At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the assessment and delivery of highway works for new developments.
- Company: Join West Northamptonshire Council, a place where careers thrive.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainable infrastructure in your community.
- Qualifications: Experience in highways development management and strong technical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 49587 - 52860 £ per year.
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Highways Engineer to join our Highways Development Management team at West Northamptonshire Council. This is a senior role leading on the assessment, negotiation, and delivery of highway works linked to new developments, with a strong focus on Section 38 and Section 278 agreements, design reviews, and the adoption of new infrastructure into the public highway network.
Knowledge of the planning process would be highly beneficial, as there may be a need to assist colleagues in responding to planning applications from a highways perspective. This could include reviewing transport assessments, travel plans, and layout designs, providing technical advice, and working with developers to help secure suitable mitigation and infrastructure improvements.
You will take highway agreements through the full lifecycle - from pre-application advice and technical review of designs, through to approval, construction oversight, inspection, and final adoption. This will involve scrutinising detailed submissions to ensure they meet required standards, protecting the council’s interests and ensuring long-term maintainable assets for the public.
As a senior member of the team, you will also provide expert technical advice on complex or high-profile schemes, lead negotiations with developers and consultants, and mentor junior engineers. Collaboration across planning, legal, and highways colleagues will be central to your success in ensuring that growth in West Northamptonshire delivers safe, high-quality, and sustainable highway infrastructure.
What will you be doing?
- Lead on the technical review and approval of Section 38 and Section 278 agreements, guiding schemes through design, construction, inspection, and adoption into the public highway.
- Carry out detailed design reviews to ensure proposed layouts and works meet both local and national standards, protecting the council’s interests and securing long-term, maintainable assets.
- Work closely with developers, consultants, contractors, and planning colleagues to negotiate suitable solutions and mitigation measures that support growth and protect the highway network.
- Provide expert technical advice on more complex or high-profile schemes and assist colleagues in responding to planning applications where highways input is required.
- Mentor and support junior engineers, sharing your expertise and helping to build capability within the team.
About You
You will be a skilled and motivated highways professional with strong technical expertise and a passion for delivering high-quality infrastructure. Ideally, you will bring significant experience in highways development management, highway agreements (S38/S278), design reviews, and the adoption process, along with the confidence to lead on complex schemes.
We Are Looking For Someone Who Can
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of highways engineering principles, standards, and design guidance.
- Manage and progress highway agreements through the full lifecycle - from initial negotiation and technical approval to inspection and adoption.
- Provide clear, pragmatic technical advice on development proposals and infrastructure design.
- Build effective relationships with developers, consultants, contractors, and internal colleagues, negotiating positive outcomes for the council and community.
- Communicate confidently and professionally, both in writing and verbally.
- Mentor and support junior colleagues, helping to develop the wider team’s skills and capability.
Knowledge of the planning process would be beneficial, as you may be required to assist in providing highways input into planning applications and related discussions. This role is suited to someone who is proactive, organised, and solutions-focused, with the ability to balance technical detail with the bigger picture of supporting sustainable growth across West Northamptonshire.
Our benefits
You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site.
About Us
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people. Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality.
Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximise their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.
West Northants Council, where careers thrive.
Salary £49,587 - £52,860
Salary Frequency Annual
Working Hours 37
Job Reference Ref/53/9133
Contract Type Full Time
Closing Date 13 September, 2026
Job Category Highways and Transportation
Location Northampton, United Kingdom
Job Posted Date 13 August, 2026
Principal Adoptions Engineer in Northampton employer: The Guildhall Northampton
West Northamptonshire Council is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values collaboration and professional growth. As a Licensing Enforcement Officer, you will benefit from competitive salary packages, ongoing training opportunities, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in your community through effective regulation and enforcement of licensing laws.
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