Assistant Planning Manager (Policy & Stakeholder)

Highways England; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

National Highways in the United Kingdom is seeking an Assistant Planning Manager (Policy & Stakeholder) to join the Network Development Division. You will support the Spatial Planning function’s engagement with government policy, assist in managing stakeholder relationships, and help coordinate the internal Spatial Planning community.

You will provide analytical, coordination and advisory support to ensure planning activities align with policy and organisational objectives.

Qualifications

• Understanding of spatial planning, economic growth and sustainable development.
• Some understanding of the role of strategic infrastructure in supporting development and transport networks, with the ability to apply this knowledge to planning applications and policy tasks.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, customer-facing environment, managing competing priorities and contributing to successful team outcomes.
• Experience supporting the preparation of advice, evidence or documentation, with the ability to identify issues, gather information, and escalate more complex matters to senior colleagues.
• Strong collaborative skills, with the ability to work constructively with colleagues across the organisation and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation of National Highways’ input into government planning policy development, including collating evidence, drafting contributions, coordinating internal comments and monitoring policy developments.
• Support engagement with external strategic stakeholders through the preparation of relevant materials, helping to maintain positive working relationships and ensuring accurate, timely sharing of information.
• Support engagement on specific growth activity, including contributing to briefing materials and helping coordinate National Highways’ involvement in relevant projects or applications.
• Provide analysis to spatial planning colleagues on the application of policy to specific planning cases, escalating issues as required and keeping records of recurring themes and learning.
• Support the coordination and development of the Spatial Planning community, including organising knowledge-sharing activities, maintaining community resources, and assisting with capability-building initiatives.

Skills

Spatial planning

Policy coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Job description

Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom and 4 more

Job Info

• Job Identification 7257
• Job Category Strategic or Corporate Planning
• Posting Date 08/18/2026, 07:30 AM
• Locations Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
• Apply Before 09/01/2026, 10:59 PM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Working Hours 37
• Part Time/Job Share Considered Yes

Job Description

About the job.

National Highways is excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for an Assistant Planning Manager (Policy & Stakeholder) to join our Network Development Division.

As Assistant Planning Manager (Policy & Stakeholder), you will play a key role in supporting the Spatial Planning function’s engagement with government planning policy, assisting in the management of stakeholder relationships, and helping to coordinate the internal Spatial Planning community. You will provide analytical, coordination and advisory support to ensure National Highways’ planning activities are carried out effectively and in alignment with policy and organisational objectives.

This role will be based at any National Highways office location, with a balance of remote and office-based work. This role will require occasional travel to other offices and sites.

• Assist in the preparation of National Highways’ input into government planning policy development, including collating evidence, drafting contributions, coordinating internal comments and monitoring policy developments.
• Support engagement with external strategic stakeholders through the preparation of relevant materials, helping to maintain positive working relationships and ensuring accurate, timely sharing of information.
• Support engagement on specific growth activity, including contributing to briefing materials and helping coordinate National Highways’ involvement in relevant projects or applications.
• Provide analysis to spatial planning colleagues on the application of policy to specific planning cases, escalating issues as required and keeping records of recurring themes and learning.
• Support the coordination and development of the Spatial Planning community, including organising knowledge-sharing activities, maintaining community resources, and assisting with capability-building initiatives.

About you.

• Understanding of the principles of spatial planning, economic growth and sustainable development.
• Some understanding of the role of strategic infrastructure in supporting development and transport networks, with the ability to apply this knowledge to planning applications and policy tasks.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, customer-facing environment, managing competing priorities and contributing to successful team outcomes.
• Experience supporting the preparation of advice, evidence or documentation, with the ability to identify issues, gather information, and escalation more complex matters to senior colleagues.
• Strong collaborative skills, with the ability to work constructively with colleagues across the organisation and external partners, supporting joint objectives.

About us.

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England’s motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer,smootherand more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety,customersand delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety,teamworkand ownership.

The Customer, Strategy, and Communications directorate is essential to National Highways. We guide the direction of the strategic road network, helping the company deliver economic and social benefits by meeting the needs of our customers, clients, and fulfilling regulatory requirements. As the central hub within National Highways, we provide the corporate strategic planning function for the organisation.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointedin accordance withour established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.