Planning Manager

National Highways; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading infrastructure agency in Manchester is looking for a Planning Manager to engage with significant external projects impacting the Strategic Road Network. This role requires a background in civil engineering or project management, strong analytical skills, and the ability to influence outcomes. The successful candidate will work in a hybrid model, requiring face-to-face engagement 40% of the time. The agency values safety, teamwork, and diversity in its workforce.

Qualifications

• Experience within an infrastructure project environment.
• Knowledge of investment decision making and benefits realization.
• Strong decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Engage with scheme promoters to identify collaborative delivery solutions.
• Establish governance to oversee decisions on the Company's position.
• Plan and manage a program of work to evaluate proposals.
• Drive effective network impact assessment during construction.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

People management skills

Strategic thinking

Exceptional influencing skills

Education

Civil engineering, transport planning, or project management background

Job description

About the job.

We're looking for a Planning Manager (3rd Party Infrastructure) to join our Network Development Division at National Highways.

It's an exciting time to join our team. Our Network Development Division leads on multiple projects fuelled by the need to ensure that the impacts of the country's largest aviation, rail and other infrastructure projects are considered, assessed and mitigated during their planning. The Division also leads a portfolio of delivery projects supporting the sector build new and upgraded electrical connections at MSAs, working actively with HM Government, the electricity industry and roadside facilities to identify blockers, develop solutions and expedite the provision of rapid charging.

As a Planning Manager, you will engage with promoters of significant external projects which will impact on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) (for example, East West Rail & Airport Expansions), and you'll provide direction to specialist expertise from across the company to assess the impacts on the SRN and influence the design and propose mitigations where these are required. But that's not all, you'll also contribute to our work to provide guidance to external promoters and internal teams on how best to work together.

If you're a strong communicator with exceptional influencing skills who thrives when working within a collaborative environment, then we'd like to hear from you.

• Support engagement with scheme promoters to identify and agree collaborative delivery solutions that meet the Company's License obligations, and which secure best value and mitigate any impacts on the KPI's.
• Aid in establishing and running suitable governance to oversee and take decisions on the Company's position, escalating risks and issues through existing governance and (if required) to the Executive committee and Chief Executive.
• Plan and manage a programme of work to evaluate proposals and provide advice, guidance and any instruction required so that performance targets are achieved.
• Commission and drive effective network impact assessment to inform decisive action and safeguard operational efficiency of the network during and after the construction of 3rd party projects.
• Support in the delivery work to help the wider development of policies and guidance to support engagement with 3rd party projects.

About you.

• A civil engineering, transport planning or project management background.
• Experience within an infrastructure project environment, not only considering outcomes but having a strategic approach and understanding.
• Knowledge of investment decision making and benefits realisation.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• People management skills and experience.

About us.

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England's motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and 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 appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

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

The successful candidate will be required to work face to face a minimum of 40% of the week, in line with our hybrid working policy.