Engineer Highways Licensing

Join to apply for the Engineer Highways Licensing role at Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Keep our streets safe, accessible and well‑managed by coordinating essential works across our borough. As an Engineer, Highways Licensing, you’ll play a vital role in protecting and maintaining Kensington and Chelsea’s public roads. From vehicle crossovers and scaffolding to street works and events, you’ll ensure everything that happens on our highways meets the highest standards of safety, quality and compliance. This is a hands‑on role where your work will have a visible impact on daily life in the borough.

Working Style

You’ll be based in the Borough for 4 days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. Whether you’re working on the frontline or behind the scenes, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll be at the centre of how we manage and protect the borough’s public realm, coordinating and approving minor highway works through the licensing process. Everyday duties include reviewing applications, liaising with residents and developers, inspecting sites and ensuring works are carried out safely and efficiently. A key part of your role will be managing the full process for vehicle crossovers, temporary structures (such as scaffolding and hoarding) and Section 50 street works. You’ll provide cost estimates, plan works with term contractors and confirm completion to a high standard – ensuring full compliance with the Traffic Signs Manual, the Safety at Street Works and Road Works and relevant Health and Safety legislation. You’ll regularly be out on site across the borough, carrying out inspections before, during and after works to ensure the highway is properly protected. Using the Council’s asset management system, Confirm, you’ll raise works orders, prepare bills of quantities and maintain accurate, detailed records. Collaboration is key. You’ll work closely with internal teams such as Planning, Parking and Events, ensuring all activities on the highway are properly coordinated. You’ll also respond promptly to queries from residents and councillors, providing clear, professional advice. Beyond your day‑to‑day work, you’ll contribute to continuous service improvements – refining processes, supporting construction traffic management plans (CTMPs) and helping develop smarter ways of working that make our streets safer and more efficient.

What you’ll bring

You’ll combine solid technical expertise with a commitment to great public service. You’ll have an ONC or equivalent qualification in Civil Engineering or extensive experience in highways engineering that demonstrates your capability. With at least five years’ experience working with contractors and developers in a highways or street works environment, you’ll have an excellent grasp of key legislation – including the Highways Act, NRSWA and safety standards like Chapter 8 and the Red Book. You’ll be confident inspecting sites, managing multiple projects and working under pressure while maintaining accuracy and composure. A full UK driving licence is essential, as site visits will be a regular part of your role. You’ll also need excellent communication and organisational skills. You’ll be dealing with a wide range of people – from residents and councillors to contractors and developers – so your ability to explain complex issues clearly and diplomatically will be key. Proficiency with Microsoft Office is required and experience with Confirm is an advantage.

Why join us

At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future. You’ll join a supportive and experienced Network Management Team, working at the heart of a service that keeps the borough running safely and smoothly. Every day, you’ll see the results of your work reflected on our streets – from well‑managed developments to safer, cleaner spaces for residents and visitors. This role offers variety, responsibility and a direct link to the community. You’ll be encouraged to grow your skills through professional development and qualifications, with opportunities to progress within our transport and highways services. You’ll have access to a Council vehicle for site visits, and you’ll work in an environment that values initiative, teamwork and quality. We take pride in our work – and in helping our staff do theirs to the best of their ability.

About Us

Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough. As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.

Interview Details

Face to face interviews week commencing 08/12/2025.

Ready to join us

If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants. We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible. We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices. New hires will normally start at the minimum of the pay scale. However, a higher starting salary may be negotiated where a candidate demonstrates exceptional skills, knowledge, or experience. Employees receive annual salary increments until they reach the top of the pay scale, as well as any agreed cost of living pay awards.