Associate Director - Transport Planning, Reading

Jacobs; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 10% pension contribution

24 days annual leave (+ optional 10)

Private medical insurance

Income protection

Flexible and hybrid working

Global access to expertise

Career growth and progression

Job summary

Jacobs in Reading is seeking an Associate Director or Senior Associate Director to lead a diverse portfolio of transport planning projects. You will drive strategic insight, technical excellence and client engagement, shaping major programmes across the Thames Valley and South-East.

Based in Reading with a hybrid pattern, you will mentor teams, grow the local presence, and secure new opportunities while collaborating with public and private sector clients to deliver sustainable infrastructure

Qualifications

• Experience leading transport planning projects for clients
• Ability to manage stakeholder environments and complex programmes
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills
• Knowledge of project and client management processes

Responsibilities

• Oversee delivery of complex transport planning projects
• Provide technical leadership and quality assurance
• Grow Jacobs' transport planning presence in Reading and the region
• Mentor a high-performing team and support recruitment
• Lead bids and client relationships across public and private sectors

Skills

Leadership

Transport planning

Client engagement

Business development

Mentoring

Education

Degree in Engineering/Geography/Economics or related

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

We are very excited to announce that we are looking for an Associate Director or Senior Associate Director to join our growing Transport Planning team in Reading which is part of our wider London and South-East business comprising over 180 transport planners.

This is an opportunity to play a leading role in some of the UK's most significant transport and infrastructure programmes while helping grow and strengthen our transport planning presence across the Thames Valley and South-East.

At Jacobs, our transport planners help shape decisions that influence how people move, connect and access opportunities. We work with organisations including Transport for London, National Highways, Combined Authorities, local authorities and large private sector developers to deliver solutions that have a lasting impact on communities and infrastructure.

This role combines technical excellence, project leadership, client engagement, business growth and team development. Alongside delivering major commissions, you'll help shape the future of our regional transport planning business, strengthen key client relationships and play a leading role in developing our people and expanding our presence in the market.

Whether you're influencing investment decisions, shaping transport strategies or supporting nationally significant infrastructure programmes, you'll have the opportunity to make a visible impact both within Jacobs and across the wider industry.

Why Join Jacobs?

Our teams are helping deliver and shape major programmes including

• Supporting Transport for London's next-generation forecasting tools through MoTiON and Project EDMOND.
• Delivering strategic transport planning and impact assessment services supporting the London Mayor's Transport Strategy.
• Supporting National Highways on major Strategic Road Network programmes across England.
• Playing a key role in the Lower Thames Crossing, one of the UK's largest infrastructure projects.
• Supporting the development of West Yorkshire Mass Transit, transforming how people travel across Leeds and Bradford.
• Advising on major rail and mass transit programmes including the Elizabeth Line and TransPennine Route Upgrade.
• Supporting Transport Scotland's long-term transport investment strategy through advanced accessibility and data analysis tools.
• This breadth of work gives our people the opportunity to influence transport policy, infrastructure investment and mobility solutions at a national scale, while developing their careers through exposure to new technologies, complex challenges and diverse projects.

The role

As an Associate Director or Senior Associate Director, you'll bring strategic insight, technical expertise and strong leadership to a diverse portfolio of transport planning projects.

Project Delivery

Oversee the successful delivery of complex transport planning commissions, including feasibility studies, transport assessments, option development, business cases and transport strategies. Provide technical leadership, ensure robust quality assurance and manage project risks to deliver work to agreed programme, budget and quality requirements.

Leadership

Play a key role in establishing and growing Jacobs' transport planning presence in Reading and the surrounding region. Contribute to business strategy, enhance market visibility and help position Jacobs as a leading provider of transport planning and advisory services. Mentor and develop a high-performing team, creating an environment where people can thrive and progress their careers. Support recruitment, strengthen technical capability, and develop future leaders.

Collaboration, Innovation and Client Engagement

Work closely with specialists from across the wider Jacobs business to develop integrated solutions to complex transport and infrastructure challenges. Champion innovative approaches and best practice, bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines to deliver sustainable and forward-thinking outcomes for clients.

Build and maintain trusted relationships with clients across local and regional government, National Highways, Transport for London, Sub-national Transport Bodies and the private sector. Provide strategic advice to help clients navigate emerging mobility trends, changing travel behaviours and the transition to lower‑carbon transport solutions, ensuring positive outcomes and long‑term value.

Business Development

Identify and secure new business opportunities, leveraging your commercial awareness and industry network to support the growth of the transport planning business. Lead and contribute to bids and proposals, develop key client relationships and collaborate with colleagues across Jacobs' UK and international operations to secure and deliver multidisciplinary projects.

For someone looking to take the next step in their leadership career, this role offers genuine scope to influence strategy, grow a high-performing team, expand Jacobs' presence in the region, and leave a lasting mark on the business.

Here's what you'll need

• A degree, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant discipline such as Engineering, Mathematics, Geography, Economics, or a related subject.
• A strong track record of successfully leading and delivering transport planning projects within a client-facing consultancy environment.
• Experience of developing trusted client relationships and identifying opportunities that lead to business growth, repeat work, and new commissions.
• Technical expertise in one or more areas including transport planning, transport modelling, transport economics and appraisal.
• Experience working with major public sector clients and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
• The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams while providing clear direction, mentoring and support to colleagues.
• A sound understanding of project and client management, including programme delivery, resource planning, commercial performance, quality and risk management.
• A proactive and adaptable approach, balancing project delivery, business development, team leadership and growth opportunities.
• An interest in innovation and the future of transport, including emerging technologies, digital solutions and evolving mobility trends.

What You'll Get

In return, you'll join a business where transport planning is central to some of the UK's most high-profile infrastructure and mobility programmes.

Alongside meaningful and varied work, we offer

• Up to 10% pension contribution
• 24 days annual leave plus the option to buy up to 10 additional days
• Private medical insurance
• Income protection
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Access to specialist expertise across the UK and globally
• Clear opportunities for career growth and progression

If you're looking for a role where you can influence major projects, develop client relationships and help shape the future of transport across the UK, we'd love to hear from you.

This role is based in our Reading office and offers a hybrid working pattern, with three days per week in the office and two days working from home.

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well‑being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging.Find out more about ourJacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https//www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.