
Senior Associate Director Transport Planner (Dublin / Cork / Belfast)
Description
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
You are a recognised leader in transport planning, trusted by clients and teams alike to shape, guide and deliver complex programmes that make a real difference to how people move. You bring strategic insight, technical authority and commercial awareness, and you’re as comfortable setting direction and inspiring teams as you are rolling up your sleeves on challenging projects.
You enjoy working collaboratively with clients, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams, seeing the bigger picture while navigating the technical detail. Motivated by impact, you thrive in roles where you can influence policy, mentor future leaders, and help define the future of sustainable transport and mobility.
About the Opportunity
Jacobs’ Transport Planning & Mobility Solutions team is one of the most successful in Ireland and the UK, with a strong pipeline of work, a diverse public‑ and private‑sector client base, and close collaboration with colleagues across the wider Jacobs global network. We are seeking a Senior Associate Director of Transport Planning delivering a wide range of high‑profile and innovative projects across all aspects of transport planning, including:
- Transport modelling and analytics
- Economic appraisal and business cases
- Active travel and sustainable transport
- Public transport planning
- Traffic engineering
- Policy and strategy development
Key commissions include our ongoing role on the BusConnects programme for the National Transport Authority (NTA), alongside active travel and sustainable transport schemes for Dublin City Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and other local authorities.
You have the opportunity to take a leading position on complex projects that are shaping the future of transport and mobility in Ireland, while also collaborating closely with colleagues across Ireland, the UK and internationally.
The role is flexible in location—Dublin, Cork or Belfast—and combines hands‑on technical delivery with project leadership, client engagement and people development. There is also the opportunity for client secondments, reflecting Jacobs’ long‑standing partnerships with key organisations.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
- Providing technical and strategic leadership on major transport planning commissions
- Leading multidisciplinary project teams to deliver high‑quality outcomes for clients
- Acting as a trusted adviser to clients, shaping strategy, options and investment decisions
- Providing technical governance, review and mentoring across the transport planning discipline
- Managing project delivery, budgets, resources, quality and risk
- Contributing to business development, tenders and the growth of client accounts
- Supporting the strategic direction and future development of Jacobs’ transport planning and mobility business
- Degree qualified in a relevant discipline (or equivalent), with extensive experience in transport planning and a proven track record of successful project delivery
- Chartered professional (or equivalent), or working towards Chartered status, with a strong commitment to CPD (e.g. Engineers Ireland, CIHT, TPP, CEng)
- A strategic, solution‑focused mindset, with the ability to take a broad view of transport challenges and collaboratively shape options with clients and stakeholders
- Strong technical credibility combined with the ability to lead teams, set direction and provide mentoring and technical assurance
- Broad experience across transport planning specialisms, such as scheme feasibility, transport assessments, modelling, business case development, public transport and active travel
- Proven experience in project and commercial management, including programme delivery, budget control, resourcing, quality assurance and risk management
- A strong client focus, with experience developing relationships, contributing to tenders and supporting market and account growth
- A flexible and adaptable approach, with enthusiasm for innovation, new technologies and shaping the future of transport and mobility
At Jacobs, we recognise that our people are our greatest asset. In return for your expertise and leadership, we offer a highly competitive and flexible employment package designed to support your career, wellbeing and life beyond work.
- Competitive salary and bonus aligned with senior leadership responsibilities
- Flexible working arrangements, supporting hybrid and agile ways of working
- Pension scheme with employer contributions
- Generous annual leave allowance, with opportunities to purchase additional leave
- Paid professional membership fees and strong support for continuing professional development and chartership
- Clear pathways for career progression, with opportunities to progress within Ireland, the UK and across Jacobs’ global network
- Access to significant, high‑profile projects that shape the future of transport and mobility
- Opportunities for client secondments, reflecting our trusted partnerships with key organisations
- Inclusive, values‑led culture where diversity, collaboration and innovation are actively encouraged
At Jacobs, you’ll join a connected global community of experts working on some of the most important infrastructure and mobility challenges of our time—where your leadership will be valued, your ideas heard, and your career supported for the long term.
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We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.
| City | State | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Cork | Co. Cork | Ireland |
| Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| Belfast | Antrim | United Kingdom |
| Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |