Team Manager - Highways Planning Liaison

Derbyshire County Council; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous Local Government Pension

Annual leave

Learning and development opportunities

Employee wellbeing support

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council is seeking an experienced transport planning professional to lead the Highway Planning Liaison Team. You will oversee the County Council’s statutory highway consultee function, guiding advice on housing developments to major infrastructure schemes across Derbyshire.

You’ll manage a specialist officer team, shape planning outcomes, and engage with planning authorities, developers and elected members.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in highway development management and transport planning.
• Ability to lead a professional technical team and manage resources.
• Strong knowledge of statutory planning system and policy implications.
• Experience assessing complex development proposals and preparing advisory reports.
• Experience representing an organisation at planning committees, appeals or inquiries.
• Proven leadership, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Degree or equivalent professional experience in transport planning, highways or related discipline; membership of a professional institution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Highway Planning Liaison Team and oversee the council's statutory highway consultee function.
• Provide expert advice on planning applications from housing developments to major infrastructure.
• Manage performance, resources and continuous improvement within the service.
• Support planning appeals/inquiries and represent the Council in professional discussions with stakeholders.

Skills

Highway development management

Transport planning

Team leadership

Planning legislation knowledge

Complex development proposals

Representing at committees/appeals

Resource management

Negotiation

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in transport planning, civil engineering or related

Professional membership/ Chartered status

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.

• 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: Midnight on Sunday 22nd November 2026

Provisional Interview Date: Week Commencing 30th November 2026

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, butthis role does not offer visa sponsorship. Please applyonly 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.