West Northamptonshire Council
Highways Development Management Engineer
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Highways Development Management Engineer
At West Northamptonshire Council, we’re looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Highways Development Management Engineer to join our Highways and Transport Service. You’ll be at the heart of shaping how new developments across the area impact our transport network, ensuring they deliver safe, high-quality and sustainable solutions.
In this role, you will assess the transport and highways impacts of planning applications, provide clear and practical technical advice, and negotiate with developers to secure the right improvements. You’ll play a key part in managing and coordinating developer contributions, including Section 106 and Section 278 agreements, and oversee the design and delivery of highways works funded by developers to ensure they meet the highest standards.
You’ll also work closely with colleagues, elected members, stakeholders and local communities to help create accessible, efficient and sustainable transport networks that support growth and improve quality of life across West Northamptonshire.
Our Benefits
You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.
What will you be doing?
You will be based in the Highways Development Team and work closely with colleagues across the wider transport service. Your role will focus on assessing the transport and highways impacts of new developments and ensuring that appropriate and sustainable infrastructure is delivered as part of the planning process.
Day to day, you will:
- Provide technical highways and transport advice on planning applications
- Negotiate with developers to secure necessary improvements
- Oversee the design and delivery of works funded through Section 106 and Section 278 agreements
- Coordinate developer contributions, ensuring they are effectively managed and aligned with local transport priorities
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Collaboration will be at the heart of your work, as you will engage regularly with planning, regeneration, and transport colleagues, as well as developers, contractors, and local stakeholders. You will also take ownership of budget management, risk monitoring, and progress reporting to ensure that all highways and transport improvements are delivered to a high standard.
An important part of your role will be helping to embed improved processes for managing developer funding, working with planning colleagues to make sure contributions are secured, allocated, and delivered efficiently.
About You
You should have:
- A solid understanding of highways engineering principles and the development management process
- Knowledge of planning legislation, transport policy, and sustainability issues relevant to local government
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Confidence in reviewing technical drawings and transport assessments
- Ability to provide clear advice and recommendations
- Skill at negotiating outcomes that balance growth with sustainable transport objectives
- Ability to work independently, use your initiative, and manage competing priorities under pressure
Ideally, you will hold:
- A degree in a relevant discipline such as civil engineering, highways, or transport planning
- Experience of preparing and presenting technical reports
- Project management training and experience in handling Section 106 and Section 278 agreements
- A motivation to further develop your expertise in highways development management
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About Us
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.
The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.
Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
West Northants Council, where careers thrive.
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