Head of Highways and Transportation

About The Role

Tower Hamlets is one of the fastest-growing and most densely populated local authorities in the UK. More people than ever choose to live, work, visit and invest in our borough, and that growth places waste, recycling and street cleansing at the very heart of everyday life.

With over 320,000 residents, millions of visitors each year, and one of London's most intense urban environments contained within a small geographic footprint, the way we manage Highways infrastructure and transportation policy has a direct impact on public mobility, health, sustainability and pride in place.

Our borough includes global centres of business such as Canary Wharf and borders the City of London, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the River Thames, making the quality and accessibility of our public realm highly visible and critically important. That makes leading Highways and Transportation one of the highest-profile and rewarding leadership roles in local government.

About the role

As Head of Highways and Transportation you will provide strategic leadership and expertise in delivering a safe, efficient, sustainable highways and transport network.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of movement, connectivity and public space across Tower Hamlets. Leading a broad and high-impact portfolio, you will oversee highways asset management, client commissioning, traffic management and road safety, cycling, street scene design, and the delivery of capital improvement programmes. You will also lead transportation planning, including development control, the highways register, transport policy standards and guidance, travel demand management, road safety education, research and strategy development.

What we are looking for

To be considered for this role, you will be able to evidence:

• forward-thinking, confident leadership in a complex operational environment, with the ability to operate at pace, provide clear direction and inspire service improvement.
• significant experience in Highways and Transportation, with credibility as a professional leader and a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the service.
• the ability to lead the maintenance, management and continuous improvement of the highway network and its related assets and infrastructure.
• a commitment to promoting transport-related safety, sustainable travel and healthier lifestyles across a diverse and fast-growing borough.
• the ability to influence at senior level and build strong, trusting relationships with staff, elected members, partners and residents.
• a proven track record of executive leadership, financial and commercial management, political awareness and change management.
• experience of leading infrastructure programmes and delivering outcomes across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect.

Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach to, and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and also applicants who live in the borough.

The post is based at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BJ.

Interviews for the role will be scheduled from w/c 7th September 2026.

Our Benefits

• Local Government Pension Scheme membership.
• Generous annual leave: 29 days, rising to 33 with 5+ years' service, plus bank holidays and 3 additional days at Christmas.
• Flexible and agile working to support work-life balance.
• Staff money-saving schemes (e.g., rent deposit loans, season ticket loans).
• Learning and development opportunities through our Learning Academy , with clear career development and leadership pathways.

About Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets is a truly unique borough at the heart of London - a place where history and innovation sit side by side. From the docks and markets that shaped the East End to the global business hub of Canary Wharf, we are proud to be one of the most dynamic, diverse, and ambitious communities in the UK. We are also one of the fastest growing and youngest boroughs in the country, offering unrivalled opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives. Our residents are energetic, creative, and resilient, and our council is committed to delivering the best possible services and opportunities for them.

Our award-winning new Town Hall in Whitechapel provides a modern, flexible workplace for our staff, right at the heart of the borough and directly opposite Whitechapel Tube and Elizabeth line station. It is more than just a workplace - it's a hub for collaboration, innovation and community, designed to bring out the best in our people.

As an employer, we put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Our active Employee Network Groups celebrate and champion our workforce, helping to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Guided by our TOWER values - Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respect - we are building a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive.

At Tower Hamlets Council, you'll find exciting challenges, supportive colleagues, and the chance to shape one of London's most important and vibrant places. If you're looking for a role where you can see the impact of your work every day, then Tower Hamlets is the place for you.

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