Head of Service – Highways Delivery

Lake Champlain Chamber

. Lead delivery of highways services across Lancashire .

Posted 9/18/2026full-timePreston • United KingdomLead💰 £80,401 - £87,928 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in highways engineering and operational delivery, with a strong focus on financial management, safety, and quality standards. Proven ability to lead large teams and manage complex capital and revenue programmes while fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Highways EngineeringBudget OwnershipLeadership of Large Operational TeamsHealth, Safety and Environmental LeadershipContract Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Highways MaintenanceInfrastructure DeliveryProgramme DeliveryQuality ManagementCDM RequirementsStatutory DutiesOperational DeliveryCapital Works ManagementEmergency ResponseNetwork Resilience

Soft Skills

Excellent CommunicationStakeholder ManagementCollaborative LeadershipInfluencing SkillsResilience

Certifications & Qualifications

Relevant Degree-Level QualificationMembership of ICE or CIHT

Industry Keywords

Capital ProgrammesRevenue ProgrammesMixed-Economy Delivery ModelsContinuous ImprovementCustomer-Focused Services

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead delivery of highways services across Lancashire
Turn plans, investment and priorities into safe, high-quality network outcomes
Lead a diverse workforce of more than 300 colleagues alongside contractors and supply chain partners
Oversee capital works, maintenance and operational delivery, including winter service, emergency response and network resilience
Provide strategic leadership while remaining connected to operational delivery
Manage major capital and revenue programmes
Act as Senior Responsible Officer for designated schemes
Ensure strong financial control, safety, quality, sustainability and value for money
Collaborate with Heads of Service, senior leaders, elected members and partners
Ensure engineering standards, asset priorities and commercial governance translate into effective delivery
Lead transformation and continuous improvement to create resilient, customer-focused services

Requirements

What you’ll need

Relevant degree-level qualification, or equivalent experience, in civil engineering, highways engineering or a related discipline, together with membership of a relevant professional body such as ICE or CIHT
Significant experience delivering highways maintenance, infrastructure or comparable large-scale operational services, including complex projects or programmes and multiple concurrent schemes
Proven leadership of large operational teams
Strong experience of budget ownership, financial decision-making and programme delivery, including significant capital and revenue programmes
Experience working across multi-disciplinary teams, contractors and supply chain partners
Strong understanding of highways operations, maintenance and construction, relevant statutory duties, safe and compliant delivery, and CDM requirements
Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills
Experience of health, safety and environmental leadership
Understanding of quality management and continuous improvement within a large operational environment
Knowledge of contract management and mixed-economy delivery models, including in-house and contracted service delivery
Resilient, collaborative leadership style and ability to lead through change
Ability to address and evidence all essential criteria from the person specification

Benefits

Comp & perks

26 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Flexible working opportunities
Health and wellbeing support
Family-friendly policies
Financial and travel benefits
Training and development opportunities