Search launched by Peterborough's BID to recruit staff to be the 'eyes and ears' of the city

A recruitment campaign has been launched by Peterborough’s Business Improvement District for new staff to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the city.

Bosses of the BID are looking to hire two people to to fill the full-time roles of City Centre Ambassadors to support businesses and visitors in the city centre.

They must-have attributes of candidates applying for the £22,000 a year roles, which rises to £23,000 after a six-month probation, are enthusiasm and passion for Peterborough and excellent communication skills.

The Ambassadors, who will be expected to work 37.5 hours over five days, which may include weekends, will report to Peterborough Positive’s Business Improvement Manager and will be based from the BID’s office in Westgate Arcade, Queensgate.

In a statement announcing the start of the recruitment campaign, which finishes on September 9, a BID spokesperson said: “Working alongside the city centre’s business community, the Ambassadors will also be the ‘eyes and ears’ of Peterborough, communicating any issues and liaising with the local authority and other key stakeholders.

Peterborough Positive’s Business Improvement Manager, Pep Cipriano, said: “We’re looking for candidates that ideally know Peterborough inside out and have the same passion for the city as the rest of the BID team does.

"The City Centre Ambassadors will be responsible for welcoming and supporting visitors and tourists to Peterborough, as well as looking out for the businesses within the centre and creating strong lines of communication between stakeholders and companies.

“The Ambassadors will be highly visible in the city centre; therefore, they must be professional, positive and proactive.

"They will also be working closely with Peterborough City Council’s enforcement team, reporting any issues to them so that they can be swiftly dealt with.

He added: “These are unique roles and I’m looking forward to finding the right candidates to join our team.”

Mark Broadhead, Chair of Peterborough Positive, which oversees the BID, said: “The Ambassadors will be absolutely crucial in supporting the BID’s activities over the next few years.

"We have seen how much of a difference street ambassadors have made at other BIDs around the country and are now ready to put our own in place.

"The Ambassadors will have a positive impact on footfall in the city centre, as well as improving the perception of Peterborough to all who visit.”

The BID was officially launched on April 1 this year after a three year campaign that culminated in an successful vote involving 419 businesses in the designated city centre area.

Eighty four per cent of the businesses in the BID area, that stretches from the train station to just beyond the cathedral and between Fletton Quays and the Broadway, supported the creation of the BID, which will have a budget of £1.8 million over its first five year term.

Applications close at 5pm on September 9, with screening interviews scheduled to take place the following week.

Applications should be sent to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Ambassador Job Application’.

View the full job description and details of how to apply at the Peterborough Positive website.