Group Engineer Highways Contracts (Design)

Job title: Group Engineer Highways Contracts (Design)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37

About Us
Leeds City Council is the second largest metropolitan local authority in the UK, serving a population of over 800,000. We are values-led with a clear ambition to be the best city council in the UK.

Leeds is a city with high levels of economic and housing growth and we have an important role to play in supporting the growth of the city and protecting the people, properties and infrastructure.

There is strong and clear political leadership in Leeds City Council that is fully focused on realizing the further potential for the city to grow in an inclusive way, meeting the challenges of the climate change emergency and leading wider partnership work across the Leeds City Region and Northern Powerhouse.

In recent years we have successfully delivered, alongside both internal and external partners, an annual highways maintenance programme of c. £28M. We have a proven track record in highway inspections and successfully defending claims.

About the position

Due to the previous post holder’s promotion, we have a rewarding opportunity for an appropriate professional, working with other teams across Highways and Transportation and the wider Council.

This is a senior role which offers a diverse and challenging workload. You will manage a group of professional and technical design staff to ensure that the design, delivery, review, and management of all aspects of the highways works and the engagement and supervision of internal and external partners, is undertaken in line with statutory obligations, council policies, standards, and specifications. In addition, you will support, advise and assess the work of others both within the council and external parties, including consultants and contractors to ensure we deliver the best possible Highways Asset Management design service.

To achieve this, you will:

• Work closely with other experienced professionals within Highways and Transportation and other key partners.
• Lead, support and advise colleagues within the design team.
• Help to shape the team and provide a modern outlook to the Highways Contracts Team.

The post is hybrid working with a base at Merrion House in Leeds City Centre with many staff also working from home, as demand allows. It is full time (37 hours a week) with flexible working hours.

To apply

If you have the skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications required for this role and want to work for a great organisation, please apply before 23:59 on 25/03/2025. In your application, you must demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria, and where possible the desirable criteria.

Travel throughout the district is an essential part of this job and you must either hold a current drivers licence or be able to travel around Leeds effectively.

For further information or to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please contact James Cockburn, Principal Engineer Highways Contracts by email or telephone on 0113 378 7409.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

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, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria.

Job Description

Job Purpose

To manage a group of staff within a team of professional and technical staff undertaking the design and delivery of highway works and the engagement and supervision of internal and external suppliers.

Responsibilities for Grade

• Manage a group of staff together with the management, coordination and procurement of contractors and consultants engaged in the management and maintenance of highways infrastructure.
• Provide a high quality highways design service to deliver cost effective maintenance of highways infrastructure and highway related projects.
• Develop programmes, design and manage cost effective planned and reactive maintenance of highways infrastructure assets by internal and external suppliers.
• Manage the cost effective performance of internal and external suppliers.
• Manage design budgets and take responsibility for assigned budgets and agreeing contractual payments.
• Support and assist in the development of policies which support efficient service delivery, continuous improvement and corporate objectives.
• Implement and monitor cost effective digital solutions for the management and maintenance of highways assets.
• Support the development of business cases for maintenance funding for highways infrastructure to internal and external bodies.
• Provide expert guidance to other sections on highway design and maintenance techniques particularly in relation to sustainable maintenance of major projects.
• Manage a defined activity or a small range of the Department’s activities to ensure the delivery of best value services to customers, to meet the objectives of the Council’s Corporate Plan and comply with Government Standards.
• Motivate, develop and coach staff within your area of the directorate to achieve Corporate Plan, Service Plan and Divisional Plan objectives.
• Undertake and manage the delivery of specified elements of the Divisional Plan, Service Plan and Corporate Plan in relation to a defined activity or small range of activities, in order to meet targets and achieve improvements.
• Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement areas, focusing on equality of outcome.
• Actively support continuous improvement initiatives through contributing to cross Council schemes and supporting the Service Management Team.
• Within a small service area or number of areas, to take responsibility for maintaining effective communications with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with Council good practice and with regard to implementing e-government objectives.
• Work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government.
• 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.
• Be accountable for the safety of staff, service users and contractors in accordance with Legislation and the Council Health and Safety Policy.
• Provide appropriate advice relating to the work of the Directorate to Members and council officers so as to manage risk and support them in their respective roles.
• Represent the Service, the Department and the Council as a Senior Officer for matters relating to maintenance of highways infrastructure and other related areas of work.
• Ensure projects are delivered in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Construction Design Management Regulations.
• Ensure the work of the team is produced in accordance with legislation and to the appropriate local, national and corporate standards, policies and practices.
• Assist in the development of partnership working.
• Support the development of staff within the team following the current staff development and appraisal procedures.

Qualifications

Incorporated Engineer or extensive equivalent appropriate experience, preferably in a local authority highways design and/or maintenance sector.

Essential requirements

• Ability to interpret corporate vision and values and put into practice through agreed policies and strategies.
• Ability to manage and monitor performance effectively and set clear objectives for the review of individual and service level performance.
• Ability to coach and mentor staff and other managers effectively to develop a culture of high performance.
• Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of schemes and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Ability to make an effective contribution to internal and external meetings.
• Ability to develop productive working relationships that command respect, trust and confidence.
• Ability to resolve conflict.
• Ability to develop and contribute to partnerships involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability of working credibly and collaboratively across services and with partners to deliver excellent services and outcomes.
• Ability to produce comprehensive reports, assist in developing business cases and to deliver presentations to a diverse audience.
• Ability to negotiate effectively with professionals from developers and partner organisations.
• Computer skills, including familiarity with standard office software applications.
• Understand and promote policy on equal opportunities and diversity in both service delivery and employment.
• Knowledge of asset management, highway engineering design and maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of health and safety in relation to highway works, highway operations and risk assessment.
• Knowledge of CDM legislation.
• Knowledge of street works legislation.
• Knowledge of legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information applicable to the service area.
• Knowledge of procurement procedures and management of contractual relationships.
• Extensive equivalent appropriate experience of a service or operational area relevant to the service area.
• Experience of managing services to meet customer needs.
• Experience of managing external suppliers to deliver cost effective, high quality workmanship, on-time.
• Understanding of local government and experience of achieving results in a politically sensitive context.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

• 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 equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies 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

• Ability to contribute to change programmes, improve service quality and support a culture that drives up standards and performance.
• Ability to take forward initiatives and policies from development to implementation.
• An understanding of and commitment to sustainability in service delivery.
• An understanding of service delivery issues.
• Experience of the public sector and its relationship with the private and third sectors.

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