Principal Transport Officer | Full Time | Permanent | Smart Ticketing and Concessionary Travel

Location: Preston
Workplace: On-site
Compensation: £46k – £51k

About this role

Salary £46,142 - £51,356 | Full Time, 37 hours per week | Permanent | Smart Ticketing and Concessionary Travel | Lancashire

Help Shape the Future of Public Transport in Lancashire

Are you passionate about improving public transport and making travel easier, smarter and more accessible for local communities?

We're looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Principal Officer, Concessionary and Smart Ticketing to lead the strategic development and delivery of Lancashire County Council's concessionary travel and smart ticketing programmes. This is an exciting opportunity to influence how thousands of residents access public transport every day through innovative ticketing solutions and inclusive travel schemes.

Working within our Passenger and Fleet Transport Service, you'll play a key role in ensuring Lancashire residents benefit from modern, reliable and integrated ticketing systems while supporting the delivery of wider public transport objectives across the county.

About the role:

As Principal Officer, you'll lead on the management and development of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), NoWcard arrangements and smart ticketing initiatives. You'll work collaboratively with bus operators, neighbouring authorities, Transport for the North, technology suppliers and internal stakeholders to help shape the future of public transport in Lancashire.

This role offers a unique blend of strategic leadership, partnership working, financial management and project delivery, providing the opportunity to make a genuine impact on how people travel throughout the region.

Job Description & Person Specification

What you will do:

Lead the development and implementation of smart ticketing strategies and innovative fare initiatives.
Manage Lancashire's concessionary travel schemes, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and Department for Transport standards.
Oversee relationships with transport operators, ticketing suppliers, technology providers and regional partners.
Support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and Enhanced Partnership objectives.
Manage budgets, contracts and financial performance, identifying opportunities for service improvement and value for money.
Analyse complex operational and financial information to support strategic decision-making.
Represent Lancashire County Council at regional and national transport forums.

What we are looking for:

You'll be a confident leader with excellent stakeholder management skills and experience working within public transport, ticketing, transport technology or a related field.

You'll bring:

A degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience in transport planning, business management, information systems or a related discipline.
Knowledge of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS).
Understanding of smart ticketing technologies and fare collection systems.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and financial management skills.
Experience influencing and building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.

Reasons to join us:

At Lancashire County Council, we're committed to making Lancashire the best place to live, work, visit and prosper. We are guided by our values of being Supportive, Innovative, Respectful and Collaborative, and we're passionate about creating services that make a positive difference to our communities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

A rewarding role with county-wide impact
Opportunities to lead transformational transport initiatives
Professional development and career progression
Local Government Pension Scheme
Generous annual leave entitlement
Flexible working opportunities
A supportive and inclusive working environment

How to apply:

If you're excited about the opportunity to help shape the future of public transport across Lancashire and would like to find out more, we'd love to hear from you.

Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria for the role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Ian.Boyd@lancashire.gov.uk

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

As this role involves partnership working with operators, stakeholders and regional transport bodies, flexibility may be required to attend meetings outside of normal office hours on occasion.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

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