Associate Transport Planning Lead

Salary: £65,000 - £80,000 (DOE)
Location: Remote first, flexible working arrangements, with all UK based locations considered. Our flexible office collaboration spaces, for those wishing to use them, are in London, Exeter, Birmingham and Bristol.

Term: Permanent, Full Time (40 hours per week)
Grade: Associate
Closing Date: 5pm, Monday 18 September 2026

Unfortunately, we cannot accept applicants that (now or in the future) require sponsorship for an employment visa. Any application requiring a visa (without clear clarification) will be rejected.

ABOUT THE ROLE

City Science is seeking an experienced Associate Transport Planning Lead, to lead and grow our transport planning team. This is a key leadership role combining technical excellence, team development, client engagement, and business growth.

You will lead the delivery of transport planning and decarbonisation projects, provide strategic advice to clients, develop new business opportunities, and help shape the future direction of our transport planning services. They will take a key role in the growth of our business, through delivering upon our team’s wider commercial targets; such as through identifying future opportunities and delivering high-quality tender responses. They will be provided the opportunity to attend, present and represent City Science at key industry wide transport and decarbonisation-focused national conferences.

Experience in areas such as Local Transport Plans, Active Travel, Electric Vehicles, Public Transport, Transport Decarbonisation, and Policy Development is highly desirable. The focus of the role will primarily be on public sector transport planning.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Technical oversight and leading the transport planning service line
• Business development and the winning of new work
• Growing the transport planning team and offer
• Responsible for quality assurance on projects/technical deliverables.
• Ensuretimely delivery of projects within budget.
• Leading engagement sessions, content development and outreach (as required).

This will include:

Project Delivery & Management

• Oversee the successful delivery of transport planning and net zero projects.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to client expectations.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership across multiple projects.

Technical

• Preparing technical and client reports and presentations
• Working closely with our data science and software development teams to automate processes and provide constructive feedback to ensure continuous improvement.
• Managing and providing technical oversight, advisory and analysis on a range of large public sector transport and net zeroprojects.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong client relationships.
• Present technical findings and proposals to senior stakeholders.
• Represent City Science at industry events and conferences.

Business Development

• Lead bids, tenders and proposals.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Contribute to revenue growth and strategic partnerships.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop the transport planning team and service offer.
• Manage, mentor and support team members.
• Maintain high standards of technical quality and project delivery.

ABOUT YOU

You’re ambitious, proactive and customer-focused with exceptional attention to detail and the needs of our clients. You’re a champion and expert in your field with a rigorous, disciplined approach and a deep technical knowledge of transport planning and sustainability. You have extensive experience working within transport systems and are comfortable working with and leading technical elements of projects. You’re a great collaborator, committed to success of the team with the flexibility to intelligently adapt your style to the task in hand. Most importantly, you’ve got the drive, ambition, hunger and work ethic to succeed in this fast-moving role. You will have a track record in business development and an extensive client relationship network to draw upon.

City Science is a growth-focused organisation with an expanding team and so an entrepreneurial, resilient and tenacious mindset are critical.

Essential Requirements

• 10+ years' relevant experience, including at least 4 years in a commercial environment.
• Proven experience leading complex public sector transport planning projects and programmes.
• Strong business development and work-winning track record.
• Experience delivering transport, sustainability and decarbonisation strategies.
• Experience advising on Local Transport Plans and Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
• Strong report writing, analytical and communication skills.
• Experience managing and developing teams.
• Degree qualified (minimum 2:1 or equivalent), ideally in a STEM subject such as Physics, Engineering, Geography, Computer Science or Mathematics, however, applications from candidates with degrees in other subjects are also welcomed.

Desirable

• Master’s degree in Transport Planning
• Chartered status or working towards chartership.
• Completed project management qualifications (e.g. PRINCE2, APM).
• Experience delivering BSIPs and Electric Vehicle Strategies.
• Knowledge of GIS, data analysis and transport modelling tools.
• Experience in a consulting, technology or high-growth environment.

FURTHER INFORMATION

We are building a team who are motivated by collaboration with the desire to solve problems for our customers. We want people to own their field of responsibility, take decisions, be proactive and have pride in everything they do. Our team of experts includes prize-winning consultants, experienced technologists and distinguished academics.

Rewards & Benefits

Opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects across the consultancy business

Opportunity to grow a transport planning team

Ongoing mentoring, training and support from senior professionals within the business (including towards professional chartership)

Paid membership of a maximum of two institutions

Flexible working arrangements

25 days annual leave entitlement plus ability to buy a further 5 days

Membership of our group pension scheme

Eye care vouchers

Cycle to work scheme

Employee assistance program

We are unfortunately not able to process any applications that require sponsorship.

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