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.

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.

• 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 day’s 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.

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…