Head of New Developments

Head of New Developments  

• £56,254 per annum, with a London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 for those living within a London
  Borough (32 local authority districts plus the City of London) 
• Ref: 09REC  
• Full Time 37.5 hours per week – happy to talk flexible working 

The role 

Sustrans is the UK’s leading active travel organisation, working to make it possible for people
across society to walk, wheel and cycle. We have a new strategy for the next five years, a key
strand of which is to unlock active travel in new housing developments, and we are recruiting a
Head of New Developments to lead this work.

This is a new position in which you will draw on your experience in the housing delivery sector
to grow Sustrans’ contribution to the creation of new communities that have active mobility at
their heart. As well as leading our influencing work aimed at organisations in housing
delivery, you will develop and promote an offer to partners, drawing on Sustrans’ existing
infrastructure, behaviour change and advisory services. You will connect with, inform and
inspire professionals and decision makers involved in delivering new homes to adopt the actions
required to increase active travel in their developments. Through collaboration with our
Commercial team and subject experts across Sustrans, you will develop a pipeline of funded work
from public, private and third sector organisations, ultimately enabling more households to
walk, wheel or cycle for their day-to-day journeys.

The role can be based in any Sustrans office and will involve frequent in-person meetings and
site visits, particularly (but not exclusively) in the Midlands and South of England. 

About you 

You’ll have significant experience contributing to the delivery of new developments through
work for or with organisations such as developers, housing providers, consultancies, local
authorities or government. We’re looking for applicants with a professional network in housing
delivery, and significant experience securing new commissions from and/or influencing
organisations involved in delivering new developments. You’ll have a strong understanding of
the development process, including the spatial planning system, and of the roles of the parties
involved in delivering new developments, the power dynamics between them, and the opportunities
and appetite each has for taking action to increase active travel. Naturally, you’ll have deep
knowledge of the challenges, opportunities and hot topics in housing delivery – for new towns,
urban extensions and urban intensification schemes.

You’ll have exceptional external-facing leadership skills, and be a strategic, creative
thinker, able to solve problems and convert new ideas into practical actions. Your outstanding
communication skills will enable you to engage with stakeholders at a senior level, including
on contentious subjects and on high-profile projects. You’ll have strong business acumen to
secure new commissions and deliver effectively for clients, and the skills to influence
decision-makers.

You’ll have experience of engaging meaningfully with communities to ensure that new
developments respond to the challenges and aspirations of local residents and stakeholders. And
you’ll have good knowledge of how active travel can be embedded into new developments to
maximise the number of routine journeys that are walked, wheeled or cycled.

We’re looking for exceptional collaboration and people management skills and a commitment to
fostering an inclusive and high-performing organisational culture. We welcome Chartered
membership of a relevant professional body. 

About Sustrans 

We work in urban and rural areas, making it possible, safe and appealing for people to people
to walk, wheel and cycle. We address the barriers that prevent people from travelling actively
– barriers that disproportionately affect people who live in deprived areas, those who are
disabled, people who are older or younger, and women and girls.

We’re a practical, can-do charity, designing award-winning infrastructure solutions in streets
and across neighbourhoods, and working with communities to give people the skills, confidence,
motivation and equipment to travel actively. We’re experts in community and stakeholder
engagement, carefully navigating the sometimes heated territory of our work to tackle traffic
dominance and car dependency. And we provide data, insight and advice to decision-makers,
helping them invest effectively in transport, place-shaping and their communities. We work with
government, to support wider work to improve mobility, and to advocate for changes to policy
and funding. And over the last 30 years, Sustrans has developed the National Cycle Network from
scratch, working with supporters, volunteers, governments and stakeholders to create 16,500
miles of traffic-free and low-traffic routes, loved and enjoyed by communities across the UK. 

We are now embarking on a new chapter for our charity, with a refreshed strategy. The Head of
New Developments will play a key role in growing our impact in this new chapter. 

What we offer 

Sustrans has a long-term commitment to being a charity for everyone – reducing inequality,
valuing diversity, enabling inclusion and ensuring all people are treated with dignity and
respect. We aim to be a truly inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all
parts of the community, in particular from under-represented groups.

In return we can offer true hybrid working to suit individual circumstances and a flexible,
supportive and rewarding working environment.

Wellbeing 

• 28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays for full-time working
• Ability to buy an extra week of annual leave (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Staff volunteer days
• 24/7 free, impartial and confidential support service
• We are members of the Green Commute Initiative and Cycle Scheme who both offer cycle to
  work schemes 

Financial 

• Group Personal Pension scheme with a 6% or 7% of basic salary contribution being matched by
  Sustrans
• Bike, computer and season ticket loans
• Discount benefits
• London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 for all those living within a London Borough (32 local
  authority districts plus the City of London)
• Death in service benefit – 3 x annual salary 

Family Friendly 

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Flexible working practices (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday – Friday) 

Additional information 

• Closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 23:59, 10th August 2025.
• Interviews are expected to take place in person in London week commencing 18th August 2025.
• To discuss this role, please contact [email protected] to arrange a
  call with our Connected Neighbourhoods Director, Rachel Toms.
• Applications are invited in the form of a CV and covering letter.