Spatial Planner Manager

National Highways; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

National Highways seeks a Spatial Planning Manager in the East of England to lead a team shaping development plans and transport strategies that align with the Strategic Road Network. Based at an East of England office in Bedford, Cambridge or Ipswich on a hybrid basis, you will engage local authorities, manage regulatory duties, and oversee a specialist consultancy contract.

Travel to Birmingham may be required to share best practice and collaborate.

Qualifications

• Chartered Transport or Town Planner status or equivalent experience.
• Proven leadership experience and ability to direct and mentor teams.
• Knowledge of the Spatial Planning system in England and related duties.
• Understanding of infrastructure development and prioritisation for safe, world-class assets.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Spatial Planners and Assistant Spatial Planners.
• Shape development plans and transport strategies across the East of England.
• Oversee regulatory duties and manage internal and external delivery partners.
• Engage with local authorities and stakeholders to maximise value.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Communication

Education

Chartered Transport or Town Planner, or equivalent experience

Job description

Ready to shape the future of planning and transport on one of the world's most advanced road networks? As a Spatial Planning Manager at National Highways, you'll lead a team that ensures local development plans and transport strategies work seamlessly with the Strategic Road Network.

Whether your background is in town planning, transport planning, development management or consultancy, this is your chance to influence big decisions, drive continuous improvement, and leave a positive legacy for generations to come.

Based at one of our East of England offices in Bedford, Cambridge or Ipswich on a hybrid basis, you'll also spend plenty of time out and about - meeting external stakeholders, representing National Highways across the region, and occasionally travelling to our Head Office in Birmingham to collaborate and share best practice.

You will:

• Shape future development by managing National Highways' role in the spatial planning system across the East of England, making sure local authority and stakeholder plans consider the strategic road network.
• Be the go-to expert for the region, leading on statutory and regulatory duties while creating efficient processes and managing resources across both in-house teams and external consultants.
• Drive collaboration by managing our specialist spatial planning consultancy contract and ensuring we get the best value and expertise to support our ambitions.
• Lead and inspire a talented team of Spatial Planners and Assistant Spatial Planners, fostering a culture of high performance, recognising and developing potential, and promoting best practice in people management.

About you

• Chartered Transport or Town Planner, or demonstrates equivalent relevant experience.
• Awareness and knowledge of the Spatial Planning system in England and the duties and obligations of the parties involved.
• Proven track record in a leadership role and significant experience of managing a team.
• Proven practical understanding of the complex requirements of infrastructure development and the prioritisation of needs required to develop, manage and maintain a safe and efficient world-class asset.
• A clear communicator with proven negotiating and influencing skills, able to direct and motivate a diverse range of colleagues, stakeholders and customers.

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.

Operations is at the heart of keeping the strategic road network moving and ensuring our customers get the best possible experience when using our roads.

We address over 39,000 customer enquiries every month, plan and deliver all maintenance activities on the network, drive efficiencies and improvements across our systems and roads, and respond to incidents across 4,500 miles of motorways and major A-roads that we manage. All to make sure National Highways customers have safer, smoother, and more reliable journeys.

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.