Transport Planner

Transport Planner - Fixed term contract for 12 months

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking to appoint a Transport Planner to join our Transport Strategy team. This is an exciting moment to join the organisation: nearly three‑quarters of a billion pounds of new investment has been secured for the region, and we are accelerating delivery on Mayoral priorities to improve transport, skills and housing, tackle the climate emergency, and support communities facing the cost‑of‑living crisis.

We’re looking for a strategic, analytical and collaborative transport professional who is passionate about shaping sustainable transport for the region. You’ll help us deliver a transport system that is affordable, reliable, enjoyable and safe — and play a key role in creating West of England Sustainable Transport.

This is a critical time in our transformation and growth journey, and you’ll be pivotal in helping us achieve our ambitions by:

• Supporting the update and implementation of the Joint Local Transport Plan

• Developing transport policy, strategy and investment proposals

• Ensuring high‑quality transport input into regional spatial planning

• Completing programme and project management responsibilities

• Providing expert advice to partners, stakeholders and elected Members

What you’ll be doing

Are you someone who can research, analyse and interpret complex transport issues, communicate confidently with senior stakeholders, and balance multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and pace?

In this role, you will:

• Assist in updating and delivering the Joint Local Transport Plan and associated strategies

• Support development of transport projects across bus, rail, mass transit, cycling and walking

• Coordinate transport input into regional spatial planning and strategic documents

• Work with constituent councils, DfT, Network Rail, National Highways and Western Gateway STB

• Prepare reports, presentations and briefings for committees and public meetings

• Manage programmes and projects to time and budget

• Commission and oversee consultancy work

• Ensure stakeholder and community participation in strategy development

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a transport planner with strong analytical capability, excellent communication skills and a commitment to sustainable transport.

We’re particularly interested in people who:

• Hold a degree (or equivalent experience) in transport, engineering, geography or environmental sciences

• Understand transport planning, highways and environmental issues affecting regional networks

• Have experience contributing to Local Transport Plans, Bus Strategies or similar strategic documents

• Can negotiate assertively but diplomatically with partners and stakeholders

• Are confident researching, collating and analysing complex issues

• Bring excellent organisational skills — planning meetings, workshops, actions and deadlines

• Have strong IT capability, ideally including MS Excel, GIS or mapping software

Desirable experience includes: postgraduate qualifications, public sector experience, and project/programme management skills.

Why choose us?

This team is at the heart of shaping the future of transport across the West of England. You’ll work with committed, expert colleagues and influential regional partners, contributing directly to major investment decisions and long‑term strategy.

This is an opportunity to make a real, visible difference to how people travel, how communities connect, and how our region responds to climate and sustainability challenges.

This is a fixed‑term role for 12 months. Part‑time, job‑share and secondment applications are welcome.

Find out more

If this sounds like your next opportunity, please apply and tell us why you’d be a great fit. There’s more information for you in the job description.

If you have any questions for the recruitment team, contact: [email removed]

Please note that we are accepting applications until 10th September and looking to hold interviews for this role the week commencing 21st September.

Our offer

We are based in a new bright and airy office, with all the latest technology, close to Bristol Temple Meads Train Station.

Alongside the opportunity to make a real difference to the people who visit, live and work in the West of England, we offer an excellent benefits package including:

• 26 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years continuous service. There is also the option to increase your annual leave with our annual leave purchase scheme.
• 2 days of paid leave each year to volunteer
• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).

• Flexible, family friendly and hybrid working options to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals. We follow a hybrid working model with typically 2 or 3 days in the office each week
• Reduced bus fare travel across the West of England

We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, empowering you to thrive in your career. We prioritise your growth and success by providing a diverse range of learning and development opportunities. Our goal is to keep you motivated, equipped with essential skills, and confident in delivering excellent services.

The salary for this role is £38,220 - £41,771. This is the full-time equivalent salary, and will be pro-rata for part-time. We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments for external candidates typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees.

Good Employment Charter
https://www.goodemploymentcharter.co.uk/
As a founding Member of the West of England Good Employment Charter and accredited Living Wage Employer, we’re committed to creating a diverse environment where all our employees can thrive. We make sure all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment and we particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or citizenship status.

Fair and Inclusive Recruitment

As part of our commitment to fair and inclusive recruitment, we provide interview questions to all shortlisted candidates in advance/on request. This approach helps ensure everyone can demonstrate their skills, knowledge and experience fully, and supports our duties under the Equality Act 2010. You will also be asked follow-up questions during the interview to explore your responses in more detail.

Reasonable Adjustments
If you have an accessibility need, disability, condition or need any additional support that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process (for example, you might need to submit your application in a different format), please get in touch with our Resourcing Team at [email removed]. We are here to assist and accommodate your needs.

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