At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead development planning projects and support clients in securing funding and approvals.
- Company: Join Arcadis, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering solutions.
- Benefits: Empowering work environment, career growth opportunities, and commitment to equality and inclusion.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with a focus on collaboration and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on infrastructure projects that shape communities and improve quality of life.
- Qualifications: Degree in transport planning or related field with proven experience in development planning.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.
Role description: We are recruiting a Technical Director specialising in Development and Transport Planning to help clients secure funding and approvals of infrastructure requirements. The role will support a small team that shapes robust, evidence‐led strategies that stand up to scrutiny, build stakeholder confidence, and accelerate decision‐making. Our work spans Home England, local and combined authorities, sub‐regional transport bodies and private developers. Experience in shaping New Towns and spatial development strategies would be preferential.
You will work closely with our wider placemaking offer (including business transformation, buildings, environment and local government) to bring integrated advice—linking transport, place, sustainability and deliverability into a single, coherent case for investment.
Role accountabilities: In this role, you will help clients make confident, transparent decisions by providing:
- Masterplanning input that integrates transport, land use and deliverability
- Planning application support to secure consent, with clear evidence and audit trails
- Public consultation support and expert witness services where required
- Local Plan evidence and advice to support sound, deliverable growth strategies
- Future mobility strategies that are deliverable, affordable and evidence‐led
- Support to secure funding and approvals, building stakeholder confidence in the evidence
- Create an environment and expectations for consistent high quality service delivery with a focus on exceeding client expectations and leads to repeat business
- To optimise use of Global Excellence Centres (GEC), based outside of the UK&I, and develop other methods of improving project margins and increasing efficiency of delivery
The team operates across the United Kingdom, with offices in the South East, Midlands, North and South West of England, as well as Wales and Scotland. You will provide direction to delivery teams and work with clients on existing and upcoming commissions. This is a strong opportunity to grow a client portfolio and help shape the wider Arcadis placemaking offer—working across internal specialist teams to bring the right capability to each client challenge.
You should be experienced in helping clients (public and private sector) to secure consent - providing clear, evidence‐led deliverables that stand up to scrutiny. You will lead client engagements end‐to‐end: shaping our support and delivering client excellence.
Educated to degree level (or above), preferably in transport planning or traffic engineering, with experience leading or working within a relevant business function within a multinational engineering or professional services firm or public sector organisation. You will be confident presenting to clients and stakeholders and able to communicate complex evidence clearly and concisely. You will bring a rounded transport planning skill set, together with strong experience in business case development and the practical application of economic appraisal tools and guidance.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Proven experience shaping a development planning business that meets governance and assurance expectations
- Ability to build trusted client relationships and act as a senior point of contact
- Experience leading delivery teams and managing programmes to time, cost and quality
- Strong technical assurance capability—reviewing and signing off key client deliverables
- Commitment to coaching and developing teams to deliver consistently high‐quality work
- Excellent report writing and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to different audiences
- Strong organisation and prioritisation skills across multiple client commissions and bids
Why Arcadis? We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together. You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy.
Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.
Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging: We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.
Technical Director - Development Planning Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom Transp[...] employer: Poutrix
Arcadis is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises sustainability and innovation in the heart of Manchester. With a commitment to employee growth through a skills-based approach, team members are empowered to shape their careers while contributing to meaningful projects that enhance quality of life. The inclusive environment fosters collaboration and diversity, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued, making it a truly rewarding place to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Director - Development Planning Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom Transp[...]
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how important it is to build relationships that could lead to job opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and understanding their projects. We recommend practising common interview questions and having your own questions ready to show your interest. This will help you stand out as a candidate who’s genuinely invested.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio or case studies of your previous work that highlight your skills in development planning and transport strategies. We believe this can really impress potential employers and give them a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Director - Development Planning Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom Transp[...]
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Technical Director role. Highlight your experience in development planning and transport, and show how your skills align with what we’re looking for at Arcadis.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of your successes. Whether it’s securing funding or leading a project, we want to see how you’ve made an impact in your previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate candidates who can communicate complex ideas simply and effectively.
Apply Through Our Website:Remember to submit your application directly through our official website. This ensures that your application is seen by the right people and helps us keep track of all submissions efficiently.
How to prepare for a job interview at Poutrix
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge related to development and transport planning. Familiarise yourself with the latest trends, regulations, and case studies that are relevant to the role. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also show your genuine interest in the field.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work that demonstrate your ability to lead teams, manage projects, and deliver high-quality results. Think about times when you successfully secured funding or approvals for infrastructure projects, as these experiences will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since the role involves building stakeholder confidence, be ready to discuss how you've effectively communicated complex information to different audiences. Share examples of how you've facilitated public consultations or worked with clients to ensure their needs were met.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the company's approach to placemaking and how they integrate transport, land use, and sustainability. This shows that you're not just interested in the job, but also in how you can contribute to the company's mission and values.
