Principal Transport/Development Planner

WSP UK; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy in urban development is seeking a Principal Consultant to join their Development Team in Leeds. This role involves providing expertise in transportation and development planning, managing client relationships, and leading a team to deliver high-quality planning solutions. The ideal candidate should possess a strong educational background in relevant fields and extensive experience in project management and consultancy services.

Qualifications

• A numerate degree in Transport, Civil Engineering or related field.
• Experience leading client consultancy services with positive outcomes.
• Ability to work with transport planning guidance and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Support concept studies, Transport Statements, and assessments.
• Manage and lead relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Ensure project delivery meets budget and technical standards.

Skills

Client relationship management

Transport planning knowledge

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

First degree in Transport, Mathematics, Geography, or related

Postgraduate experience or equivalent

Tools

Junctions 9 (PICADY & ARCADY)

Linsig

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic Principal Consultant to support our regional Development Team in Leeds, specialising in Transportation and Development Planning. You will work within a team providing sustainable development solutions from site selection through to planning approvals and implementation. The development planning transport work involves providing specialist advice to private sector and some local authority clients on residential and mixed-use development led and masterplanning projects, including on access, transportation and infrastructure issues, and supporting development proposals through the planning process. The team takes a strategic lead role on many large multi-disciplinary projects, and works closely with our planning, infrastructure design, structures, and transport and environmental teams. The team also works closely with other WSP disciplines on high profile major multi-disciplinary development projects across the north of England, the UK and Ireland and international projects. You can expect to be active on several projects and client accounts at any given time. You will report to a senior member of the Development Team. Our team work on some of the most prestigious developments in our region, the UK and beyond, and you will be helping deliver projects such as: The Highways, West Yorkshire Sutton Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, London Borough of Sutton International Advanced Manufacturing Park, Wearside Tritax Symmetry Park Kettering, Northamptonshire Tritax Symmetry Park Gloucester, Gloucestershire Prologis Park Marston Gate, Bedfordshire Prologis Park Coleshill, Warwickshire

Our Leeds office has a strong regional presence and focus, but project work is located throughout the UK and internationally, with designs delivered from our Leeds office and/or collaboratively across different regional and international offices, with opportunities for some travel when appropriate.

Responsibilities

• Providing day to day support in the delivery of concept studies / strategies, Transport Statements, Transport Assessments, Travel Plans, Parking Studies, Access Studies, Movement and Access Studies with a hands-on role, leading to planning applications, post-permission and discharge of planning condition works.
• Providing proactive management and leadership to secure all round collaborative, cooperative and harmonious working relationships, with clients, colleagues, and staff.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with key clients based upon achievement of excellence in service provision with high levels of technical competence and client satisfaction.
• Keeping up-to-date with relevant standards and policies; raise WSP profile by networking, and attending conferences.
• Being supported by a team of experienced and developing technical staff, to whom you will provide guidance and support as appropriate.
• Involvement in high profile client engagement, stakeholder management, design team liaison (internal and with other external multidisciplinary professionals) and project management.
• Being responsible, or actively engaged depending on experience, for ensuring projects are delivered to budget, programme, technical standards and legal requirements.

Team and Project Context

The Development Team is a well-established and high performing discipline within the Planning and Development business unit which includes over 800 colleagues focused on project delivery through the whole project life cycle, from initial land acquisition, planning support and design, through to scheme implementation. Our vision is to be recognised as the strongest and best Development team in the industry, supported by pillars of Technical Excellence, People, Clients and Operational Excellence. We help our clients to promote, implement and manage sustainable development, from pre-feasibility through to planning consent; establish plans and provision for how an area, its accessibility and needs, will develop over time and guide sustainable future development; and develop multi-disciplinary design from concept through to detailed design and construction. We work with public/private sector land promoters and house builders, developers, signature architects, Government, and local authorities. Some of the multi-disciplinary services we provide that you will help deliver include: Site appraisal and due diligence; Concept studies / strategies; Transport Statements / Transport Assessments and Travel Plans; Parking Demand Studies; Access Studies; and Movement and Access Studies.

Qualifications and Experience

• A numerate first degree in Transport, Mathematics, Geography, Civil Engineering, Planning or a related subject.
• Experience of operating as a lead client contact for consultancy services and fostering excellent relationships with clients and co-professionals.
• Strong communication skills with a clear track record of presenting compelling written work in support of development proposals.
• Knowledge of appropriate transport planning guidance and best practice.
• Significant experience delivering a wide range of transport planning projects across development planning, scheme delivery, sustainable transport and active travel, junction design (priority, roundabout, signals) and knowledge of relevant standards.
• Working knowledge of junction modelling software such as Junctions 9 (PICADY & ARCADY) and Linsig, with ability to mentor others and interpret/challenge results.
• High numeracy with problem-solving skills and innovative thinking.
• Significant experience and capability in financially and programme managing projects using appropriate business tools.
• Experience of team management responsibilities including line management and day-to-day operations.
• Robust knowledge of financial and contractual aspects of planning, bidding, and delivering both large and small projects.
• Postgraduate (or equivalent) experience and looking to work towards Chartership or have equivalent commercial experience and responsibility.

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