Team Manager - Highways Planning Liaison

Derbyshire County Council; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Pension scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council is seeking an experienced transport planning professional to lead the Highway Planning Liaison Team. You will guide expert advice on planning applications, from housing developments to major schemes, and collaborate with planning authorities, developers and elected members to shape future transport infrastructure.

The role manages performance, resources, and continuous improvement, and supports complex proposals at hearings and inquiries.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in highway development management, transport planning, including managing or leading a professional technical team.
• Comprehensive knowledge of statutory planning system, relevant highway and planning legislation, local policy, and transport implications of new development.
• Experience assessing complex development proposals, interpreting transport evidence, and producing clear professional reports.
• Experience representing an organisation at planning committees, appeals, public inquiries or other formal proceedings.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience in resource planning, performance, and delivering improvements.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and partnership working skills with developers and planning authorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Highway Planning Liaison Team and oversee the statutory highway consultee function.
• Provide expert advice on planning applications from housing developments to major infrastructure schemes.
• Represent the Council in planning committees, inquiries, and stakeholder discussions.
• Manage service performance, resources, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Promote consistency and quality of advice across the planning process.

Skills

Transport planning

Highway development

Leadership & management

Negotiation & communication

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Education

Transport planning degree

Professional institution membership

Job description

We're looking for an experienced transport planning professional to lead our Highway Planning Liaison Team. This is a varied and influential role overseeing the County Council's statutory highway consultee function, where you'll lead a team of specialist officers, providing expert advice on planning applications ranging from housing developments to major infrastructure schemes across Derbyshire. As part of a busy and dynamic service, the team provides advice on over 4,500 planning applications and pre-application consultations annually, playing a key role in shaping future development and infrastructure. Working closely with local planning authorities, developers, elected members and colleagues across the council, you'll help ensure new development addresses highway safety, accessibility, sustainable travel and impacts on the local transport network. You'll also manage service performance, resources, and support continuous improvement, and promote the quality and consistency of the team's advice. The role includes providing expert guidance on complex and high profile proposals, supporting planning appeals and inquiries, and representing the Council in professional and stakeholder discussions., This role currently offers hybrid working options which will be subject to service needs, there'll be an opportunity to discuss working arrangements for this position at interview.

Important: Derbyshire County Council holds a sponsorship licence, but this role does not offer visa sponsorship . Please apply only if you already have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship , as applications that do not meet this requirement will be rejected.

We welcome applications from individuals who share our values - being Collaborative, Innovative, Empowered and Accountable. These values describe who we are and what we stand for as a council. They help shape our culture, encourage consistent behaviour and guide how we work together to make a positive difference for both our employees and the residents we serve.

• Substantial experience in highway development management, transport planning, including managing or leading a professional technical team.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the statutory planning system, relevant highway and planning legislation, national and local policy, and the transport implications of new development.
• Significant experience of assessing complex development proposals, interpreting technical transport evidence and preparing clear, authoritative professional advice and reports.
• Experience of representing an organisation at planning committees, appeals, public inquiries or other formal proceedings, with the ability to communicate and defend technical advice.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with demonstrable experience of managing resources, competing priorities, service performance and delivering measurable improvements.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and partnership working skills, including experience of engaging with developers, planning authorities, elected members and senior stakeholders.
• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in transport planning, civil engineering, highways or a related discipline, alongside membership of, or commitment to professional development through, an appropriate professional institution.

A senior leadership role with the opportunity to influence development across one of England's most diverse counties.

Interesting and varied projects, from strategic housing developments to major infrastructure schemes.

A supportive and collaborative working environment.

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Generous local government pension scheme.
• A comprehensive benefits package including annual leave, learning and development opportunities, and employee wellbeing support.

If you're passionate about transport planning, enjoy working in a collaborative environment and are looking for an opportunity to influence major developments across Derbyshire, we'd love to hear from you!

Closing Date