Job title: Transport Planner
Salary: PO2 £39,862 - £42,839
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Location: Leeds – Merrion House / hybrid working
Are you passionate about sustainable transport and active travel? Are you wanting to progress your career in transport planning? If so, come and join Leeds City Council’s Transport Strategy service where you will be able to make a real difference to achieving our vision to make Leeds a city where you don’t need a car.
About you
As our next Transport Planner, you will have at least 3-5 years’ experience working in the transport planning (or related) industry, and will bring to the role:
- A passion for active travel
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- An ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, with stakeholders and across disciplines
- An ability to take responsibility for tasks and workstreams under supervision
- An appetite to develop your transport planning expertise further
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About the role
As our next Transport Planner, you will play a key role in supporting the successful delivery a range of transport planning projects, with a particular focus on active travel and accessibility. You will use your knowledge, expertise and skills to support the delivery of our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and capital programme of active travel schemes across the city.
The role is integral to our in our Active Travel and Accessibility team which identifies the pipeline of active travel improvements required in Leeds, takes active travel schemes forward for delivery and facilitates improvements to help residents who need improved access in Leeds.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities – including support on the Transport Planning Society’s Professional Development Scheme (PDS) / CTPP qualifications.
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact:
Leanne Farrow, Principal Transport Planner. Call 0113 5351080 or email Leanne.Farrow@leeds.gov.uk.
David O’Donoghue, Transport Planning Manager. Call 01133787500 or email David.ODonoghue@leeds.gov.uk.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose
As a member of our Transport Strategy service and the Active Travel and Accessibility team, the post holder will play a key role in supporting the successful delivery a range of transport planning projects, with a particular focus on active travel and accessibility.
The post holder will support the Principal Transport Planner, the Team Leader and relevant Project Managers in the preparation and implementation of transport policies and initiatives relating to sustainable transport including cycling, walking, access and mobility. The post holder will take specific individual responsibility for elements of the project portfolio including the development, programming and monitoring of the active travel infrastructure programme.
Responsibilities
- Support the development and implementation of policies and projects which promote sustainable transport.
- Provide technical consultation, interpretation and advice to the department and other bodies relative to current active travel legislation and guidance concerning the highway.
- To co-ordinate and support engineering staff engaged in the design and implementation of sustainable transport, access and mobility schemes.
- To develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external customers and other stakeholders to achieve corporate objectives and to maintain a position of service provider of first choice.
- Prepare presentations and organise events as appropriate within and external to the Authority, in particular with regard to issues of active travel.
- Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement areas, focussing on equality of outcome.
- Promote, demonstrate and evidence the Council’s values and expected behaviours through your own role and through the work of the service.
- Manage all active travel KPIs relating to infrastructure.
- To prepare specifications, project briefs for transportation and feasibility studies and other transport initiatives.
- Prepare reports and responses to letters and enquiries.
- To assist in scheme appraisal and evaluation including the development of business cases, funding bids and project proposals.
- To assist in the management and delivery of sustainable transport infrastructure investment plans, leading on the agreed active travel priorities within the programme.
- To undertake any other transport planning duties within the Service Area as workloads and priorities demand at a level appropriate to the grade of the post.
- To manage a defined activity or a small range of the Department's activities to ensure delivery of Best Value services to customers, to meet the objectives of the Council's Corporate Plan and comply with Government Standards.
- To actively support continuous improvement initiatives through contributing to cross Council projects and supporting the Service Management Team.
- To work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, responsive and accountable government.
Qualifications
A degree or equivalent level qualification in a relevant field. A post graduate qualification in transport planning or an accredited professional qualification in a field of relevance to the post is desirable but not essential.
Candidates with alternative further education qualifications who are able to demonstrate a number of years practical experience of direct relevance to the post will be considered.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
Skills Required
- Ability to help change programmes, improve service quality and support culture that drives up standards and performance.
- Able to write reports and correspondence and prepare presentations.
- Ability to communicate clearly and succinctly both in writing and verbally, at the appropriate level.
- Establish and maintain good working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of tasks and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
- Ability to read and interpret plans, maps, technical documents and prepare simple plans.
- Must be computer literate as regards to the internet and software packages, i.e. Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
- Ability to interpret and put into practice corporate visions and values, guidance and best practice.
- An ability to analyse and find innovative solutions to problems.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, and on their own with minimum supervision
Knowledge Required
- Knowledge of the latest developments in local transport policy and planning relating to the areas of responsibility.
- Knowledge and understanding of planning and design to meet the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, and disabled people regardless of their mode of travel, including the importance of networks.
- Knowledge of the principles of highways and traffic engineering, including LTN 1/20.
- Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for active travel schemes both in terms of funding, competing demands and design constraints.
Experience Required
- Demonstrable experience in an environmental, transport planning or similar role relevant to the duties of this post.
- Evidence of planning and organising your own workload to meet deadlines and working with minimum supervision as part of a small team.
- Experience overseeing tasks and activities that match your ability and expertise.
- Experience of managing projects, using project management techniques and reporting recommendations.
- Experience of consultation and techniques for securing public and individual participation in the development and implementation of policies and projects.
- Experience of working effectively with others to deliver multi-disciplinary projects and secure wide-ranging support for a scheme.
- Experience of influencing a design or highway scheme that meets the needs of active travel users.
- Experience in the detailed development and implementation of schemes to support and promote walking, wheeling and cycling.
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills
- Ability to develop productive working relationships that command respect, trust and confidence.
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.
Skills Required
- Ability to use software packages such as AutoCAD and GIS to help with the development of network and design or schemes.
Knowledge Required
- Knowledge of the planning process in relation to the duties of the post.
- Knowledge and understanding of the legislation and guidance relating to planning for access and mobility to meet the needs of disabled people.
- Knowledge of monitoring techniques and procedures for transport schemes and initiatives.
- Knowledge of active travel appraisal techniques.
- Membership of a relevant professional institution.
Experience Required
- Understanding of local government and experience of achieving results in a politically sensitive context.
- Experience of working within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) Assurance Process.
- Experience in local transport policy appraisal and business case development.
- Experience in the development and delivery of policies to support cyclists and pedestrians and ideally including transport users with mobility issues.
- Experience in line management
Behavioural & other Characteristics required
- Ability to provide constructive problem solving and conflict resolution
