Job title: Head of Highways & Transportation - Interims
Job Category : Interims
Job location: Civic Campus, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JG, Swindon Borough Council
Hours per week: 37
start date: Immediate start
Salary: £62.45 per hour
Job Purpose
As the Head of Highways and Transportation, you will be a key member of the Director of Operations
Senior Management Team. You will collaborate with colleagues in the Operations Department and
engage with internal and external stakeholders to deliver high-performing services aligned with the
Council's vision, priorities, and pledges.
You will oversee the strategic and operational management of all Highways and Transportation
operations, ensuring the service meets national and local priorities in a customer-focused and efficient
manner. As the lead advisor to the Council on Highways and Transportation services, you will cover
Highways Asset Management and maintenance, Traffic Management, Transportation, and parking
services.
Your role includes significantly raising standards across our Highways and Transportation portfolio,
contributing to improved outcomes across all aspects of the service. Additionally, you will ensure our
services support the Council's emerging new ways of locality working.
You will also establish and maintain strong links with Planning Services to ensure that transportation
considerations are fully integrated into the planning and development process. This collaboration is
crucial for creating sustainable and well-coordinated infrastructure projects that meet the needs of our
growing community.
On a day-to-day basis, you will be "hands-on", leading a team of professionals responsible for all elements
of the Council's Highways and Transportation functions. You are specifically accountable for all service
elements.
Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will provide clear leadership and support to your teams,
fostering a culture of operational excellence. You will focus on innovative ways of working that enhance
the service and reputation of the Council, ensuring our residents remain at the heart of everything we
do.
Coordinate and manage external consultants and partners, ensuring effective contribution and
understanding of roles and responsibilities.
Knowledge & Experience
Candidates must have substantial knowledge and experience in the following areas of business and will
be required to provide evidence of this:
Track record of developing staff, building effective teams and leading multi-disciplinary
professional staff to achieve organisational aims and objectives
Experience to lead and manage high-profile front-line services to our communities
Experience of contract management and major public realm infrastructure scheme delivery
Extensive experience of supporting decision makers, including Councillors and statutory
consultees and strategic partner organisations to achieve positive outcomes
Ability to make site visits throughout the Borough and attend meetings outside the Borough.
Qualifications
Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification with considerable relevant senior
management experience in an appropriate related Highways and transportation setting.
Membership of, or eligibility for membership of, a relevant professional body such as ICE, CIHT,
IHE or equivalent knowledge and practice gained through experience
Management qualification
Evidence of continuing professional development, leadership and personal
Competent working knowledge of Prince 2 Practioner or knowledge of "programme and project
management techniques" within a similar digital environment
Decision Making
The postholder has delegation of powers as head of Highways and Transportation services to
make significant, complex, decisions and must be aware to manage corporate risks.
The postholder must take effective decisions quickly and act on their own initiative in order to
resolve problems. Effective delegation across the team will be essential to empowering the team
to provide efficent customer focused services.
The postholder must be able to quickly get to the heart of issues and accurately assess and
manage risk
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The postholder must shows creativity in using intellectual capital and resources to deliver cost
effective services
The postholder will be accountable for the successful operational delivery of the services and by
extension to cross council transformational priorities.
Through developing and reviewing Highwys and Transportation strategies, the postholder must
ensure decisions taken are based on clearly defined needs of the council (and our wider
community) ensuring both short, mid and long term requirements are planned for.
Creativity and Innovation
Constantly reviews ways of working and identifies opportunities to improve the quality of work
of the service
Identifies creative solutions to Council-wide issues and takes action to implement them
Shows creativity in using resources to deliver cost effective services, engaging external experts
where relevant, and looking beyond the boundary of current service delivery
Continually identifying, evaluating and implementing innovative new areas of partnership
working where it is beneficial to Swindon