be positive, helpful, friendly and welcoming when people arrive on site.

You will be expected to:

– Have the safety of the general public, crew and volunteers at the heart of your approach to traffic management

– Provide a positive experience for anyone arriving at Solfest

– Provide a helpful and considerate approach to local villagers and the community

– Remind motorists of the 5mph speed limit

– Have a clear understanding of the traffic management plan

– Have a clear understanding of the site traffic system and parking requirements

– Be involved in relevant meetings and discussions prior to the event

– Attend a site visit in advance of the event

– Be on-site in plenty of time to put in place traffic signage, mark out fire lanes in parking fields and anything else to assist volunteers to park vehicles as required

– Work alongside various crews; build, artist liaison, box office, crew catering, concessions, crew and volunteer coordination to ensure all vehicles arriving on-site are given clear directions

– Manage a team of volunteers including traffic team induction

– Develop the rota for traffic management to ensure adequate cover at all times

– Work closely with the volunteer coordination team

– Use radio communication clearly and effectively to direct the traffic management team

– Be able to communicate clearly and professionally with anyone you come into contact with within your role

– Be able to work calmly under pressure

– Be able to be assertive but friendly and professional at all times

– Ensure all traffic is directed to its destination quickly and safely

– Ensure all vehicles are parked in a manner to maximise space including crew parking

– Ensure fire lanes are kept clear at all times to give access to emergency vehicles and ensure that any vehicle can leave the site at any time during the event

– Manage the taxi/shuttle bus drop-off points to ensure these are used efficiently and the public are safe

– Represent Solfest in a professional, helpful and positive manner

– Attend debrief meetings while on-site with the management team

– Pack-down fire lanes, signage and any other relevant equipment prior to leaving the site after egress has finished

We anticipate you will have another person to work alongside you and two paid assistants who will support you in the management and execution of the traffic management plan. The rest of the traffic management team will be volunteers recruited and supported by the Volunteer and Crew Coordination Team.

Skills or experience necessary for the role:

– Traffic management

– Experience in driving

– Able to use email and other communication apps

– Ability to write reports

– Experience in managing a team

– Ability to put together rotas

– Good communication skills

Attributes we are looking for:

– Ability to work calmly and professionally under pressure

– Organised and has the ability to plan and coordinate

– Reliability in an informal setting

– Able to work long hours and walk long distances

– Enjoys working as part of a team

– Motivational and positive in outlook

– Ability to stay positive through long shifts as well as any weather- rain or shine!

Fees will be discussed at the shortlist and interview stage.

Solfest 2022 Timeline:

● The Traffic Team is required to have a presence onsite from preferably Friday 19th August and no later than Sunday 21st August to prepare and mark the fields i.e fire lanes, unusable ground You will also be expected to manage the first wave of crew, volunteers, suppliers and deliveries.

● From Tuesday 23rd the first Wave of Traders will start to arrive through until Wednesday evening.

● The car parks will open at 10.00 on Thursday 25th August for our Thursday Bolt-on event

● Friday 26th August vehicles will start arriving on site from 9.00 and this will be the significant ingress day

● Throughout the event, you will be required to supervise and control all traffic management throughout the site

● Sunday evening through all day Monday you will be expected to manage the egress from the site

Applying:

If you are interested in this role and have what we are looking for please email a 1-page CV and a covering email giving details of relevant experience and skills and send it to info@solfest.co.uk

The deadline for applications is 31st January 2022.

We very much look forward to hearing from you.

Solfest Team