Senior Strategic Transport Planner in Ipswich

Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX, hybrid working

Salary: £40,777 - £47,054 per annum (pro rata for part time)

Hours: 37 hours per week with flexible working options available

Contract: Permanent

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Suffolk County Council. We're looking for a creative and driven Senior Strategic Transport Planner to help us reimagine travel and transport services. If you’re passionate about finding new solutions and making a real difference, we want to hear from you. Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

The way we travel shapes the urban and natural environments in which we live and go about our daily lives, and you’ll help to create better places and a strong, sustainable and fairer economy by improving the mobility network. As a Senior Strategic Transport Planner, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transport across Suffolk, bringing strategic insight and a proven ability to tackle complex, unstructured challenges. Your work will help everyone travelling around Suffolk to visit family and friends and get to places of fun and interest, and of course education and work. Working closely with the Principal Strategic Transport Planner, you will lead the development and delivery of key transport policies and the Suffolk Local Transport Plan, ensuring our approach supports inclusive growth and aligns with the council’s economic, environmental and social ambitions. You will collaborate across directorates and with a wide range of stakeholders, including councillors and local partners, to drive forward sustainable growth and coordinated transport solutions. Your work will involve developing forward-thinking strategies such as decarbonisation, rural mobility and behaviour change, while keeping pace with emerging legislation, guidance and funding opportunities. You will also take a lead role in managing projects, assessing complex transport issues, and delivering practical, place-based solutions, overseeing budgets and ensuring successful implementation of schemes that make a real difference to communities across Suffolk.

You will need

• We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic, motivated, and eager to find ways to make it easier for Suffolk’s communities to move around whilst developing their career in transport planning and management.
• A genuine interest in integrated mobility services and highways management.
• A high-level understanding of relevant policy, highway design and construction standards.
• Strong communication skills, with the confidence to speak to a variety of audiences and to build positive relationships with communities, colleagues, and transport service providers.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage your own workload effectively.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
• The ability to work independently while also being a supportive team player.

It would be great if you also have:

• Knowledge of transport legislation and guidance such as the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Better Connected: a strategy for integrated transport.
• Experience in transport planning or shared or passenger transport services.
• Familiarity with data analysis and interpretation, and transport- and/or agent-based modelling.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert. If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

You’ll be joining the Strategic Transport and Policy Team which forms part of the Transport Strategy service within the Growth, Highways and Infrastructure Directorate. Transport Strategy helps to deliver inclusive growth as it applies to transport planning and management. Our team is proud to develop transport strategy and policy and oversee its implementation. We investigate innovative ways of catering for wide-ranging travel demand and support our Transport Strategy colleagues and councillors in the delivery of capital funded integrated transport schemes and initiatives that improve road safety and achieve travel-behaviour changes. We’re brought together by a shared commitment to:

• Work collaboratively and support each other as one team.
• Deliver high-quality work that makes a real difference to the communities we serve.
• Act with professionalism, integrity, and respect in everything we do.

This is a team where you’ll be supported to learn, grow, and develop your career. You’ll gain hands-on experience, build strong relationships, and can make a meaningful impact every day. Our work is a mix of site-based and office-based activity, giving you the opportunity to come together as part of a cohesive team, working towards shared goals and making a positive impact. Whether you’re knowledge building through research or collaborating with colleagues in the office to deliver policy objectives, you’ll always feel part of a supportive and motivated team.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Luke Barber (he/him) for a casual conversation. You can reach him by emailing luke.barber@suffolk.gov.uk.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word). Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application. Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).

• Tell us about a time when you led or contributed to the development and implementation of a complex transport or infrastructure strategy. What was your approach and what was the outcome?
• Give an example of when you have analysed complex data or competing priorities to inform a decision on transport or highway planning. What factors did you consider and what decision did you make?
• Tell us about a time when you had to present complex technical information to a non-technical audience such as councillors or community representatives. How did you ensure it was understood?
• Tell us about a time when you managed multiple priorities or projects simultaneously. How did you organise your workload and ensure deadlines were met?

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details). Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 19 July 2026

Interview date: Monday 27 and 28 July 2026

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.