Principal Transportation and Infrastructure Planner

Essex County Council is seeking a Principal Transportation and Infrastructure Planner for a permanent, full-time role based in Chelmsford, UK, offering a salary between £56,537 and £66,514. This hybrid position requires on-site work 1-2 days per week. The planner will engage with partners to develop transportation strategies, manage projects, and lead initiatives for sustainable transport infrastructure while collaborating with various stakeholders.
Principal Transportation and Infrastructure Planner

Permanent, Full Time

£56,537 to £66,514 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

This is a hybrid-working role, with a requirement to work at a functional work location 1-2 days per week on average, depending on business need.

The Principal Transportation and Infrastructure Planner engages with strategic partners, to devise and co-ordinate land use transportation strategies to support the delivery of strategic scale development and new settlements, by working across the service functions and with a wide range of internal/external stakeholders. The role will act as the single point of contact for highway and transportation matters in a locality and explore funding opportunities, prepare outline business cases and devise delivery programmes to provide a forward planning service. The role assembles technical advice, policies, initiatives, schemes and measures to integrate land use and transportation provision, and commission subsequent design and delivery work, often being responsible for a complete programme of activities.

As the transport infrastructure lead the role drives change using business knowledge and expertise to influence and work with others, leading on the provision of sustainable transport infrastructure in responding and delivering to the growth agenda. The role delivers using matrix management principles to ensure excellent service across the department and contribution to change management.

Accountabilities

Responsible for maximising alternative opportunities to private car use and road freight movements to enable sustainable development of a transportation infrastructure.

Responsible for leading and defining the Council's role within an identified geographic area to respond to countywide and national issues by providing effective input into Essex land use and transport planning processes/frameworks.

Responsible for developing and advising on strategic objectives, initiatives and plans for transport.

Responsible for leading on the production of implementation plans of land use and transport proposals and working collaboratively with stakeholders to co-ordinate infrastructure investment through the local transport plan and development management process to achieve consistent and progressive economic growth and development outcomes.

Working collaboratively to assess the current strategic transport networks and forecast future performance under varied planning scenarios to commission work programmes to address future strategic network deficits and seek appropriate funding.

Responsible for leading and directing individual commissions/projects and working with partners to meet agreed standards, budget allocations and approved work programmes, including long term across the major schemes portfolio. .

Working collaboratively to develop transportation policy, assess project feasibility and respond to government and other strategic consultations on transport and matters affecting transport.

Responsible for managing respective area Transportation Boards by producing and updating business plans, leading and managing funding bids through Major Scheme Business Cases as well as formally representing the Council;

Providing support to senior leaders to ensure that media and public relations implications of transportation issues are handled sensitively and proactively;

Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience
• Degree level education in related numerate, social science or humanities subject or equivalent experience; a Post Graduate qualification in Transport (MSc or Diploma) or equivalent experience is desirable.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Significant post qualification experience in the field of land use and transport planning or civil engineering.
• Extensive knowledge of transport planning policy and practice including knowledge of the development plan system and planning legislation and the inter relationship between transportation and the development process;
• Demonstrable knowledge of managing the development and implementation of major schemes including statutory processes involved with these activities.
• Excellent written, verbal, listening and presentation skills to a variety of audiences including presenting information to elected Members at formal and informal level
• Good understanding of town and country planning processes, major development proposals and highway and transportation major project implementation.
• Demonstrable understanding and experience in using project management methodologies.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.