Bristol City Council

Road Safety Technical Lead
Job reference - VAC006278
Date posted - 02/12/2024
Application closing date - 05/01/2025
Location - 100 Temple Street Redcliffe Bristol BS1 6AN
Salary - BG13: £45,718 - £48,710
Package - Flexible Working Hours Pension Scheme
Contractual hours - 37
Job category/type - Traffic, Highways and Road Safety
Permanent, Full Time. We would welcome applications from applicants who wish to work part-time/job share).

Are you passionate about creating safer, healthier, and more sustainable streets? Join our Road Safety Team within the City Transport Service, where we are leading the Safe Systems and Healthy Streets Approach to make our city’s roads safer and more accessible for all.

Bristol is a vibrant, exciting, diverse European City to live and work in. Come and help shape its future.
The City has ambitious plans to deliver an improved sustainable transport infrastructure, both in the City and within the wider region. These plans include;
• Transforming our local communities through the development of ‘Liveable Neighbourhoods’:
• Developing Mass Transit options for the city;
• Building on our success as Cycling City to further develop and implement a world class walking and cycling network in the city;
• Making school journeys safer and increasing walking and cycling by implementing School Streets;
• Trialling and testing new transport technologies through our ‘Future Transport Zones’ programme of work.

The Road Safety Team is committed to achieving the City Council's ambitious Vision Zero target—eliminating deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2040. Guided by the Safe Systems Approach, we work across multiple sectors to design and implement measures that improve road safety and support the Healthy Streets Approach, which puts people first and creates streets that promote active travel, clean air, and safer communities.

What will I be doing?
As a new team, it is an exciting time as our programme of activities will continue to develop over time based on our research into how we can deliver these aspirations. As a Technical Lead, you’ll help shape the future of road safety while integrating the Healthy Streets Approach, ensuring that our roads not only minimise accidents but also promote active and sustainable travel. Working closely with the Road Safety Group Manager, you will drive forward innovative strategies and initiatives designed to protect all road users and contribute to the Vision Zero goal of zero deaths or serious injuries by 2040.

Key Responsibilities:
Lead and Innovate: Work closely with the Road Safety Group Manager to continually evolve the Safe Systems Approach, identifying new opportunities to push progress towards Vision Zero.
Collaborate Across Departments: Engage with various city teams and departments to integrate road safety principles into their work, ensuring their efforts contribute to casualty reduction goals.
Healthy Streets Implementation: Embed the Healthy Streets Approach into every project and decision, prioritising safety, active travel, and well-being in street design. You’ll ensure road safety schemes promote walking, cycling, and community spaces while reducing vehicle dominance.
Build Partnerships: Establish strong relationships with local authorities, emergency services, and community stakeholders, fostering joint efforts to address road safety priorities.
Data: Expand the City Council’s road safety knowledge base by improving the use of data, ensuring that every action and decision aligns with our casualty reduction objectives.
Project Leadership: Manage and oversee key road safety workstreams, including budget management and the delivery of specific safe systems programmes that address critical priorities.
Expert Advice: Provide expert road safety guidance on planning applications, major projects, and transport initiatives, both within the Council and to external partners.
Team Development: Assist the Road Safety Group Manager in managing the team, including the School Crossing Patrols and Bikeability trainers, distributing workloads, and ensuring ongoing staff development in both road safety and healthy streets principles.
Stakeholder Engagement: Address concerns and inquiries from residents, businesses, MPs, and Councillors, offering road safety advice and solutions.
Representation and Reporting: Prepare and present road safety reports to Senior Management, Councillors, and at formal Council meetings, and represent the City Council at public consultation events.
Additional Responsibilities:
• Ensure compliance with all Health, Safety, and Welfare policies as outlined by Bristol City Council.
• Promote equality and diversity in all aspects of project delivery, modelling best practices across the service.
• Maintain a high standard of work quality, adhering to current legislation and Council codes of conduct.
• Complete mandatory training as required by the Council, ensuring you remain up-to-date with health, safety, and safeguarding policies.

What You’ll Bring:
• A passion for road safety, healthy streets, and a commitment to achieving Vision Zero
• Strategic Leader: You have a deep understanding of road safety and can lead innovative strategies to achieve Vision Zero. You are passionate about creating safer, more sustainable streets that improve the lives of all citizens.
• Collaborative Communicator: You excel in working with diverse teams and stakeholders, bringing people together to drive forward common goals. You’re able to engage with a wide range of audiences, from councillors to local communities.
• The capacity to manage multiple projects, workstreams, and budgets effectively.
• Experience in building partnerships with key stakeholders and working within a community-driven approach.

Why Join Us?
By joining our Road Safety Team, you’ll be part of a mission to make our roads safer for everyone. You’ll have the opportunity to shape and lead significant safety programmes, work alongside dedicated professionals, and directly impact the wellbeing of our community.
You will work on projects that save lives, promote sustainability, and create safer streets for everyone. If you’re passionate about the Healthy Streets and Vision Zero movements and are ready to make a real impact, we want you on our team.
Join us and be part of a forward-thinking organisation that is transforming our city’s streets, creating a legacy of safety, health, and well-being for generations to come. Help us make a difference become a driving force in achieving zero road fatalities by 2040.
At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. For the majority of our roles hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice - mixing both home and office working.
Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

How do I apply?
If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey please select the apply button below.
To be shortlisted for interview you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.
We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.
For further information, please refer to the Person Profile, Job Description and Person Specification or alternatively, please contact Mark Sperduty via email at: [email protected] 
At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from Young People, Black and racially minoritised and Disabled candidates who are currently under-represented within this Service of Bristol City Council. Appointments will be made on merit.