Asset Needs Manager - Tunnels, Technology & Lighting
| Posting date: | 27 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £54,180 to £76,944 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 10 February 2026 |
| Location: | Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 4BS |
| Company: | National Highways |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7048_1769506356 |
Summary
About the job
National Highways have an excellent opportunity for an Asset Needs Manager to join our team in the South East region. The Asset Needs Manager will lead a specialist team of technology, tunnels and lighting asset engineers who contribute to the region's forward programme and planning process. The team provides technical expertise in the identification of asset specific needs and early solutions, while assuring adherence to defined asset policies and standards.
This role also includes responsibility of three ageing tunnels which are going through a major remediation programme, as well as providing asset management feedback into the development of the new Lower Thames Crossing design and construction project.
This role is based from one of our offices located in either Maidstone, Guildford or Basingstoke.
You will:
- Leading a team of specialist engineers, setting the tone and driving high performance, ensuring the team's ongoing development and engagement.
- Leading and Coordinating the identification, evaluation and development of asset specific needs in the region (i.e. tunnels, M&E, technology and lighting) to articulate future regional Lifecycle Asset Management Plans, Strategies and safety documentation.
- Ensuring that regional forward programmes, capital investment and maintenance plans reflect asset needs, and are developed in a way that is compliant with the organisation's technical asset policies and standards (including Road Tunnel Safety Regulations (2007) and NIS Regulations (2018).
- Collaborating with the Tunnels Manager and Tunnels Safety Officer, to develop and maintain a standardised document management process for documents including the Operator and Maintenance Manuals, Emergency Plans, Minimum Operating Requirements (MORs) and Health & Safety documentation.
- Liaise with National Highway's Safety Engineering and Standards (SES) and Digital Services (DS) directorates to deliver ongoing improvements and innovation; champion and share best practice and promote compliance to recognised asset management standards.
- Maintaining the safe condition, functionality, performance and reliability, security, resilience, and obsolescence of the tunnels and their associated and connected assets, systems, and records.
- Acting as the region's nominated representative for discharging the relevant statutory and regulatory duties, operational standards, service delivery manuals, requirements and guidance including the additional specialist requirements related to tunnels.
- Ensuring that the region has the required internal technical expertise to shape, assure and/or challenge early solution designs and studies for capital renewal, designated funds, third party/Section 278 and major project schemes, in order to ensure these, deliver the best outcomes for customers, whilst maintaining compliance with technical policies and standards, and achieve a successful handover into maintenance.
About you.
- Proven asset management knowledge and skills with experience of managing and developing long term asset management plans for highway infrastructure assets.
- Good understanding of Tunnels, Tehcnology and Lighting technical asset policies and strategies and up to date understanding of CDM and health and safety regulations.
- Advanced knowledge of different technology equipment, M&E systems, designs and operating procedures deployed in highway and tunnel environments.
- Demonstrable experience of leading multidiscipline engineering teams and stakeholder management.
- Experience in Asset management decision making (capital investment, lifecycle costs, value optimisation, service & availability optimisation, social & economic knowledge)
- Good commercial and financial acumen, including budget management and reporting.
About us.
Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England's motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership.
Operations is at the heart of keeping the strategic road network moving and ensuring our customers get the best possible experience when using our roads.
We address over 39,000 customer enquiries every month, plan and deliver all maintenance activities on the network, drive efficiencies and improvements across our systems and roads, and respond to incidents across 4,500 miles of motorways and major A-roads that we manage. All to make sure National Highways customers have safer, smoother, and more reliable journeys.
External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.
We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme