TWA Casework manager

Have you got knowledge and experience of engaging with transport planning legislation, planning policy and environmental requirements?

Can you analyse complex reports to ensure these are acceptable in legal and policy terms?

If so, wed love to hear from you!

DfT is a high-profile department at the heart of UK government. We work with agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country. We plan and invest to make journeys better.

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Casework Manager to join the Transport Infrastructure Planning Casework Unit (TIPCU). Do you want to play a crucial role in delivering the new transport infrastructure the country needs? Are you a team player? Do you have attention to detail? Are you looking for an excellent opportunity to boost your existing skill set and be supported in creating new ones?

Then this is the role for you in a friendly and supportive team.

Our teams role is to provide Ministers with the advice they need when they are deciding whether or not to grant planning consent and other powers which are necessary for the delivery of new infrastructure.

The role is central to the delivery of the teams objectives. You will support the team leader by handling a portfolio of applications for Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAOs), developing familiarity with the issues raised by each one and ensuring that they are progressed expeditiously and in line with legal requirements. This will involve assessing the merits of schemes against planning, transport and environmental policies and advising potential applicants on the process as well as drafting the formal decision letters and submissions to Ministers where required.

The post also requires you to gain an understanding of legal principles, ensuring applications are taken forward and decisions made in line with the relevant legislation. You will be required to review draft Statutory Instruments and apply legal and policy requirements. However, you are not required to have any legal qualifications or prior experience for this post as the team works closely with DfT Legal Advisers and full training will be provided.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the Kings birthday

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers

Your responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:

• To manage the procedural stages of applications for Transport and Works Act ("TWA") Orders in line with statutory Rules and published guidance, impartially and in a timely manner.
• To ensure that all TWA Orders are consistent with Government policy, are legally acceptable and meet the required drafting standards for Statutory Instruments.
• To assess the representations made about transport projects and evaluate reports from the Planning Inspectorate to make recommendations to Ministers about the proposed decisions. This will require you to assimilate, understand and distil large volumes of detailed information and complex arguments.
• To draft decision letters on applications for TWA Orders that are soundly reasoned, sufficiently robust to withstand legal challenge and delivered in a timely way.
• To provide scheme promoters, members of the public and other stakeholders with clear, accurate and appropriate advice about the consenting processes which the team operates.
• To drive forward and manage the process for TWA applications to ensure decisions are issued as efficiently as possible.
• To monitor the operation of the TWA process and to propose practicable measures to improve efficiency through changes to office practice, guidance and legislation as appropriate.
• Support the development of a new full digitalisation system to enhance and improve the functionality TWA applications and the wider directorates applications.
• Contact for FOIs, MC and TOs for current/historic TWA applications.
• Provide support and other ad-hoc duties to the Team Leaders and colleagues.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Knowledge of and experience engaging with transport planning legislation, planning policy and environmental requirements.
• Experience of analysing complex reports to ensure these are acceptable in legal and policy terms.
• Excellent experience oral and written communication skills. Experience of drafting extensive technical detail for a non-technical audience ensuring attention to detail.
• You can proactively forward plan and track ongoing work, ensuring the delivery of high-quality outcomes, showing resilience and tenacity to manage changing priorities and recognise key areas of work that will need urgent attention.
• You enjoy working closely with other team members, collaborating with others to achieve a common goal.
• Experience of planning casework in transport

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services. 

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Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.