Principal/Associate Transport Consultant

City Science; London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A consultancy firm focused on sustainable transport is seeking a Principal or Associate level transport consultant to lead and manage projects. The role involves engaging with stakeholders, driving business development, and mentoring junior staff. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in transport policy and strategy, project management, and business development. This position offers flexible working arrangements and opportunities for career progression.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Cycle to work scheme

Eye care vouchers

Employee assistance program

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading successful delivery of complex projects.
• Experience in sustainable transport disciplines and client management.
• Strong analytical and report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage transport planning projects ensuring quality delivery.
• Engage with stakeholders and manage client relationships.
• Drive business development and secure project work.

Skills

Transport policy and strategy

Active travel

Urban transport

Transport decarbonisation

Business development

Education

Degree qualified or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Location: Remote first, flexible working arrangements, with all UK based locations considered. Our flexible office collaboration spaces, for those wishing to use them, are in London, Exeter, Birmingham and Bristol.

Term: Permanent, Full Time (4 day weeks considered)

Grade: Principal or Associate

Closing: 10am Wednesday 1st September 2025

We cannot accept applicants that require sponsorship for an employment visa. Any application requiring a visa will be rejected.

ABSTRACT

Due to a healthy pipeline of projects and opportunities, we have ambitious plans to grow our transport planning team. We are seeking an experienced Principal or Associate level transport consultant with a passion for sustainable transport and transport carbon reduction. Experience in transport policy and strategy, active travel, urban transport, transport decarbonisation, behavioural change and sustainable development, are a plus. We are looking for a candidate who can lead and develop more junior colleagues and who has experience in business development and work winning.

ABOUT US: CITY SCIENCE

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Principal or Associate level transport consultant to join our growing Transport Planning team, reporting to the Director for Transport Planning & Policy. As a company we are committed to helping our clients to reduce transport carbon emissions and deliver more sustainable travel opportunities, and are looking for like-minded candidates. The successful candidate will be responsible for scoping, managing and delivering transport planning projects, working closely with colleagues to deploy innovative and evidence-led techniques which meet our clients’ ambitions. We are seeking creative individuals with a strong track record in one or more disciplines including transport policy and strategy (including LTPs), active travel (including LCWIPs) urban transport and placemaking, transport decarbonisation, behavioural change programmes and sustainable development (in particular Local Plan evidence bases). We are seeking candidates who will naturally take an active leadership role in projects in terms of technical delivery, client management and financial oversight and who has a passion for mentoring and developing more junior colleagues.

Identifying and securing opportunities with existing and new clients to support the continued growth of our business will be an important part of the role(s). Candidates should have demonstrable experience in building client relationships, securing additional work through projects and leading successful competitive bidding. We are looking for a candidate who is motivated by developing, growing and leading one or more service lines in the technical disciplines described above.

We are a people-centric business and are passionate about helping our staff to develop and be able to contribute to their potential. The successful candidate(s) will be an experienced member of the team with responsibility for supporting and developing colleagues, particularly those in the earlier stages of their career. Experience as a team leader, and in sharing knowledge during project delivery are therefore essential. Opportunities for line management roles will be discussed with individual candidates.

Key Responsibilities

As a Principal Consultant or Associate within our City Science team you will be responsible for:

• Ensuring excellent quality of delivery as a Project Director or Project Manager.
• Leading business development and revenue growth in agreed service areas
• Promoting City Science’s full service offer externally.
• Management, mentoring, development and training of colleagues.

This will include:

Project Delivery & Management

• Responsibility and oversight of the quality all technical aspects of projects, driving best practice and innovation
• Client relationship management and securing follow-on work.
• Project management of large commissions.

Technical

• Overseeing preparation of technical and client reports, presentations, tender documents and publications.
• Developing and delivering expert sustainable transport advice, analysis and thought leadership, including using your experience to enhance our techniques and outputs.
• Working with our data science and software development teams to utilise existing tools and techniques and provide constructive feedback to ensure continuous improvement.

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Facilitating stakeholder engagement during projects including oversight of preparation of material.
• Meeting and presenting our capability to key stakeholders including senior officers and portfolio holders within local authorities.
• Presenting to clients clearly, professionally and with integrity.

Business Development

• Securing revenue in agreed service areas and/or client organisations.
• Tracking opportunities and positioning the company accordingly.
• Creating opportunities by building strong relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Taking the role of Bid Manager or Bid Director on competitive tenders.
• Providing clients with an understanding of our solutions, services and emerging innovations.

Team Leadership

• Inputting into and delivering elements of the company Business Plan.
• Leading project teams.
• Opportunities for line management.
• Mentoring, sharing knowledge and experience to develop staff and quality of outputs.

ABOUT YOU

You’re ambitious, proactive and customer-focused with exceptional attention to detail and the needs of our clients. You’re a champion in your field with a rigorous, disciplined approach and a deep technical knowledge in a range of sustainable transport disciplines. You are comfortable working with and leading technical elements of projects, and are a great collaborator, committed to success of the team. Most importantly, you’ve got the drive, ambition, hunger and work ethic to succeed in this fast-moving role.

City Science is a growth-focused organisation with an expanding team and so an entrepreneurial, resilient and tenacious mindset is critical.

ESSENTIAL

Project Management & Delivery

• Proven track record in leading successful delivery of complex projects and programmes as Project Manager or Project Director, in accordance with management systems and governance.
• Strong report writing, presenting and analytical skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of the UK transport sector trends and issues, particularly the UK local government market.
• Commercial skills which will be deployed on projects to minimise risk and achieve client ambitions.
• Experience in leading projects in one or more of the following disciplines: transport policy and strategy, active travel, urban transport and placemaking, transport decarbonisation, behavioural change programmes and sustainable development.
• A desire to develop colleagues through mentoring and on-the-job training.

Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrable experience of strong performance in a similar role.
• Degree qualified or equivalent.
• Excellent understanding of broad UK policy environment and in one or more specialist areas.
• High level of technical competency across one or more of the disciplines named above.

Business Development

• Commercial awareness and proven experience in leading preparation of successful competitive tenders.
• Experience developing strategic partnerships with clients to identify opportunities and win work.
• Existing trusted personal customer relationships in the transport sector.
• Experience presenting to, and working with, elected members and stakeholders.

Management Skills

• Self-motivated team player, with responsibility of own work, whilst supporting / overseeing others.
• Experience managing teams, providing highly effective support and mentoring to junior colleagues.

DESIRABLE

• Membership of a chartered professional institution (e.g. CIHT, TPS), and working towards (or have completed) your Chartership
• Completed project management qualifications (e.g. PRINCE2, APM).
• An interest in being at the cutting edge of developments in sustainable transport and reducing carbon emissions.
• Comfortable presenting to large audiences.

FURTHER INFORMATION

We are building a team who are motivated by collaboration with the desire to solve problems for our customers. We want people to own their field of responsibility, take decisions, be proactive and have pride in everything they do. Our team of experts includes prize-winning consultants, experienced technologists and distinguished academics.

Rewards & Benefits

• Opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects across the consultancy business
• Opportunity for career progression
• Ongoing mentoring, training and support from senior professionals within the business (including towards professional chartership)
• Paid membership of a maximum of two institutions
• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave entitlement
• Membership of our group pension scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee assistance program

Equal Opportunity

We are only accepting direct applications - no recruiters please.

Visa Sponsorship

Unfortunately City Science does not hold a license to sponsor visas. Therefore, we are unfortunately not able to process any applications that require sponsorship.