Highways Specialist Lead (Future Highways)

Highways Specialist Lead (Future Highways)

Temporary, Full Time

Up to £650 per day, Umbrella (Inside IR35)

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 3rd August 2025

We are currently seeking an experienced Highways Specialist Lead for a temporary appointment lasting three months. This role offers the opportunity to engage in meaningful collaboration with Council teams, with an expectation of attending the office 1-3 days per week to be agreed.

Essex is an ambitious County, with an equally ambitious agenda. It has an extensive group of assets, with the Essex Highways service being responsible for managing and maintaining one of the largest highway networks in the country: 5,100 miles of roads and around 4,000 miles of footways.  

We are seeking a candidate to lead the Future Highways Project - the largest contract of its kind in England –having responsibility on the re-procurement and commissioning of the new Essex Highways contract that will deliver a full complement of highway services, including road, footways and cycleways maintenance, street lighting, drainage and flooding, winter travel, road safety, traffic management, highway development, bridges and structures, grass and vegetation, , public rights of way and roads strategies linked to all assets

You’ll be a strategic thinker with strong commercial awareness, a passion for innovation, and the ability to influence, negotiate, and build impactful relationships with external partners. Skilled at uniting diverse expertise, you’ll drive collaboration to deliver outstanding outcomes for Essex residents, businesses, and highway users.

To read more about our business area, please visit Climate, Environment and Customer Services

Accountabilities

• Drive the re-procurement and commissioning of a new Essex Highways contract (valued between £1bn–£2bn), aligning it with ECC’s strategic priorities including economic growth, environmental sustainability, active travel, and decarbonisation.
• Translate system leadership objectives and political priorities into actionable workstreams, ensuring risks are proactively managed.
• Collaborate effectively across internal and external stakeholders, applying commercial thinking to support the delivery and development of highways services.
• Use evidence-based insights to identify and implement improvements to the highways contract, ensuring high service quality and continuous enhancement.
• Champion the use of commercial, innovative, and digital solutions to address complex challenges, ensuring inclusive and equitable outcomes within available resources.
• Apply professional expertise to develop and translate strategic goals into contractual requirements, ensuring legal compliance and appropriate risk management.
• Design and oversee high-quality customer interactions that strengthen community relationships and enhance ECC’s reputation for delivering outcomes.
• Provide expert insight and challenge based on business intelligence and national developments in highways and transportation.
• Lead teams to deliver results, fostering a collaborative and problem-solving culture aligned with ECC’s constitution and delegated functions.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to RQF level 6 (Bachelor’s degree) or equivalent by experience with professional accreditation from any of the following; Institute of Highways & Transportation; Institute of Civil Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, or other relevant bodies.
• Significant and demonstrable post qualification experience within a Highways a Transportation environment with track record of successful delivery of contracts, schemes, projects and services.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to build a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent influencing skills – able to build strong collaborative relationships across the Council and partners with ability to see the big strategic picture and think long-term.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you. 

What you should do next?

To apply, please submit your CV along with a supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries or require anything further, please email saide.orwell@essex.gov.uk  

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