Head Of Transport Planning

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Head of Transport Planning to join our Transport Services. The post is responsible to:

• Develop, agree and implement the strategic Local Transport Plan (LTP) and other transport strategies in line with statutory duties, national guidance
• Lead all transport inputs to the Local Plan for the council with regional partners, assessing and advising on the impact of new developments
• Bid for, monitor and evaluate all transport schemes and programmes within the LTP
• Improve the accessibility of the network, address the safety of road users, and drive de-carbonisation by developing supporting infrastructure, revenue programmes and delivering behavioural change.

Key Accountabilities:

Delivery of transport planning activity across North Somerset to ensure transport systems are safe, and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. You are responsible for the following functions:

• Transport Policy, Strategy and Planning, including maintaining an effective Local Transport Plan
• Bids and reporting on grants
• Highways and Transport Development Management and Planning Policy
• Monitoring, Data collection and Evaluation across highways and transport programmes
• Engagement, ETP and Communications activities for Transport
• Active and Sustainable Transport including EV strategy and walking and wheeling network development

Design and recommend significant programmes of revenue and infrastructure projects to improve the transport network, including bidding work for highways and transport schemes across the Council, and Programme assessment and development activities

Develop and deliver services that are aligned to delivery of the council's strategy and agreed aims and objectives within the necessary resources.

Drive recruitment, induction, staff development and training, ensuring the service has an effective workforce capable of meeting its objectives and statutory requirements

Develop partnership working with a range of key stakeholders ensuring cohesive approaches, generating efficiencies, and developing cost effective and good quality delivery models

This position is based at our offices in Weston super Mare town centre.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 2-3 days in the office per week
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

• Additionally, this role will also be required to attend public meetings within the working day or during evenings or weekends.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about transport, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

The essential skills for success in this role are:

• Extensive experience in service transformation in a transport context
• Experience of successfully managing and maintaining the performance of contracts and multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience of sourcing, securing and monitoring delivery of grant funding for transport infrastructure and revenue programme delivery
• Management of multiple deadlines, programmes and time critical projects with multiple dependencies
• Effective at relationship management with clients and senior stakeholders
• Strategic thinking: able to align service strategy with the wider organisational vision
• Leadership ability to coach, mentor and motivate a team
• Skilled at data analysis to interpret performance and produce financially modelled proposals to inform strategy and decision making

We are looking for someone suitably qualified:

• Graduate qualification and post graduate qualification in a subject/s related to the role or equivalent experience
• Leadership and Management qualification (Chartered Institute of Management, ILM or similar) or equivalent experience
• Programme Management qualification or equivalent experience (desirable)
• Expert understanding of transport national and regional policy, statutory duties and regulations, relevant legislation and national influences
• Expert understandings of the decarbonisation of transport networks
• Expert understanding of Contract Management, Procurement and resourcing complex statutory operations

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet .

How to Apply

If you share our vision and values and are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Bella Fortune, Head of Transport, at bella.fortune@n-somerset.gov.uk.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Dates: In the week commencing 9 June

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and we are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.