Service Manager - Transportation and Highways Infrastructure

About the Role

The Service Manager - Transportation and Highways Infrastructure plays a vital leadership role in supporting Sefton Council's ambition to maintain, enhance and invest in the Borough's transport networks, highways infrastructure and public realm. The postholder will provide strategic leadership and direction for transportation, traffic and network management, highways infrastructure, civil engineering, and flood and coastal risk management services, ensuring the effective delivery of statutory responsibilities while supporting economic growth and regeneration across Sefton.

A key focus of the role is the leadership, development and management of the Transportation and Highways Infrastructure service, including the delivery of major capital investment programmes, strategic transport initiatives, infrastructure maintenance, and flood and coastal defence activities. The postholder will work collaboratively with regional and national partners, contractors, elected members and stakeholders to ensure services are delivered safely, efficiently and in accordance with legislative requirements while achieving value for money and positive outcomes for communities.

As a member of the senior leadership team, the postholder will contribute to the development and implementation of corporate strategy and policy, provide professional leadership across the service area, and drive continuous improvement, innovation and organisational change. They will promote high standards of performance, accountability and customer focus while creating an environment in which teams are empowered to deliver excellent services.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Strategic Leadership and Service Management
  Develop, implement and review strategic plans, policies and programmes that support the delivery of transport, highways infrastructure, traffic management and flood and coastal risk management services, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and statutory obligations.

• Transportation and Highway Infrastructure Management
  Lead and manage the Transportation and Highways Infrastructure service, ensuring the effective delivery of strategic transport initiatives, highway maintenance programmes, infrastructure investment schemes and network management responsibilities across the Borough.

• Traffic and Network Management
  Act as the Council's statutory Traffic Manager, providing leadership and oversight of network management responsibilities and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the highway network.

• Capital Programme and Project Delivery
  Lead the planning and delivery of major capital and revenue projects through robust project management arrangements, ensuring the successful balance of time, cost, quality and risk.

• Strategy, Policy and Long-Term Planning
  Lead the development and implementation of key strategic documents, including transport, highways, infrastructure maintenance, flood and coastal erosion risk management strategies, and contribute to the development of the Council's capital investment priorities.

• Leadership and Workforce Development
  Provide visible and motivational leadership, creating a culture of professionalism, collaboration and continuous improvement. Support, coach and develop managers and employees to maximise performance and build organisational capability.

• Financial and Resource Management
  Manage significant revenue and capital budgets, ensuring effective financial planning, monitoring and control. Identify and secure external funding opportunities and maximise investment into the Borough through partnership working and business development activity.

• Contract and Partnership Management
  Lead the procurement, management and performance monitoring of consultants, contractors and delivery partners, ensuring compliance with contractual and statutory requirements and achieving value for money.

• Performance and Risk Management
  Ensure high-quality service delivery through effective performance management, governance and risk management arrangements, identifying and mitigating operational, financial, legal and reputational risks.

• Organisational Change and Continuous Improvement
  Lead and influence organisational change initiatives, developing innovative and sustainable service delivery models that respond to changing demands and improve outcomes for residents, businesses and communities.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Working
  Develop and maintain productive relationships with regional and national partners, including the Department for Transport, National Highways, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Merseytravel, contractors, statutory agencies and other stakeholders, representing the Council's interests and influencing strategic policy and investment decisions.

• Member and Corporate Support
  Provide professional advice and support to elected Members, senior leaders and corporate stakeholders, attending meetings, consultation events and partnership forums as required to support effective decision-making and service delivery.

• Equality, Inclusion and Community Focus
  Promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout service delivery, ensuring decisions and investment programmes contribute positively to communities and support the Council's wider objectives.

We are particularly interested in hearing from experienced senior leaders with substantial knowledge of transportation, highways infrastructure, civil engineering, network management, flood and coastal risk management, or related service areas within local government or similarly complex organisations. You will have a strong track record of strategic leadership, service transformation, partnership working and delivering major programmes and projects in a politically sensitive environment.

You will be an effective and inspiring leader with strong financial, commercial and project management skills, capable of building high-performing teams, influencing a wide range of stakeholders, and delivering excellent outcomes for residents, businesses and communities across Sefton.

Please see Appendix A and Appendix B for the full Job Description and Person Specification.

The closing date for this vacancy is Sunday 6^th December midnight.

1^st Stage Technical Interviews will be held on Thursday 17^th December via Teams.

Final Interviews will be held on Monday 21^st December in Bootle Town Hall.

Equal Opportunities

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody’s identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential. We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role.

GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME

Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview.

If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role.

If you’re an unemployed Sefton resident, register with our Sefton@Work service for free support to help you into employment.  You may be eligible for extra assistance such as funding for travel, work clothing, or vouchers to make starting your new job easier.  Call Sefton@Work on 0151 934 2610 or visit seftonatwork.net to find out more and get started today!

Sefton Council values authentic applications that reflect your own experiences, skills and motivations and that sound like you.

AI tools can be used to support your application, such as helping you structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment. However, your application should remain your own work and accurately represent your own experience and abilities.

To ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process for all candidates, applications that appear to rely excessively on AI-generated content may not be shortlisted.