Associate Director - Transport Development Planning

Transport Planning Society; North West Leicestershire; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM is seeking an Associate Director to lead and deliver transport planning projects in the Northwest, England. The role focuses on strategic leadership, client engagement, and growing the practice across the UK&I, coordinating with multi-disciplinary teams and ensuring high-quality project delivery.

Candidates should have extensive experience in transport development planning, strong leadership, and a collaborative mindset.

Qualifications

• Degree in Transport Planning, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Membership in professional bodies such as the CIHT or TPS.
• 12+ years of experience in transport planning, with a proven track record in winning work and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives to grow the transport planning and consulting practice.
• Client and Stakeholder Engagement: build and maintain strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders.
• Project Delivery: manage the delivery of transport planning inputs into development projects with high client engagement.
• Business Development: identify and pursue new opportunities and lead bids/proposals.
• Team Development: recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of transport planners and consultants.

Skills

Leadership

Client engagement

Project delivery

Team development

Business development

Strategic thinking

Communication

Negotiation

Interpersonal skills

Stakeholder engagement

Interface with design teams

Team management

Education

Degree in Transport Planning

CIHT or TPS membership

Tools

Transport planning tools

Job description

AECOM

Contact: [e-mail] Region: England - North West Location: Manchester Category: Transport planning Closes: 18 Dec 2026 Salary: up to £20K More info:

Job Description

The Associate Director – Planning and Development role is a leadership position focused on delivering innovative and sustainable transport solutions for our Clients in both the public and private sectors. We’re looking to build our presence in the Northwest region and this an exciting opportunity for a new team leader to join us and be at the centre of this growth. Responsibilities include leadership, client engagement, project delivery, business development, and team development. Candidates should have extensive experience in transport development planning, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to collaboration and excellence.

Our Northwest offices have an established track record of successfully delivering Transport Planning projects and work collaboratively with other disciplines from Streets and Technology, Highways, Aviation, Ports, Rail. Energy, Defence and Environmental sectors. The team workload ranges from feasibility studies, preliminary design and assessment through to coordination with wider teams to ensure successful delivery on-site.

When joining AECOM you’ll get involved in some of the most formative transport planning projects across the UK+I. We’re actively engaged in a wide variety of exciting projects including Old Trafford Regeneration proposals, New Towns development and major mixed-use residential led developments, Development Consent Orders and Planning Policy development for a range of Clients in the UK and beyond.

Our exceptional success on key Frameworks provides access to opportunity across the UK on a huge variety of projects, and through our expertise in other sectors such as Energy, Defence and Environment, there is truly a broad range of opportunities and projects to lead and grow with you.

Role

We are currently looking for an Associate Director to support and lead on the delivery of our Development Planning services with opportunities to grow our presence in the Northwest as well as supporting existing teams across the UK+I. The role will suit a self-motivated individual who is aspiring to take a lead role in client engagement and manage dynamic teams delivering high quality projects covering:

• Masterplanning feasibility studies and due diligence
• Transport Assessment, Statements and Travel Plans
• Construction Traffic Management Plans, Delivery Management Strategies, Car Parking Strategies, Access & Movement Strategies
• Transportation studies covering all modes including active travel and passenger priority schemes
• Collaborative working across multi-disciplinary major projects

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives to grow the transport planning and consulting practice.
• Align team objectives with AECOM’s broader business goals, ensuring integration across disciplines.
• Proven work winning, project management and team management abilities with excellent Client relations.
• Client and Stakeholder Engagement
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, including public sector agencies and private sector stakeholders.
• 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.
• Project Delivery
• Manage the delivery of transport planning inputs into development projects, ensuring high levels of Client and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide technical oversight and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standard case. (Note: inclusion of "and standards" corrected.)
• Manage project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and ensure successful outcomes.
• Business Development
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities in the transport planning sector.
• Lead the preparation of bids and proposals, ensuring they align with client needs and AECOM’s strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with other business lines to secure and deliver multidisciplinary projects.
• Team Development
• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of transport planners and consultants.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Promote diversity and inclusion, ensuring a supportive and equitable workplace.

Qualifications

• Degree in Transport Planning, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Membership in professional bodies such as the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) or Transport Planning Society (TPS).
• 12+ years of experience in transport planning, with a proven track record in winning work and leading teams.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
• Good client network with established industry relationships.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to manage complex transport planning projects and deliver results.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Comprehensive knowledge of transport planning principles, policies, and regulations in the UK&I region.
• Expertise in Development Planning with sector specific insights.
• Ability to interface with design teams in scheme development.
• Understanding of the technical requirements of major private and public clients, future growth opportunities and pathways to successful planning outcomes.
• Proficiency in commonly used transport planning tools and software.