Principal Engineer - Highways Area Team
As a Principal Engineer within the Area Highways Team, you will play a leading role in managing and improving the local highway network across Cheshire West and Chester. You will be responsible for overseeing a wide range of highway matters including Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), customer enquiries, highway safety concerns, local traffic management issues, highway licences and stakeholder engagement.
Working closely with elected Members, Parish Councils, residents, developers, utility companies and other partners, you will lead the investigation, development and implementation of highway and traffic management solutions that meet local needs and support the safe and efficient operation of the highway network.
The role combines technical leadership, project management, customer service, stakeholder engagement and team development, ensuring that highway matters are managed effectively, efficiently and in accordance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
Cheshire West and Chester Council is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.
Principal Engineer - Highways Area Team
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Engineer to join our Area Team where you will be reporting to our Area Highways Team Leader and you will support, advise and guide a team who are responsible for a geographic area of the Council’s highways network.
You and your team will be the first point of contact for our Highway service, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to be responsible for dealing with all Traffic and Highways Maintenance enquiries from the public, statutory bodies, Parish Council's, Ward Members and the local MP's, as well as working within a close team of other Principal Engineers helping each other to innovate and develop this critical function of the Council.
This role has an important interface with the public, and we would welcome applicants who are committed to providing a consistent and excellent standard of service by putting our customers at the centre of everything we do.
What you'll be doing
- Leading the delivery of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), including parking restrictions, waiting restrictions, speed limits and other traffic management measures.
- Managing complex customer enquiries, complaints and Member/MP enquiries relating to highway and transportation matters.
- Providing technical leadership and professional advice on highway maintenance, traffic management and road safety issues.
- Working closely with residents, Parish Councils, Ward Members and other stakeholders to develop practical and proportionate solutions to local highway concerns.
- Overseeing the assessment and implementation of highway improvement schemes and traffic management proposals.
- Managing responses to consultations, petitions and requests for new highway measures.
- Supporting the management of highway licences, permits and other activities affecting the public highway.
- Leading and mentoring engineering staff within the Area Team.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation including the Highways Act 1980, Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and associated regulations.
- Supporting the Council's commitment to delivering safe, sustainable and customer-focused highway services.
We are seeking an enthusiastic person with excellent technical and communication skills together with a strong understanding of Traffic Regulation Orders that understands the need for technical rigour and attention to detail. We would expect you to have significant relevant Highway experience as well as be confident in managing a team and their workload. You will be part of a high performing and ambitious team, supported and encouraged to achieve your goals and deliver your best.
A driving licence is essential for this role as you will be required to attend site meetings throughout the Borough, sometimes over challenging, sensitive issues. You will be asked to attend meetings out of hours either virtually or in person for example to represent the Highways Service at Parish Council meetings and to present all Highway matters on behalf of the Service. Therefore, you will need to possess excellent communication skills and be approachable as we are a strong customer focused service.
This is necessary to provide cover for the team during office hours and at times answer emergency calls throughout the day from our Contact Centre.
If you would like any further information on this vacancy, please contact Karl Farrow Area Engineer on 07766526147 or email karl.farrow@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
To find out more information about what it is like to work for Cheshire West and Chester Council including our rewards and benefits please see www.cwcrecruitment.co.uk
Candidates may use AI tools to support proofreading, editing and presentation. However, all application materials should represent the candidate's own experience, perspectives and thinking. We are seeking original and authentic responses, and applicants should ensure that any submission reflects their own analysis, judgement and vision for the role. No candidate will meet every single requirement - if your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!
Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment. Please see the Equality Policy for more information.
Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £13.45 per hour for all contracted hours.
For any technical enquiries please email Sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk and quote job reference number in all correspondence.