National Highways

Job Title: Spatial Planning Manager
Location(s): Bedford
Hours/Contract: 37
Salary range: £48,155 - £55,379
Expiry date: 07/10/2021

Job Description:

Here at National Highways we are seeking a Spatial Planning Manager to join our East Operations team. We are pleased to offer this role based from our Bedford (Woodlands) office with travel across the East region, a flexible attitude to travel is a must.

Reporting to the Head of Planning and Development, you will join a key leadership team who are responsible for developing the region’s 5 to 10 year infrastructure investment programme and longer term strategic plans for the Strategic Road Network in the East.

As the Spatial Planning Manager you will set the strategic direction for spatial planning matters in the East and through effective leadership of a team of 4 Spatial Planners/Assistant Spatial Planners and an extended team of supply chain resources, you will ensure all enquiries and planning applications are appropriately managed, in line with statutory and regulatory duties, operational standards and service delivery manuals. You will work collaboratively with regional stakeholders to plan improvements to the network to support future economic growth and a safe operating network, in line with National Highway’s Strategic Business Plan and longer term economic, social and environmental goals.

What you’ll be leading on
• Ensuring the political, economic and social benefits of a proposed development would deliver outcomes that improve the customer experience, and act as the Region’s nominated representative for discharging the relevant statutory and regulatory duties, in line with agreed policies and guidelines and within defined service level agreements.
• Championing effective stakeholder liaison ensuring the impact and implications of inquiries, applications and proposals and fully explored and understood, and the benefits of planned outcomes contribute to the delivery of regional targets, enabling a measured and informed response to developer applications.
• Engage with Local Authorities on their Local Plan development and develop a strategic view of local growth and infrastructure priorities and how Road Investment Strategies and other funding sources can underpin these, engaging with our Strategy and Planning Directorate colleagues as these priorities emerge.
• Manage the region’s specialist spatial planning consultancy contract; perform, either directly or through nominated representatives, the necessary duties specified as per the terms of the contract in scope. This includes management of a regional studies programme to anticipate longer term needs.
• Work collaboratively within our regional leadership team in developing our understanding of our regional priorities and plans, providing technical input and advice, to maximise the benefits to meet the region’s customer, social, economic, safety and asset needs, whilst ensuring they are commercially viable and deliverable.
• Act as regional representative for spatial planning in contributing to the development of national improvement plans and lead on the implementation of these plans in region to ensure consistency of approach.

To be successful
• Chartered Town Planner (RTPI degree or higher) and/or extensive demonstrable experience
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of spatial planning and associated legislation including development management
• Proven track record in a leadership role and significant experience in managing a team
• Proven practical understanding of the complex requirements of infrastructure development programmes and the prioritisation of needs in order to develop, manage and maintain a safe and efficient world class asset
• Extensive experience of working with local planning and highway authorities, and other key stakeholders within a political landscape supported by evidence of working successfully with a wide range of officials and other key players
• Excellent experience of stakeholder management both internally and externally
• Skilled problem solver with strategic vision.

A bit about us
Making sure our customers have safe and reliable journeys is at the heart of everything we do in Operations. We keep the roads open for business and play a key role in making sure the network we manage is fit for purpose today and for the future.

Why you should join us
At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this. We’re proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.

So if you put safety first, take ownership of your work, show passion for what you do, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate integrity in how you do it – then you’ll be a great fit for our organisation

And finally
And finally we reserve the right to close before the advertised closing date, so we recommend completing your application as soon as possible.

For further information and to apply for this vacancy, click here.