The Friday Five 10.01.25
It's The Friday Five, our weekly collection of five of the best town planning jobs currently being ad enticed on Planner Jobs. This week, we've got opportunities in Bolton, London, Kettering, Wandsworth/Richmond and Leicester. Read on!
1. PRINCIPAL PLANNING OFFICER (PLANNING STRATEGY), BOLTON COUNCIL
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester
Salary: Grade J £44,711 - £48,710 per annum
The job: "You'll be involved in a wide range of planning policy matters, working collaboratively with colleagues in Bolton as well as across the city region with partners in Greater Manchester Combined Authority. This is an exciting time to join the team: we've recently committed to starting a local plan review and have ambitious regeneration plans for the borough. You'll help to shape the vision and content of Bolton’s local plan and be involved in related policy development work, including annual monitoring reports and consultation exercises. You'll work proactively with colleagues to help shape the policy environment demonstrating a positive image of the service and the council."
Closing date: 21 February 2025
2. PLANNING ASSISTANT, LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITY
Location: London
Salary: Negotiable
The job: Recruitment being handled by the Spencer Clarke group.
"The main purpose of this role is to provide planning advice to assist the council to fulfil its role as local planning authority. Responsibilities will include:
- Handle all types of planning and planning-related applications for consent, permission, and approval.
- Present the council’s case at appeals, including written representations, informal hearings, and local inquiries.
- Attend plans sub-committee and delegation meetings to assist in the determination of applications.
- Investigate and report on alleged breaches of planning control.
- Represent the council’s position in court as required.
- Provide pre-application advice to applicants and third parties.
- Undertake additional duties within the planning division, including work in the development plan, heritage, and urban design sections, as required."
Closing date: 9 February 2025
3. HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT, NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire
Salary: £70,139 - £74,652
The job: "As the strategic lead for development management and enforcement, you'll be accountable for the successful delivery of all day-to-day functions provided by the service.
"In late 2022, we worked with the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) who reviewed how we work and how we could join what were previously five local planning teams together. We have been working towards implementing the recommendations provided.
"You'll play a pivotal role in supporting this aspiration by leading work to:
- harmonise our processes and procedures so all of our residents and users receive a consistent service
- bringing all of our IT systems together so staff can work consistently and provide a flexible, efficient service for our residents and users
- improving our performance data reporting so we can understand what’s working well and what needs improving
- redesigning our staff structures to ensure we have sufficient capacity and skills to deliver an efficient and effective planning service
- improving our user content to ensure it’s clear, consistent and relevant."
Closing date: 20 January 2025
4. PRINCIPAL POLICY AND INFORMATION OFFICER, RICHMOND AND WANDSWORTH COUNCILS
Location: Richmond and Wandsworth, London/Hybrid
Salary: PO6 £49,939 to £60,515
The job: "The principal policy and information planner will act as a professional expert, lead on the implementation and delivery of planning policy, including local plan making, as well as information and monitoring projects, providing definitive professional advice for the council, creating and applying planning policy and best practice and delivering successful planning outcomes.
"You'll also be responsible for overseeing the work of senior planners and planners on projects and programmes, including supervising, coaching and monitoring their outputs and performance on projects and programmes to help them acquire the skills and knowledge so that they can become self-reliant in dealing with technical and people issues. You will work with the spatial planning and design team manager to ensure that corporate and national targets are met and exceeded.
"The role is based within the Richmond and Wandsworth Better Services Partnership and will involve working on both boroughs’ local plans."
Closing date: 2 February 2025
5. P112 PLANNING & SENIOR PLANNING OFFICER, CHARNWOOD BOROUGH COUNCIL
Location: Leicester, Leicestershire/Agile
Salary: £32,654 - £37,938 and essential car user allowance
The jobs: "We're seeking to appoint two experienced planning professionals who are dynamic, motivated, and highly organised to handle a busy caseload of planning applications and be able to meet government set targets for their determination.
"Working in a team of development management specialists, you'll help deliver an effective and efficient planning service through the determination of a varied caseload of planning applications, ranging from householders to major development proposals (depending on your level of experience). The role will provide you with experience of working with a variety of teams across council departments and with elected representatives as well as external partners and stakeholders.
"This is an opportunity to use your skills and talent to make a significant and immediate contribution to improving the quality of places in Charnwood and the lives of residents in our communities. We'll offer you varied and plentiful experience in a busy planning office, liaising with a variety of stakeholders to effectively achieve Charnwood’s aims of supporting sustainable growth."
Closing date: 6 February 2025
