Principal Consultant – Transport Planning & Strategy

Citisense; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Generous annual leave

Continuous training and development

Professional membership

Job summary

Citisense seeks a Principal Consultant to lead the Transport Planning & Strategy team in London. You will manage complex commissions, deliver technical work, and mentor junior staff while engaging with local authorities and infrastructure clients.

The role blends strategic thinking with hands-on delivery in a hybrid office setting. You will drive client relationships, contribute to bids, and help grow the practice by sharing knowledge and developing integrated transport solutions.

Qualifications

• A relevant degree or equivalent qualification in transport planning, urban planning, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years experience in transport planning, sustainable transport, active travel or related field.
• Strong project management skills with proven experience leading complex projects from inception to delivery.
• Strong technical knowledge of transport planning and ability to apply to client challenges.
• Experience working with clients and stakeholders and building productive relationships.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills with client reports and senior audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and delivery of complex active travel and transport planning projects from inception to completion.
• Provide technical advice across transport strategy, policy, sustainable travel, active travel, parking and kerbside, liveable neighbourhoods and school streets.
• Manage project scope, programme, budget, resources and risk with QA throughout lifecycle.
• Produce and oversee high-quality reports, strategies and recommendations for clients.
• Lead consultation and engagement programmes, including workshops and Equality Impact Assessments.
• Build trusted client relationships and identify opportunities for future work.

Skills

Project management

Transport planning knowledge

Client management

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Degree in transport planning / urban planning

Tools

Microsoft Project

CAD

GIS

Job description

• Location: Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
• Salary: Competitive
• Hours: 37.5 per week
• Contract: Full-time
• Work Style: Flexible, minimum 3 days in office

The opportunity

Join our London office as a Principal Consultant within our growing Transport Planning & Strategy team. This is an opportunity to take on a senior role in a consultancy where transport planning, engagement and innovation come together to address real-world challenges facing communities. You’ll work across a varied portfolio of projects for local authorities, infrastructure clients and other organisations, with the opportunity to shape projects from early development through to delivery. You’ll have the autonomy to apply your expertise, work closely with clients and colleagues, and contribute to the continued development of our transport planning services.

About the role

As a Principal Consultant, you will be responsible for managing and delivering complex transport and sustainable mobility commissions. The role combines technical delivery with project management, client management and team leadership, giving you the opportunity to work across a broad range of transport planning challenges. You’ll manage projects through their lifecycle, from defining scope and developing approaches through to delivery and completion. Depending on the commission, your work may cover areas such as transport strategy, active travel, sustainable travel, parking and kerbside management, liveable neighbourhoods and School Streets. The role also provides opportunities to support and mentor colleagues, contribute to bids and fee proposals, and work collaboratively across Citisense to develop integrated solutions for clients.

Your contribution

You’ll bring together technical expertise, sound project management and a strong understanding of client needs to deliver high-quality outcomes. You’ll be expected to take ownership of your projects, provide professional judgement and build constructive relationships with clients and stakeholders. As a senior member of the team, you’ll also contribute beyond individual project delivery. This includes supporting the development of client relationships, identifying opportunities for future work, contributing to business development and helping colleagues develop their skills and experience. You will also contribute to the continued development of Citisense’s Transport Planning & Strategy offer by sharing knowledge, bringing forward new ideas and helping us respond to emerging challenges across the sector.

As a Principal Consultant, you will:

• Lead the planning and delivery of complex active travel and transport planning projects from inception through to completion.
• Provide technical advice and professional judgement across areas including transport strategy, policy, sustainable travel, active travel, parking and kerbside, liveable neighbourhoods and school streets.
• Manage project scope, programme, budget, resources and risk whilst maintaining quality assurance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Produce and oversee high-quality reports, strategies, technical outputs and recommendations for clients.
• Lead and oversee consultation and engagement programmes, including stakeholder workshops, co-design events and Equality Impact Assessments.
• Build trusted relationships with clients, local authorities, stakeholders and communities, communicating complex transport issues clearly and providing practical advice.
• Act as a senior point of contact for key projects and clients, understanding their priorities and identifying where Citisense can provide further support.
• Support the development of client accounts and longer-term relationships, working with Heads of Service and colleagues to identify opportunities and develop new areas of work.
• Support business growth through fee proposals, bids, framework submissions, presentations and client meetings.
• Line-manage and mentor consultants and junior staff, providing technical guidance, regular feedback and support for their professional development.
• Lead by example in promoting high standards of project delivery, collaboration, client service and professional development.
• Work collaboratively with other Citisense teams to develop integrated solutions for clients.
• Contribute to the development of Citisense's transport planning offer through knowledge sharing, new ideas and industry engagement.

We’re looking for someone with

• A relevant degree, or equivalent qualification or experience, in transport planning, urban planning, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years experience within a transport planning, sustainable transport, active travel or related field.
• Strong project management skills with proven experience leading complex projects from inception to delivery.
• Strong technical knowledge of transport planning and the ability to apply this to a range of client challenges and project contexts.
• Proven experience working with clients and stakeholders, with the ability to develop positive and productive working relationships.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills, with experience preparing high-quality client reports and presenting recommendations to senior audiences.
• Strong commercial awareness, including experience managing project budgets, scope, programme, resources and risk.
• Experience managing, mentoring or supporting the development of colleagues.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities whilst maintaining a high standard of delivery.

Desirable Experience and Skills

• Experience working for or closely with UK local authorities, combined authorities or other public-sector clients.
• Experience contributing to business development, including identifying opportunities, developing client relationships, preparing bids, fee proposals or framework submissions.
• Experience developing or managing client accounts and longer-term client relationships.
• Experience delivering transport strategies, sustainable travel programmes, School Streets, Liveable / Low Traffic Neighbourhoods or active travel strategies.
• Experience of public consultation, engagement and co-design for transport schemes, particularly where there are diverse or competing stakeholder views.
• Familiarity with policy and statutory frameworks relating to Healthy Streets, active travel, sustainable transport and transport planning.
• Experience across a range of transport planning disciplines, such as transport strategy, development planning, parking and kerbside, travel planning or transport appraisal.
• Knowledge of, or experience in, planning and implementing travel plans and construction management plans.
• Development management/control experience, including preparing, drafting and reviewing transport statement/assessments and supporting documents.
• Project management certification (PRINCE2, APM) or professional membership (e.g. CIHT, TPS).
• Experience using Microsoft Project or similar project management software.
• Experience using CAD or GIS.

Why join us

We believe in fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where your ideas are valued and your growth is encouraged. As part of the team, you'll enjoy a range of fantastic benefits, including a company pension, generous annual leave, continuous training and development opportunities and a professional membership of your choice.

• a company pension
• generous annual leave
• continuous training and development opportunities
• a professional membership of your choice