Lead Transport Planner - Senior Associate Director in Newcastle upon Tyne

Market Cities & Places At Jacobs, we are challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

An exciting leadership opportunity to shape the future of transport planning in the North East in Jacobs! We are seeking an experienced and passionate individual to lead our Transport Planning Team in Newcastle and play a key role in driving business development. This is an exciting opportunity to provide clear leadership and vision for a team of 22 professionals, ranging from apprentices and graduates to director level, who support a varied client base and contribute to projects locally, nationally, and internationally.

You will bring strong leadership and strategic vision to the Newcastle Transport Planning team, guiding its growth and ensuring alignment with business objectives. Your ability to inspire and develop talent will create a high-performing team that delivers exceptional results. By leveraging your expertise in transport planning and client relationship management, you will strengthen existing partnerships and open doors to new opportunities, driving business development and securing innovative projects.

Your operational oversight will ensure efficient resourcing, recruitment, and progression, while your collaborative approach will connect local efforts with national and international initiatives. Ultimately, you will add significant value by shaping sustainable transport solutions, influencing policy, and positioning the team as a trusted partner for clients across the UK and beyond.

About the Team: Our Newcastle Transport Planning team delivers a wide range of services, including:

• Spatial planning
• Traffic modelling
• Business case development
• Economic appraisal
• Active travel and public transport strategies
• Traffic engineering
• Policy and strategy formation

We work with clients such as Durham County Council, North Tyneside Council, NECA, TVCA, and many others across the UK and overseas. With a strong pipeline of work and innovative projects, this is a fantastic opportunity to make your mark.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Significant experience in transport planning with a proven track record in leadership roles.
• Strong technical background and ability to line manage senior professionals.
• Excellent business development skills and track record of client management.
• Clear ambition and vision to lead and grow a technical team, drawing on the local team for support as needed.
• Excellent communication and people management skills.
• Strong connections to the (local) transport community.

Our colleagues enjoy project diversity and global reach within a collaborative and innovative work environment as well as opportunities for professional growth and development. We are committed to sustainability and cutting-edge technologies that will enhance your skills whilst also offering a competitive compensation and benefits package including:

• Up to 10% pension
• 24 days (+10 days bought) holidays
• Free medical and income protection insurance and many more

If you are ready for a new and exciting change - apply below!

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place.

No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation.

We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process, please contact the team.