Principal Transport Planner

AECOM; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working model

Career development opportunities

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a Principal Transport Planner to join our growing Transport Planning team in the West Midlands. You will lead transport strategy, appraisal and business-case development, guiding projects from concept through to delivery while mentoring junior staff and engaging with high-level clients.

You’ll work across a wide portfolio with excellent career prospects, supported by a hybrid working model and collaboration with disciplines across highways, buildings, and environment teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in transport planning, with senior level capability.
• Chartered status or membership of CIHT/TPS/ICE or equivalent.
• Proven track record delivering to DfT and Treasury guidance.
• Strong commercial awareness and management techniques.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide project and technical leadership, directing transport strategy and business case development.
• Lead client and stakeholder engagement, shaping strategy and direction for regional and national clients.
• Support work-winning activity, identify opportunities and lead bids.
• Mentor and develop junior staff, contributing to team growth and succession planning.

Skills

Transport planning

Client relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Project leadership

Analytical techniques

Communication

Budget & resource management

Network performance testing

Education

Degree in Transport Planning

Geography

Civil Engineering

Economics

Tools

GIS

Transport modelling software

Job description

Are you ready to challenge the boundaries of what's possible?

AECOM offers a dynamic and collaborative environment where you can lead impactful projects and work alongside industry experts. We are seeking a Principal Transport Plannerto join our industry leading Transport Planning team to help deliver a diverse range of projects. You would become an integral part of a respected team, with the role providing excellent career prospects and every opportunity for you to make your mark and influence the continuing sustainable growth of the regional transport planning team and wider AECOM business.

About You

This is a senior role for someone with extensive experience, bringing expertise in the appraisal of transport schemes, evaluation, and preparation of business cases. The role combines advanced analytical capability with project leadership, client engagement and business development. It also involves mentoring junior team members and contributing to the strategic growth of the transport planning practice.

Our team has an established track record of successfully delivering transport planning projects and works closely with other disciplines from Highways, Infrastructure, Buildings & Places and Environment Sectors. The team workload covers the full range of policy, strategy and appraisal, and evaluation. This includes the development of associated business cases and transport studies.

You will work within a large and collaborative team to support the delivery of a diverse range of Transport Planning work within our regional and national portfolio including:

• National Highways Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
• National Highways Spatial Planning Contract Framework
• Birmingham City Council Professional Services Framework
• Transport for West Midlands Transport Planning & Modelling Frameworks
• Midlands Highway Alliance PSP4
• Transport for Wales (TfW) Framework
• Black County Transport
• West of England Combined Authority Framework
• Department for Transport Evaluation Scoping and Implementation

Here’s what you’ll do:

Project and Technical Leadership

• Provide support to Associate and Technical Directors on technical, managerial and financial matters.
• Direct the preparation of transport strategies, scheme appraisal and/or business case development.
• Supervise work carried out by other members of the team, ensuring that it is delivered to the appropriate technical standard, on programme and within budget.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted adviser to regional and national clients, helping shape strategy and technical direction.
• Represent the business at client meetings, consultations and workshops.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships across the West Midlands and beyond.

Business Development

• Support work-winning activity in the region, identifying opportunities and leading bids.
• Collaborate with other AECOM teams to secure and deliver multi-disciplinary commissions.
• Contribute to innovation and thought leadership, helping to grow AECOM’s presence in the regional transport market.

Team Development

• Mentor and support colleagues at all levels, fostering technical excellence and knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to staff development, resourcing and succession planning within the Birmingham office and wider business.

Come grow with us.

We develop projects from concept through to operation providing engineering and construction services for multiyear, multimillion-dollar projects for major rail and transit agencies. Our specialists provide analytical and strategic expertise for every stage of a project

And let's not forget about the perks at AECOM. You'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customized to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Previous experience in transport planning
• Degree in Transport Planning, Geography, Civil Engineering, Economics, or a related subject.
• Chartered status or membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. CIHT, TPS, ICE.
• Strong track record of working within a multi-disciplinary projects and delivering to DfT and Treasury guidance.
• Sound commercial awareness and an ability to demonstrate proven management techniques including project and resource management.
• Adaptability to work on a wide range of transport planning projects, including Development Planning and Management / Spatial Planning projects.
• Experience in applying advanced analytical techniques and industry-standard tools to assess network performance and test scenarios.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present confidently at senior level.
• Evidence of client relationship management.

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives.

If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!