Spatial Planner

**Your new role**

National Highways have an exciting opportunity for a Spatial Planner to join our team in the South East region. The Spatial Planner will be responsive in the planning system by taking a proactive approach, helping to ensure that new developments are well located and planned for, and the travel demands they create are also managed and sustainable for the strategic road network. You will work with local partners to understand and address the transport impact of spatial planning aspirations and with developers to identify what works are necessary on the network to mitigate the transport impact created.

**What you’ll be leading on**
- Cooperating with Local Planning Authorities and relevant stakeholders in the development of local plans and strategic growth plans.
- Discharge our statutory responsibilities within the planning process, including the commissioning of specialist consultant support where necessary.
- Manage ongoing liaison with key external stakeholders, through attendance at local planning meetings and other planning or discussion forums, providing evidence-based and transparent guidance and advice on future local plans, as well as sharing information of National Highways emerging strategies and future development works for the region.
- Attend and represent the Region at public examinations, appeals and public inquiries. Work closely with internal and external partners to identify and secure funding opportunities for improvements to the network in support of economic growth e.g. through developer contributions or the Growth and Housing fund.

**To be successful**
- Demonstrable experience and understanding of spatial planning and associated legislation including development management
- Proven practical understanding of the complex requirements of infrastructure development programmes and the prioritisation of needs in order to develop, manage and maintain a safe and efficient world-class asset.
- Qualified Town Planner or Transport Planner, or equivalent professional experience (Chartership is desirable)
- Experience of working with local planning and highway authorities, local enterprise partnerships within a political landscape supported by evidence of working successfully with a wide range of officials within such external stakeholder organisations
- Excellent stakeholder management, both internally and externally

**About us**

At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this. We’re proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.

An informal blended working approach has been adopted for many of our roles across National Highways. We offer many different ways to work flexibly and we’re open to discuss part-time working, job shares, and flexible start and finish times. Please wait until the interview stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what is possible.

Our benefits package includes basic salary, the potential for a performance related bonus, and employer pension contributions of up to 10%.

We also offer:

- Annual Leave starting at 26 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising by 1 day each year up to 31 days (plus Bank Holidays)
- Flexible hours and blended working between base location/home
- Life assurance of 4 times annual salary
- Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7 365 days and network of mental health first aiders. Plus access to a wellbeing app to enhance your self-care 24/7, Occupational health service and flu vaccines
- A cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment for healthy, low carbon travel
- Significant investment in your career development, through learning and development, talent management, coaching, mentoring and on job experience

And we are:

- Family friendly with enhanced maternity leave and pay, paternity leave (15 days), shared parental leave, adoption leave; plus access to financial support for holiday play schemes and paid special leave (up to 5 days pa), eg for caring responsibilities
- Money friendly with access to a discounts platform including over 3000 discounts for supermarkets, eating out, leisure, holidays. Alongside a financial wellbeing programme
- Community friendly - offering paid leave to volunteer, 3 days basic/year plus an extra 3 days to support the national Covid effort

So if you put safety first, take ownership of your work, show passion for what you do, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate integrity in how you do it - then you’ll be a great fit for our organisation

**And finally