Transport Planning Team Lead | Manila

Joining Arup

Arup's purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Our Philippine Office, established over 30 years ago, with an office in Manila established in 1990, hosts over 200 staff working on local projects in infrastructure, transport, urban planning/design, water, energy, city resilience and buildings. Our transport planning team in Manila is leading a wide range of exciting and multifaceted local and international projects. Clients include local developers, Local Government Units (LGU), the national government, as well as international development banks and foreign governments.

The Opportunity

The Transport Planning Team Leader will lead and grow the Manila Transport Planning practice, providing technical leadership and strategic direction for transport planning projects in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The role requires a senior practitioner with demonstrated experience delivering Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB)–funded projects, particularly within the Philippine context. Also, with experience on working with local government agencies, and private developers.

You will work closely with and report to the SEA Transport Leader and Manila-based Cities Planning and Design Leader. You will have a day-to-day coordination role and work with the Manila team and other teams including teams in APAC region and beyond, with periodic travel to other SEA project locations possible.

The role is based in Manila office.

Your Role In Our Team

Leadership Role

• Provide overall leadership and daytoday management of the Manila Transport Planning team, including resourcing, workload planning, and technical oversight.
• Actively supporting growth and technical know-how of colleagues in Manila Transport Planning Team
• Ensure high standards of technical quality through robust quality control and quality assurance of project outputs, including those prepared by local and junior staff
• Liaising directly with clients, government agencies, and funding institutions, acting as a trusted advisor and senior point of contact
• Maintaining budget/schedule for projects/tasks you are assigned to lead, ensuring timely and costeffective delivery

Technical Role

• Serving as key specialist on projects including as a leader, project manager, or critical designer.
• Supporting visioning, strategy, policy evaluation, and action plans for local, regional, and national transport master plans
• Undertaking and oversee concept planning, assessment and design of transport infrastructure (roads/buses/rail), as well as development master plans
• Conducting traffic impact analysis (TIA) for proposed developments including circulation and accessibility schemes
• Managing/planning traffic, pedestrian, and infrastructure surveys, ensuring data quality and relevance to project objectives
• Apply international best practice while ensuring alignment with Philippine regulations, local standards, and development bank requirements

Market & Business Development Role

• Actively engaging in business development, lead the growth of the Manila Transport Planning business, identifying and unlocking new project opportunities
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key clients, including national agencies, local government units (LGUs), developers, and international funding institutions
• Leading local proposals with developers and LGUs
• Contributing to regional proposals and bid materials for international development banks and government clients
• Support broader Southeast Asia business development initiatives by sharing expertise, lessons learned, and technical leadership

Is this role right for you

• Bachelors in Transport Planning, Transport Engineering, Urban Planning, or Civil Engineering (or Other Relevant Field); Master's in Transport Planning preferred
• 10-15 years of relevant traffic and transport planning experience including traffic analysis, policy assessment, design, and surveys.
• Demonstrated experience leading or significantly contributing to ADB and/or World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank–funded projects, preferably in the Philippines and Southeast Asia
• Strong desire to grow the Philippine Team and support the country
• Experience in business development & leading/winning bids
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English, and Tagalog is an advantage
• Willing to undertake domestic and some international travel.

What We Offer You

At Arup, we care about each member's success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward that recognizes the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup's legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling permanent members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Different People, Shared Values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you're pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Our Application Process

Please apply directly through our applicant tracking system. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Talent Acquisition to discuss next steps. Stay safe online – Arup will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Arup does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies.