Disability Liaison Officer

Post Title   

Disability Liaison Officer.

Department/Location

Supporter Services, Accu Stadium.

Reports To

Supporter Services Manager.

Purpose of the Role

The Disability Liaison Officer is the Club’s representative with primary responsibility for managing and reporting disability matters and ensuring disabled supporters have the best experience possible of attending fixtures, both home and away, and when engaging with the Club on other matters.

The post holder will lead and manage ticketing requirements for disabled supporters including the provision of tickets for companions/personal assistants and will facilitate allocating accessible parking spaces and providing accessible drop-off area passes.

The post holder will manage Inclusion Room bookings and ensure the room is promoted and offered to a wide range of supporters with additional needs, with a focus on new supporters who require an inclusive space as their first experience of attending a match.

The post holder will also work with and assist the Supporter Services department in strengthening existing relationships between the Club and its disabled supporters and be a point of contact for disabled supporters’ ticketing and customer service enquiries, ensuring that access requirements are met as far as possible.

Functional Links

Internal:       Head of Supporter Experience and the Supporter Services team.

                    Ticket Office Staff.

                    Head of Human Resources and EDI.

                    Senior Leadership Team.

                    Communications Team.

                    Marketing Team.

                    Staff and managers throughout the organisation.

External:      Including but not limited to:

Stadium Staff.

                    Huddersfield Town Disabled Supporters Club.

                    EFL.

                    Level Playing Field.

                    DLOs at other Football Clubs.

Key Performance Indicators

·       Consistently high level of customer service to disabled supporters and their companions, as evidenced through feedback from individuals and/or via other means.

·       An effective booking system is in place for the Inclusion Room, ensuring the booking process is regularly communicated, the room is in use at every home fixture, and there is evidence of new guests using the space and that repeat bookings are minimal.  Feedback from guests consistently reflects that they have had a positive experience.

Role Specific Responsibilities

Disability Liaison Officer

The post holder will be required to:

·       Be the point of contact between Huddersfield Town AFC and its disabled supporters to ensure that their ticketing, accessibility, and customer service requirements are met.

·       Manage the DLO email inbox and respond to messages and enquiries in a timely manner.

·       Manage Inclusion Room bookings and ensure a fair booking process to enable as many supporters/guests as possible to use the facility each season, with a focus on attracting new guests.

·       Set up the sensory equipment in the Inclusion Room on match days and meet and greet guests to ensure they are familiar with using the equipment and that their individual needs are met.

·       Maintain up to date and accurate records of disabled supporter’s individual requirements for access and/ or assistance.

·       Assist disabled supporters with purchasing tickets, as may be required, whether online or in person, and including the provision of companion/personal assistant tickets.

·       Ensure adequate provision and allocation of accessible parking spaces and provision of accessible drop-off area passes.

·       Facilitate initiatives to improve the experience of disabled supporters including maintaining, developing, and promoting the ‘Terriers Together’ hidden disability wristband scheme and Accessibility Card at least at the start of each season and periodically throughout each season.

·       Work with the Communications team to promote services that are available to supporters on match days and at other times, for example, induction hearing loops, ear defenders, stoma friendly provisions, sensory packs, Changing Places provision, and audio commentary headsets.

·       Respond to customer enquiries, feedback, complaints and/or incidents concerning disability, and escalate to the Supporter Services Manager, Head of Supporter Experience, Head of Human Resources and EDI, and/or stadium management representatives where necessary and/or appropriate.

·       Update the Club’s Disability Access Guides ahead of each new season and at other times as may be required, ensuring these are available to both home and away supporters.

·       Work with the Supporter Services department to ensure continuous dialogue between the Club and its fans, including attending the Disabled Supporters Club meetings and All Together Town fan feedback meetings as required.

·       Ensure information regarding accessible transport, signage, and wayfinding – to and from the stadium and across the stadium complex - is readily available to supporters, in different formats (audio, video, written etc.).

·       Attend and contribute to meetings of the Equality and Safeguarding Working Group to ensure disability priorities are at the forefront of group members’ minds and that the corresponding aspects of the Terriers Together Strategy are being implemented.

·       Research and recommend disability inclusion training solutions suitable for all staff and Match Day Stewards, to ensure disability knowledge and etiquette are regularly updated across the organisation.

·       Research accessibility features and provisions at other stadia and ensure information is shared with travelling fans ahead of our away fixtures.

·       Liaise with other Club DLOs and external organisations (such as Level Playing Field and other disability organisations) and encourage the sharing of good practice both internally and externally.

·       Ensure the Level Playing Field disabled supporters survey is promoted via Club channels and that the findings of these surveys are shared with Club staff according to need, and that any follow up action is taken as required.

·       Maintain a good understanding of disability legislation and the Club's duties in providing an accessible stadium and premises.

·       Remain up to date with existing general equality legislation including the Equality Act 2010, accessible stadia guidance (e.g., AccessibAll, UEFA Access for All, and the UK Accessible Stadia), new legislation and best practice guidance.

·       Support the implementation of access improvements to the Club's facilities and services as appropriate, and in accordance with any feedback or recommendations from Access Audits, supporters, or other stakeholders.  Work with stadium staff and others as applicable to ensure recommendations from Access Audits are implemented.

·       Check other areas of the stadium on match days, for example, accessible toilets and accessible viewing platforms, for cleanliness and any other potential issues, taking action to resolve any identified concerns.

·       Develop and implement a plan for the Inclusion Room to be used on non-match days, for example, by external partners and community groups in accordance with partnership agreements and/or any other arrangements (e.g., Huddersfield Town Foundation takeover games).

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake any other duties as required by the Supporter Services Manager, Head of Supporter Experience, and/or any other Senior Leader within the Club, commensurate with the level of the post.