Sustainable Travel Manager

West Northamptonshire Council; Northampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

West Northamptonshire Council is seeking an experienced Sustainable Travel Manager to lead a specialist team in developing and delivering transport policies and services that enhance residents’ lives. The post holder will provide strategic leadership and staff development while ensuring compliance with statutory responsibilities and driving innovative solutions.

The role involves overseeing the Enhanced Partnership Plan, funding bids, and planning advice, along with managing budgets across

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading teams and delivering policy-enabled transport projects.
• Experience with sustainable travel initiatives and public transport planning.
• Ability to manage budgets and secure funding for schemes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Sustainable Travel Team in developing and delivering transport policies and services.
• Provide strategic leadership and guidance on planning applications and guidance to partners.
• Oversee funding bids, ENCTS administration, and Section 106 contributions where applicable.
• Drive innovation and service improvement across public transport and active travel initiatives.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Policy development

Stakeholder management

Transport planning

Sustainable travel

Budget management

Analytical thinking

Job description

West Northamptonshire Council is looking for an experienced and passionate Sustainable Travel Manager to play a key role in developing and delivering transport solutions that improve the lives of our residents.

Our Highways and Transport Team provides essential statutory services used by communities across the county every day. We are responsible for maintaining a safe and efficient highway network, planning for the future of transport infrastructure, and supporting sustainable travel options, while balancing legislative requirements, budget considerations, and environmental priorities.

What will you be doing?

In this influential role, you will manage a specialist team responsible for developing and delivering policies, projects and services that support sustainable travel across the area. You will provide strategic leadership, technical expertise and staff development, ensuring the Council meets its statutory responsibilities while driving innovation and service improvement.

As the Council's lead officer for sustainable travel and public transport, you will oversee the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Plan with local bus operators and support successful funding bids. You will also provide expert guidance on planning applications and secure investment through Section 106 agreements to enhance transport infrastructure and services.

The post holder will be responsible for managing a range of budgets, including Council funding, external grants and developer contributions, ensuring that resources are used effectively to deliver high-quality public transport services, active travel initiatives and travel behaviour change programmes that benefit local communities.

You will oversee the administration of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), ensuring compliance with all regulations, the timely issue of concessionary passes and reimbursement of operators, as well as the publication of the Council's annual statutory scheme.

Working strategically with internal and external partners, you will lead the development of bus services, transport infrastructure and sustainable travel initiatives. This includes shaping and delivering programmes such as Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), identifying opportunities for investment and securing funding for projects that encourage healthier, greener and more sustainable travel choices.

To be successful in this role, you will bring extensive knowledge of sustainable travel practice and the bus industry, with a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing public transport services. You will have expert knowledge of the legislative and regulatory framework governing the sector, with the ability to apply this knowledge to policy development, service improvement and partnership working.

You will also have a good understanding of the planning system and relevant planning legislation, enabling you to assess transport implications of development proposals, contribute to planning consultations and secure sustainable transport improvements through the planning process. Strong analytical, stakeholder management and strategic planning skills will enable you to work effectively with bus operators, developers, elected members and partner organisations to deliver positive outcomes for residents and communities.

At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.