Transport Planning Director

SLR is seeking a high calibre individual to lead and grow our Transport Planning team in Leeds. SLR is an environmental consultancy with a team specialising in transport planning. We have a vision to deliver a valuable and lasting contribution to society through the way people connect, move and interact. We are proud to be making a positive contribution, driving decarbonisation and changing mind-sets about travel behaviour. Our dedicated research and innovation arm ensures we are at the forefront of mobility solutions for sustainable development.

Led by a highly experienced and dedicated management team, our team of social scientists, transport planners and climate specialists have a wealth of experience assisting in developing science-based and net zero carbon reduction targets. SLR already has a strong and vibrant presence in the Midlands and the North of England across transport planning, environmental and engineering disciplines, with offices in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds. Our offer has recently been bolstered by the merger with Wardell Armstrong who provide core disciplines of planning, environmental and engineering from their various offices in the region.

The role

We will look to you to lead and grow our transport planning capability in Leeds, working as part of the national leadership team for the Transport and Mobility Planning technical discipline. You will work with Directors and Associate Directors in our Midlands and Northern offices, developing strategies to grow our business in these areas. You will be given autonomy to fulfil this role whilst benefiting from extensive support from the SLR senior team nationally.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• To work closely together with the national leadership team to grow the team in the Midlands and North of England.
• To generate new business from an existing and future client base.
• To develop a culture that places emphasis on the health, safety and wellbeing of our team.
• To develop and manage client relationships to secure and deliver project work.
• To recruit into and grow the transport planning team in the Leeds office.
• To provide expert transport planning advice to clients to fulfil their land use development objectives.
• To manage and deliver complex development projects, ranging from feasibility studies, promotion of development, including through the local plan process, assisting with planning applications and negotiation to successful resolution, dealing with appeals and public inquiry as necessary.
• To negotiate fee proposals and manage the financial aspect of projects.
• To raise awareness within the team of our responsibilities under CDM guidance.
• To mentor and assist the career development of colleagues within your team.
• To be at the forefront of continued professional development on technical, policy and legal matters related to planning and transport.
• To seek to add value to all projects.

SLR are global leaders in Sustainability Solutions, helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. We are a consultancy with 4000+ employees across 6 regions in over 125 countries. Our ‘one team’ culture is at the heart of our business, providing a collaborative and supportive environment for professional development. Along with competitive salaries, our staff enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with a company pension plus excellent healthcare offering, travel and life insurance and a structured career framework with regular reviews offering outstanding opportunities for progression. Alongside 25 days annual leave, with additional flexible bank holidays, we offer flexible, agile and hybrid working which enables staff to tailor hours worked around core hours, with family friendly policies help balance the needs of professional and home life.

About you

You will need to be a commercially minded highly skilled and experienced transport planner with work winning ability and a track record of leading teams, whilst working with key clients and other built environment disciplines. Ideally you will have:

• Excellent interpersonal skills to develop working relationships with colleagues, clients, stakeholders and co consultants.
• Knowledge of financial management at the project level and wider level.
• Experience in delivering team budgets within the Transport Planning sector.
• Excellent client contacts especially within the private sector.
• Track record of winning project work.
• Extensive experience of working within the development industry, across a range of land use types. Candidates with Public Sector and/or DCO experience will also be considered.
• A high level of knowledge of the planning, policy and legal frameworks to secure client development objectives.
• A high degree of technical ability in sustainable development transport strategies, understanding transport modelling, and delivering commercially viable transport strategies for development.
• A high degree of knowledge on transport matters and innovations within the sector.
• First class communication, leadership and management skills.

Culture & Inclusion at SLR

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer, and our expectations go beyond purely complying with legislation. Through our Regional C&I Committees, Global Council and Employee Networks, we foster an inclusive environment where all people regardless of their background can thrive. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of their background, including those from groups that are currently under-represented at SLR, such as people identifying as 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous peoples, ethnic minority groups, women, and people with visible or invisible disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent. Should you require any special adjustments throughout the recruitment process with us, please let us know. As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we seek to ensure all applicants have equitable support when applying to SLR. SLR Commitment – All applicants with a disability who meet the essential requirements for the job will be guaranteed an interview in line with our Disability Confident Committed status when applying to SLR.