Position description
Title:
Senior Traffic Engineer
Group:
Highways & Network Operations
Location:
Auckland
Reports to:
Senior Traffic Engineer
Date:
February 2012
Organisation profile
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is a Crown entity that was established on 1 August 2008, under the
amended Land Transport Management Act 2003, bringing together the functions of Land Transport NZ
and Transit New Zealand to provide an integrated approach to transport planning, funding and delivery.
The purpose of the NZTA is ‘Creating transport solutions for a thriving New Zealand’.
What we do -
Help New Zealanders to travel reliably and safely
-
Invest in moving people and freight to grow New Zealand’s economy
-
Meet our customers’ needs by being people-focused.
Our strategic priorities – the things we are focussing on:
-
Improve customer service and reduce compliance costs
-
Plan for and deliver roads of national significance
-
Improve the effectiveness of public transport
-
Improve the efficiency of freight movement
-
Improve the road safety system.
The NZTA employs approximately 1400 staff throughout New Zealand and is structured into six business
groups. The NZTA encourages staff to work collaboratively across the organisation. It is committed to
linking people together and drawing from the combined skills and knowledge held within the NZTA, in
order to develop innovative solutions and work more effectively with stakeholders.
NZTA values
To achieve our purpose we must exhibit the following values:
Sign Up: We commit to where we are going and we put our heart into what we do. We get engaged every
day.
Team Up: We enjoy the people we work with and appreciate their talents. We find solutions for our
customers with joined up thinking
Front Up: We are courageous. We tackle the difficult issues. We know our value and bring it to our work
with confidence and good judgement.
…resulting in a great place to work as a high performing, innovative organisation.
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Business Group Background - Highways & Network Operations
The Highways & Network Operations Group (Highways), one of six business groups within the NZTA,
contributes to optimising the wider transport network by planning, operating, protecting, maintaining
and improving the state highway network. The Group works closely with other parts of the business to
ensure the strategic priorities are achieved. State highways perform a vital national, inter-regional and
regional role in the transport network. State highways carry buses, trucks, cars, motorcyclists, walkers
and cyclists and connect cities, towns, ports and tourist destinations. The Highways customer base is
extensive and is focussed predominately on users of the SH network. The Group operates adjacent to
communities and traverses sensitive and important parts of New Zealand.
The priorities for Highways are to:

Improve its customer service, particularly with road users but also with suppliers, neighbours and
key stakeholders

Undertake all activities on the basis of operating and improving a national network

Develop staff so that decision making can be devolved low into the Highways structure and that staff
are trained and competent in collegial decision making

Contribute to the development of the Organisational Development strategy and implement its intent
over the Group/Business Unit and evidence this by measurement.
Purpose of position
The Senior Traffic Engineer is responsible for setting operational outcomes to be delivered through the AMA
and JTOC for the Auckland and Northland network. The role will also work collaboratively with other regional
stakeholders and partners including Auckland Transport through the JTOC to aid delivery of the one network
approach.
The role is responsible for ensuring wider operational issues are understood, articulated and managed for
the Auckland and Northland regions and is also responsible for assisting in the development of an
Integrated approach to deliver regional operational consistency for HNO. This requires the role to provide
direction and collaboratively engage regionally and nationally to ensure a consistent and coordinated
approach to NZTA SH operations.
Key accountabilities – general
Team Contribution

Demonstrates support for all the NZTA initiatives and organisational development activities,
modelling expected behaviours to managers and other staff

Works in a manner that reflects a clear alignment with the values and expectations of the NZTA staff
and works to understand and resolve issues that may be in conflict with these values and/or
expectations

Actively supports an organisational culture based on high quality, innovation, responsiveness,
excellent communication and continuous improvement.
Relationship management

Engages effectively with internal experts/staff across the NZTA so that the best information is
available for decision-making, policy development, planning, resource and risk management,
operations and service delivery to our Minister and the public
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
Actively manages internal client expectations and maintains timeliness of delivery including meeting
service level agreements

Works with Regional Planning and Performance and Strategy and Performance to ensure appropriate
and timely resource planning and communication input into project work to ensure projects are
positioned in accordance with the NZTA objectives.
Stakeholder management

Establishes and maintains professional relationships with providers of land transport services, local
and central government transport sector agencies, other State agencies, the private sector, interest
groups, the public and international transport agencies and peers as appropriate.

Convenes and attends meetings with key internal and external stakeholders to address specific
issues and generate solutions, and has the ability to influence thinking and decisions that are
consistent with the NZTA strategic direction.

Provides meaningful and timely communication to the sector so that stakeholders understand their
requirements in relation to the Government transport sector objectives.
Risk and issue management

Escalates any significant risks and issues to their manager in a timely way

Ensures a comprehensive risk management approach to the way the business is managed on a dayto-day basis. Identifies threats to SH Plan, business and the NZTA so that risks within their area of
responsibility are managed, mitigated or minimised

Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities so that there is continuous improvement in business
processes and greater value is delivered to customers and stakeholders.
Customer service

Develops a customer service ethos that focuses on the provision of high quality, proactive and timely
service, support and advice, which is aligned to the NZTA’s needs and strategies.

