Highways Agency

Where we fit in

The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Transport (DfT). We manage, maintain and improve the motorways and major trunk roads in England.

The Agency’s annual budget for 2006/07 is £2.3 billion of combined operating cost and capital expenditure.  Our road network is the economic backbone of the nation.  It comprises 5,000 miles, carries a third of all road traffic and two thirds of all freight.  Our roads are valued at £76 billion. We outsource 95 per cent of our expenditure and work in partnership with a supply chain employing 30,000 people.

Office Locations and Organisation Structure

For background information on the role of each Directorate, please see our section on the Highways Agency organisation structure and to find the precise location of each of our offices, please see the office locations section on the website. 

Where a location in the above table is described as To be confirmed, this means that the location will be determined by a number of factors including the current address of the successful candidate.

There are a number of vacancies on offer, and whilst some post in different Directorates and various locations will fit into the same field, eg, Engineering, Project Management, Finance, some of the posts differ considerably. It is important therefore that you only apply for those posts which match your skills set and for which you feel you are particularly suited. However, if you are applying for all 99 posts ie making a speculative application, you will be considered for positions which best match your experience, qualifications and current address.

Please note it is not normally Highways Agency policy to pay removal expenses.

For more information about the role of the Highways Agency, or to view our corprorate documents, please see the About us section on the website. 

My Route to the Highways Agency – Hilary Chipping
“ I joined the Highways Agency (in 2001) as Director of Network Strategy. More than 20 years ago, I joined what was then the Department of the Environment, as an economist, and have since worked in a number of areas including local government, housing and water resources. In the Highways Agency you feel that you are making a real and worthwhile contribution in delivering a high quality service to customers. You are working with people with a wide range of skills from finance to landscape design.

We also work closely with colleagues in the central Department for Transport, including Ministers, and with regional stakeholders and environmental bodies. Our teams are small and friendly so we can be flexible to accommodate family commitments through part-time and home working.”

My Route to the Highways Agency – Jenni Ord
I joined the Highways Agency just 2 years ago following a successful career in other public sector organisations. I worked in both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Social Security. [Initially I worked as a teacher in inner city secondary schools in Birmingham and London].

My recent experience consists, in the main, of leading large delivery organisations through change and transforming service performance using project and programme management, customer relationship and management training skills.

I was attracted to the Highways Agency because of the diverse nature of the work, the significant influence roads provision has on the public and business, and the move the organisation was making from asset provider to network operator.

What was also important to me was the opportunity to contribute to strategy and operational policy development and to work for an inclusive organisation. With a dispersed network of offices based in and around major English cities, I was also able to combine a need for an office base near home [as I have 3 children] and a desire to be involved with work done in London and elsewhere.

My application to join the HA was considered by the HRS Director and colleague Directors, and, following a series of interviews and discussions, I was offered a Divisional Director’s role in the Safety, Standards and Research Directorate. This gave me a good grounding in the work of the organisation during my first 18 months.

I recently moved to the Information Directorate where I am involved in developing the role and services for this relatively new business area.