Transport / Senior Transport Planner

Location/s: Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool; UK
Recruiter contact: Emma Cantley

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit 
We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues - such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation - to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle. We play a major role in developing and delivering the Global Transport Sector Strategy. 

Overview of the role
Transport planning is a core service at Mott MacDonald, forming a vital part of our extensive transport business. We specialise in business case development, policy, and strategy, and are proud to support some of the UK’s most high-profile projects, including HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Liverpool Central, West Yorkshire Mass Transit, and major schemes for National Highways. We’re also leading the way in active travel and alternative mode transport planning.

In the North, we work across West and South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Cumbria, and Wales, delivering both large-scale and local transport strategies, business cases, and funding bids. Our team operates across major frameworks with Transport for Greater Manchester, Merseytravel, Cheshire and Cumbria, West and South Yorkshire Combined Authorities, and local authorities such as Sheffield and Bradford.

We’re at the forefront of future mobility, advising the Department for Transport on innovation, alternative fuels, and transport technology, while helping authorities develop strategies that support sustainable travel, decarbonisation, regeneration, and public health.

As a Transport / Senior Transport Planner, you’ll be based in one of our northern offices (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, or Newcastle), leading the development of transport policy, strategy, and business cases. You’ll manage project workstreams, mentor junior staff, and engage directly with clients and stakeholders. You’ll contribute to business development, shape regional transport agendas, and help deliver some of the UK’s most exciting and transformative transport projects.

We’re looking for someone who shares our passion for shaping the future of transport and who wants to grow their career in a collaborative, forward-thinking environment.

Candidate specification
We’re looking for a Transport / Senior Transport Planner with a strong track record in shaping transport policy, strategy, and business case development. You’ll bring technical expertise, and a collaborative mindset to a team delivering some of the UK’s most complex and high-profile transport projects.

You’ll typically have 5–7+ years of post-graduate experience in transport planning, with proven experience in leading workstreams, managing client relationships, and contributing to business development. Your background may include transport economics, appraisal, sustainable transport, or major scheme development.

Essential:

• A strong interest in transportation, transport policy and strategy, business cases, placemaking, and sustainability
• Degree in a related discipline (or equivalent). This could include Transport Planning, Geography, Engineering, Economics, Urban Planning
• The successful candidate will be a member (or working towards membership) of a relevant professional organisation (such as CIHT, CILT, TPS or ICE) or ideally looking to achieve chartered status (e.g. CTPP)
• Demonstrable skills in at least some of the following: transport policy and strategy, business cases, transport economics, scheme development and appraisal, or sustainable transport planning
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with proficiency in spreadsheet-based data analysis and economic appraisal. Experience applying techniques in line with Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) and His Majesty’s (HM) Treasury Green Book guidance, and a clear understanding of their role in scheme development
• Excellent report writing and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to clients and colleagues
• Experience contributing to successful bids and tenders, demonstrating commercial awareness and client engagement capability

Desirable:

• An MSc or post degree qualifications in a transport related subject
• Project management experience
• Better Business Cases qualification
• An interest or qualification in urban design and experience of working on major movement studies
• Knowledge of the North-West and/or North-East and regional transport and regeneration market

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.