Meet a Member | Jonathan Taylor, Senior Technical Director, Arcadis
June 2023
This year marks my 20th year as a Transport Consultant and whilst I’ve remained in the one industry throughout my career I’ve had many different roles and experiences to keep life interesting. I still remember my first week in the job, back in London, which was to run queries on the 2001 London Household Travel Survey. That led on to a couple of years as a Strategic Transport Modeller.
My work changed when I moved to Australia in 2007. Here my focus was on project development, business cases and economic appraisal. I was fortunate to have several secondments into the Victorian Department of Transport which set me up well in terms of building my network and reputation. In some respects, moving to Brissie in 2018 was a bit like starting again - new colleagues, new clients and a different market.
I’ve been lucky to have had both operations leadership and technical leadership roles (often at the same time) and there is still so much I’d like to do.
What is your current role?
I joined Arcadis with a view to growing a new advisory business that leverages the great transport planning services Arcadis was already delivering in the market. In terms of structure, I currently double hat as the Senior Technical Director for Mobility Advisory and I’m also the National Manager of the Transport Planning and Mobility Advisory Teams.
What first attracted you to get involved in the transport industry?
I’m a transport nerd. Many a day during weekends and school holidays were spent going to watch trains and planes. One of my early mentors once said: “All of us transport planners have an anorak* in the cupboard somewhere!” – that’s definitely true in my case.
Could you explain some key opportunities in your career and how they contributed to your development?
I struggled with Strategic Modelling early in my career as it was far removed from what I thought I’d be doing. However looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the broad understanding of transport planning that gave me (I think all transport planners should spend some time as modellers).
There have been a couple of times where I’ve been able to make a real difference on projects that have been in trouble. Having a role in turning around a project team’s performance, and with it, the perceptions of the client, reinforces the key message I continue to give to those who ask me for advice, which is, the most important thing to do is a good job!
What has been/will be your involvement with AITPM?
I’ve not been heavily involved up until now, aside from joining the odd webinar. However, with Arcadis jumping on board as an industry partner this year, I have been spurred on to be more active. I’m currently helping organise some Young Professionals events in Brisbane and I’m really pleased that I’m a co-author for a paper that will be presented at this year’s national conference in Melbourne.
What are your aspirations for your contribution to the AITPM?
Who knows what the future holds? I think AITPM provides a great forum for learning and building connections which I’m enjoying being a part of.
What has been a memorable moment in your career?
Everybody has at least one project that is special to them for some reason. For me it was leading the business case for the grade separation of the Springvale Road Level Crossing, in Springvale, Melbourne. This was back in 2011 way before the current level crossing blitz. It was special for many reasons – my biggest project win as a consultant, it was far and away the biggest fee value and most diverse team I had ever led. We only had 18 weeks to develop the business case and most satisfying of all – the project got funded and it was actually constructed! Everyone was happy, the client got what they wanted, the project was profitable and following this success, I was invited to become a shareholder of the firm I was working for.
What are your personal and/or professional career plans for the future?
My personal priorities are to finally finish my recreational pilot’s licence and get a lot better at golf.
In terms of my professional aspirations – I’ve only been at Arcadis for two years and have a lot of work to do to achieve what we have set out to do. I’ve always been a consultant so I do sometimes wonder whether in the longer term a stint in the public sector could be worthwhile.
Do you have any advice you would like to share to professionals in the transport/traffic industry?
As an industry, we could be better at advancing our approaches and investing in research and technology. An industry that was once (in Australia anyway) dominated by engineers, now requires a much broader range of expertise to address current and emerging issues – data scientists, digital advisory and sustainability to name three. So, my advice is to build teams and networks that ‘look outside of the box’ from the traditional traffic engineer and transport planner.
What do you do in your spare time to unwind?
Weekends are busy with two sports mad sons. I’m usually watching them play their sport or taking them to watch a game of something somewhere.
*Anorak – British term to describe the jacket many trainspotters wear (less needed in Queensland).