Highways Agency

ROAD LIGHTING ENGINEER

• DIVISION:  SAFETY STANDARDS AND RESEARCH
• JOB REFERENCE:  VV 1126
• NUMBER OF JOBS:  UP TO 3
• LOCATION       BRISTOL
• TERM:  FULL TIME, PERMANENT AND VOLUNTARY
• PAY BAND:  5
• PAY STARY FORM:  £27,390

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Overview and Purpose

This post is responsible for providing central technical advice for the application of road lighting and traffic signalling technology for the Highways Agency’s strategic road network.  We are committed to meeting our responsibilities through a challenging programme of innovation, customer support and business improvement. This requires a commitment to critically challenge convention, while meeting both internal and external customer requirements in a rapidly developing business area.

You’ll need to use your technical knowledge and experience to contribute to the development of advice, guidance and standards that will inform strategy and policy on the provision of road lighting and traffic signalling technology.  This will help support the Highways Agency’s Sustainability Development Action Plan, the development of energy reduction strategies, and dealing with highway electrical/technology systems generally.

You will also provide a point of reference for advice to our customers and other project sponsors on the respective European and British lighting standards as well as internal standards along with general ad hoc technical advice.

Key Responsibilities

Working in a progressive and evolving environment you will be responsible for:

• Supporting the defined work centrally from the Highways Agency’s Bristol office, ensuring service-levels and timely objectives are achieved.
• Delivering cost effective and timely solutions to meet Highways Agency and customer needs.
• Supporting the Senior Road Lighting and Traffic Signalling Engineers in road lighting and traffic signalling activities and ensuring objectives are met.
• Providing timely technical input and status updates to the respective Senior Engineers as well as contribution and attendance at project progress meetings.
• Manage projects and consultants in a project sponsor role.
• Proactively identify and manage risks to team objectives and support the team in their deliverable targets.
• Provide specialist advice and expertise on lighting and traffic signalling and frontline customer care.

Essential Skills and Experience

It is essential that applicants have a background in road lighting and ideally traffic signalling and highway electrical systems engineering, coupled to a sound working knowledge of their application to the Highways Agency's strategic road network and the requirements of whole-life support.

Having an eye for detail along with an analytical and creative mindset that thrives on a challenge and embraces change will be beneficial to this post.

Experience in the following areas would be highly desirable:

• The design and application of modern efficient road lighting and traffic signalling schemes, innovations, and cost benefit analysis for the justification for the provision of road lighting and/or traffic signalling.
• Assisting in the writing of performance based national standards, understanding of whole life cycle requirements, requirements for electrical power distribution systems and electrical protective systems.
• Knowledge of the application of national and European standards, used by the Highways Agency for road lighting and highway electrical systems, including the European waste management directives (WEED).

Qualifications: Ideally educated to degree, HNC or HND level or equivalent in an engineering or scientific discipline.

Other Requirements

As part of your duties and liaison with key customer in other HA offices you will be expected to work away from the office. There may be occasional travel to Europe.

Competencies

Leadership

Acts as a role model for the Highways Agency’s values and leads by example. Turns the skills of the team to achieve the business objectives. Self motivated and competent at setting targets.

Working with People

Takes time to help colleagues develop their skills and provides the resources to do so. Gives credit for good work and celebrates success. Approachable and supportive and recognises the contributions of others.

Managing Delivery

Prioritises and organises the work to deliver to time, budget and agreed quality standards and monitors and evaluates outcomes. Sets and communicates standards and performance expectations and achieves commitment to deliverables.

Communications/Influencing

Influences senior managers and others by clearly demonstrating a grasp of the objectives of others. Adjusts quickly to changing circumstances and is prepared to adapt without losing sight of key objectives. Engages with people in constructive dialog.

Problem solving/decision taking

Probes to understand causes and implications while challenging wrong and inaccurate information. Takes timely decisions and considers the wider implications and risks of specific proposals. Develops own and others innovative solutions with clear recommendations on the way forward. Thinks innovatively and uses technical skills to solve problems effectively.