Actively manages key customer segments of road users, key stakeholders, neighbours and suppliers
by:

encouraging and promoting dialogue and collaboration with road user groups such as
Automobile Association, Road Transport Federation, bus operators, cycling interest groups
so that they play a part in assisting with the setting of priorities, standards and urban design

developing and maintaining a working relationship with all suppliers so that they have
forward visibility of our programme and can openly discuss issues with NZTA and see NZTA
as a premier client

ensuring we are open, honest and available to all our neighbours so that they can advise us
of issues and that they can, through engagement, assist us in finding the best solutions to
our transport problems.
Health and safety

Takes responsibility for own health and safety

Ensures own actions keep self and others safe

Identifies, reports and assists to eliminate hazards in own work place

Participates in local work place safety management practices.
Self development
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
Takes responsibility for personal development and continually develops own professional expertise.
Key accountabilities - specific
Regional Operational Consistency

Proactively engages with stakeholders to set standards and identify strategies for driving operational
consistency (Defining outcomes not day to day management)

Leads the development of critical integrated regional operational plans and procedures including
National Emergency Response Procedures, National Civil Defence Emergency Procedures.
Regional Network Efficiency

Lead development of the network operational plans for Auckland and Northland regions

Responsible for the definition of desired operation outcomes and desired levels of service for JTOC
and AMA to ensure wider network effects are managed proactively.

Ensures that the design of all new state highways in the region optimise traffic flow efficiency.

Assist in ensuring that all maintenance works in the region minimise adverse effects on traffic flow
efficiency

Effectively ensures that input provided into traffic control devices such as intersection signals, ramp
meters are operated and managed provides optimum traffic efficiency.

Leads the provision of advice on managing capacity issues identified on the network.

Assist in responding to public enquiries regarding operational and traffic capacity issues

Provides expert advice in external liaison and representation activities focussed on traffic flow and
efficiency
Best Practice in Design

Technical contribution to all projects and improvement works ensures they are designed and
constructed to the appropriate geometric standards and provides optimum operational outcomes.

Provides a leading role in contributing to traffic engineering projects relating to the improvement of
national policy for road and traffic design standards, guidelines and criteria.
Traffic Impact Advice for Land use development proposals

Liaises with Integrated Planning Manager and staff to ensure any proposed developments adjacent to
the State Highway have safe access and operational impact on the SH network is minimised.

Manages the provision of technical expertise to Integrated Planning Manager on traffic management
and safety issues in regard to proposed developments adjacent to the State Highway network and
give evidence at Council Hearings if necessary.
Financial Dimensions
As required and delegated
Committee / Steering Group / Team memberships
Business/Technical/Operational Teams – responsible for contributing to specialised teams and groups
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ensuring business procedures are reviewed, updated and improved as required to meet business need.
Key relationships
Internal

Senior Project Manager

Project Team

Property Manager

NZTA managers and staff

Related communications roles
External

Government Departments / Agencies

Consultants and Contractors

Public Interest groups

Local Authorities

Community groups
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Person specification
Education and training

A four year Bachelor of Engineering (BE or equivalent) or a degree that is benchmarked to the
Washington Accord is essential.

Working towards Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) and a professional member of IPENZ
(MIPENZ) is desirable.

A current and valid New Zealand Driver’s Licence (or equivalent) is required for this position.
Knowledge and experience

Relevant post grad experience (10+ yrs) in the traffic/transport industry.

Experience in traffic engineering and its application to solving operational deficiencies.

Knowledge of road construction works and/or a general understanding of the processes involved in
planning, designing and building.

Some experience in working within a technical team.
Personal attributes

Demonstrates problem solving skills and the ability to apply an analytical approach to arrive at a
solution that reflects best practice.

Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills and an ability to collaborate with others
outside the transport sector, particularly in the various communication channels available.

Possesses the credability and confidence to command the respect of their peers, enabling the
establishment and management of key internal relationships, and identified stakeholder groups

Actively demonstrates, promotes and models desired organisational behaviours and values

Displays strong interpersonal skills

The ability to build and foster relationships

Displays a strong customer service ethos

Possesses a strong achievement/delivery focus – sets high standards including accuracy and
attention to detail, meets deadlines etc

Promotes a high quality climate of innovation, collaboration, change and adaptation in own area

Actively looks for opportunities to improve services and support organisational change

Displays the ability to perform in the team environment, contributing to team success

Takes accountability for the responsibilities of the position and own actions.
Competencies – technical competence standards
The twelve elements of the competence standard for Professional Engineers are set out below:
Element One - Knowledge
Comprehend and apply knowledge of the accepted principles underpinning widely applied good practice
in professional engineering (Washington Accord degree level)
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Element Two – Local Knowledge
Comprehend and apply knowledge of the accepted principles underpinning good practice for
professional engineering that is specific to the jurisdiction in which he/she practices (NZ)
Element Three – Analyse Problems
Define, investigate and analyse complex engineering problems in accordance with good practice for
professional engineering
Element Four – Design or Develop Solutions
Design or develop solutions to complex engineering problems in accordance with good practice for
professional engineering
Element Five – Decision Making
Be responsible for making decisions on part or all of one or more complex engineering activities
Element Six – Management
Manage part or all of one or more complex engineering activities in accordance with good engineering
management practice
Element Seven – Risk Management
Identify, assess and manage engineering risk (in the context of complex engineering problems)
Element Eight – Ethical Conduct
Conduct engineering activities to an ethical standard at least equivalent to the relevant code of ethical
conduct
Element Nine – Recognise Foreseeable Effects
Recognise the reasonably foreseeable social, cultural and environmental effects of professional
engineering activities generally
Element Ten – Communication
Communicate clearly with other engineers and others that he or she is likely to deal with in the course of
his or her professional engineering activities
Element Eleven – Maintain Currency
Maintain the currency of his or her engineering knowledge and skills
Element Twelve – Judgement
Exercise sound professional engineering judgement
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