Associate Director - Development Transport Planning

Transport Planning Society; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM in Birmingham invites an Associate Director to lead development transport planning in the West Midlands, driving client engagement, delivering complex projects, and expanding our private sector footprint. You will oversee multi-disciplinary teams, win work, and ensure high-quality outcomes.

Join a dynamic office culture with collaborative leadership, focus on connectivity, sustainability, and growth while mentoring junior staff and building lasting client relationships across the West

Qualifications

• Degree in Transport Planning, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or related field.
• Membership in professional body such as the CIHT or TPS.
• Extensive experience in Development Planning with a proven track record in winning work and growing teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills; ability to build client relationships.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and deliver strong financial performance.
• Established profile and relationships in the West Midlands development market.
• Comprehensive knowledge of transport planning principles, policies, and UK&Io region regulations.
• Broad knowledge of transport disciplines including transport modelling and transport economics.
• Collaborative behaviours and ability to interface with design teams in scheme development.
• Proficiency in commonly used transport planning tools and software.

Responsibilities

• Client and Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key clients and provide strategic advice.
• Business Development: Identify new opportunities, lead bids, and collaborate with other leads to secure projects.
• Project Delivery: Oversee delivery of complex transport planning projects ensuring quality, budget, and timelines.
• Team Development: Mentor and develop a high-performing transport planning team and foster collaboration.
• Team Performance: Drive financial performance through work-winning, management, and client relations.

Skills

Leadership

Business Development

Client relations

Project management

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Team mentoring

Communication

Education

Degree in Transport Planning

CIHT or TPS membership

Tools

Transport modelling tools

Transport planning software

Job description

AECOM
Contact: [e-mail] Region: England - West Midlands Location: Birmingham Category: Transport planning Closes: 18 Dec 2026 Salary: Unspecified More info:
Associate Director - Development Transport Planning

Job Description

Are you ready to challenge the boundaries of what's possible?

AECOM offers a dynamic and collaborative environment where you can lead impactful projects and work alongside industry experts. We are seeking an ambitious individual to drive growth in the West Midlands private sector market as part of our well-established Development Planning and Management Team in the Birmingham Office. As an Associate Director, you will bring in and lead projects, delivering solutions that enhance connectivity, sustainability, and quality of life.

About You

We are currently looking for a Client-focused Associate Director to play a key role in driving growth in the West Midlands area. We have a well-established and high performing team of Development Planners in Birmingham, part of our Central, South West and Wales region, with a stable workload. This role represents an investment in the right person to drive revenue growth and expand our Client-base. You will have a proven track record in Business Development, and growing teams. You will take a lead role in project delivery, managing client and stakeholder relationships, co-ordinating teams, ensuring quality and achieving excellent outcomes.

Role

The role will suit a self-motivated individual, well connected in the West Midlands development market, who is aspiring to take a lead role in client engagement and manage dynamic teams delivering high quality projects such as:

• Strategic sites including major housing and mixed-use developments;
• Infrastructure projects such as Solar Farms and Water Transfer schemes;
• NHS and Higher Education Estates development
• Urban Regeneration, Commercial, and Employment development
• Collaborative working across multi-disciplinary major projects

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Client and Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, including private developers, Estates Directors, and infrastructure operators. Provide strategic advice to clients, ensuring their goals are met with innovative and sustainable solutions. Represent AECOM at client meetings, industry events, and conferences, enhancing the company’s reputation as a leader in transport planning.
• Business Development: Identify and pursue new business opportunities in the Development Planning sector. Lead the preparation of bids and proposals, ensuring they align with client needs and AECOM’s strategic priorities. Build relationships with and collaborate with leads in other business lines to secure and deliver multidisciplinary projects.
• Project Delivery: Oversee the delivery of complex transport planning projects, ensuring they meet quality, budget, and timeline requirements. Provide technical oversight and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards. Manage project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and ensure successful outcomes.
• Team Development: Support in the mentoring and development of a high-performing team of transport planners and consultants. Exhibit visible leadership within the office, and build internal relationships. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team. Promote diversity and inclusion, ensuring a supportive and equitable workplace.
• Team Performance: Play a key role in driving the financial performance of the team through proven work winning, project management and team management abilities with excellent Client relations.

Come grow with us.

We develop projects from concept through to operation providing engineering and construction services for multiyear, multimillion-dollar projects for major rail and transit agencies. Our specialists provide analytical and strategic expertise for every stage of a project

And let's not forget about the perks at AECOM. You'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customized to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s What We’re Looking For

• Degree in Transport Planning, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Membership in professional body such as the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) or Transport Planning Society (TPS).
• Extensive experience in Development Planning, with a proven track record in winning work and growing teams
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. Including the ability to build relationships with Clients and colleagues.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and deliver strong financial performance.
• Established profile and relationships in the West Midlands Development Market
• Comprehensive knowledge of transport planning principles, policies, and regulations in the UK&I region.
• Well rounded knowledge and awareness of a broad range of transport disciplines including transport modelling (strategic and local) and transport economics
• Collaborative behaviours and the ability to interface with design teams in scheme development
• Proficiency in commonly used transport planning tools and software.

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives.

If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!