Suffolk County Council

Strategic Transport and Policy Manager
Closing date: 11.30pm, 22 August 2021.
£50,743 (pro rata for part time)
Full or part time
Permanent
37 hours per week
Ref: 478

To apply and for more information, please click here and take note of the application instructions.

We are committed to flexible working. To view the types of flexible or part time working available for this role, please see the Job and Person Profile.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Suffolk County Council (SCC) Transport Strategy Team as a Strategic Transport and Policy Manager, working from Ipswich.

Do you have recent experience of leading high performing teams, managing diverse projects and tackling strategic transport challenges?

Can you work closely with a range of partners across the public and private sectors to deliver results?

Would you like to work in an incredibly varied, challenging and rewarding role?

Are you passionate about making a difference and delivering a future with sustainable transport that will support Suffolk’s and the national zero carbon ambition?

The Strategic Transport and Policy team is part of Suffolk’s Transport Strategy group within the Growth, Highways and Infrastructure (GHI) Directorate. It is responsible for ensuring transport can support the delivery of inclusive and sustainable growth in Suffolk.

Your role
You will:
• provide strong effective leadership and direction to a team of transport professionals
• develop and deliver Strategic Transport and Policy in Suffolk and provide the context for the county council’s transport activities
• manage activity that will develop the understanding of best practices and develop these into strategies for Suffolk, ensuring economic and sustainability concerns are reflected and promoted within local and sub-national regional partners
• work with a variety of key stakeholders to help deliver sustainable growth in Suffolk
• work with other managers in the Transport Strategy group ensuring coordination across the team
• liaise with teams within the GHI and other directorates to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the development of strategy and policy for transport
• be part of a supportive, motivated and diverse team that is well integrated with the wider Transport Strategy group.

Your responsibilities
This position manages the Strategic Transport and Policy team and will play a key role in shaping the long-term strategic direction for transport service within the county. You will be an experienced, self-motivated and strategically minded individual with demonstrable experience in strategic transport planning and development of highway infrastructure schemes, with a track record of working on high profile projects, including solving complex, unstructured problems.

Key responsibilities include:
• direct and manage the workload of a team of Transport Planners and data specialists to deliver policy to meet the County Council’s strategic, economic, and social aims
• lead on monitoring government and other funding opportunities for developing and delivering transport strategies and infrastructure projects in Suffolk
• manage the team to prepare and submit the funding bids
• manage the review and development of Suffolk’s Local Transport Plan
• develop key strategies for Suffolk, to include; Decarbonisation Strategy, Rural Strategy, Behaviour Change, Inclusive Growth, Rail and levelling up
• represent the authority on external regional working groups, public meetings, Examinations in Public where appropriate
• support the Cabinet Members and councillors on strategic transport issues, including stakeholder and council meetings, and proactively work with County, District and Borough councillors and senior officers to build rapport and trust in the council’s transport strategies, policies and plans
• lead and provide expert guidance on the development of business cases, including feasibility for funding and/or delivery mechanisms.

You will need
• considerable professional experience in a relevant field of transport strategy with a comprehensive understanding of transport legislation, local and national strategy, technical and political frameworks relevant to own specialism
• the ability to demonstrate significant experience of applying creative thought and working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to develop solutions to complex problems
• considerable experience of managing multiple complex projects and external partners to successfully deliver objectives within challenging budgets and timescales. With a proven ability to manage large budgets
• highly developed verbal and written skills to interpret complex legislation, guidelines and technical information to produce reports, recommendations and advice for a wide range of audiences using a variety of media. Also, to be able to demonstrate political awareness and a good understanding of local government.

The team
You will be managing an agile team of nine staff. Within the wider Transport Strategy group there are five integrated teams in Suffolk’s Transport Strategy team that are responsible for; strategy and policy development and delivery; delivery of integrated transport capital schemes; highways development management; delivery of local transport schemes; and road safety and behaviour change.

Within the Growth, Highways and Infrastructure Directorate, the team has close links with the Environment, Planning and Economic Development teams.

The team culture is creative, agile and inclusive, enjoying challenging debate. It has a collaborative, flexible and supportive way of working.

We will offer you
• flexible working - we currently operate on a digital basis, and whilst we anticipate returning to the office in the future, would anticipate continued promotion of flexible working style
• career growth – a varied work profile with the ability to identify new ways to develop and deliver strategy.

Travelling requirements for your role
Infrequent Travel - This organisation positively encourages the use of technology to communicate and engage, but on occasions, there may be a requirement for you to travel using reasonable and suitable means available to you and agreed by the authority.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Graeme Mateer on (01473) 264451.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 22 August 2021.

Due to the current situation with COVID-19, we have strict limitations on staff working in our offices and most of us are being asked to work from home. If you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements, please contact the recruiting manager listed above.

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 checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. We are also committed to flexible working. For the types of flexible or part time working available for speci