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Work for yourself, not by yourself

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Work for yourself, not by yourself

Are you an experienced chartered town planner seeking a new way to work? Would you like to combine higher earnings with more freedom?

Fuller image 1Whether you’re a highly qualified Local Authority planner searching for career autonomy, a self-employed consultant dealing with a snowballing workload, or at a career crossroads due to changes at work, Fuller Long could be the perfect fit for you.

Our Cooperative provides new business opportunities and dedicated support through a network of nationwide independent consultants who all work for themselves, but not by themselves. And right now, we’re looking for talented, experienced and ambitious people to join us.

A new approach in planning consultancy

Our forward-thinking business model turns planning consultancy on its head. Fuller Long consultants work as freelancers under an umbrella company – blending the positives of a traditional planning business with the flexibility of modern working and technology, to create a Cooperative of independent planning consultants who come together when needed to support and benefit from each other.

"Our consultants can work when, where and how they like," explains Managing Director Ryan Fuller. "That creates a dynamic, proactive company, with highly motivated people who can form specialist teams tailor-made for each and every project. We offer our clients a truly bespoke service and our consultants a real work-life balance.”

Fuller image 3The Cooperative model enables our consultants to focus on areas of interest within their planning and heritage specialisms, whilst being rewarded for completing or referring work. Crucially, Fuller Long’s fee share model offers the possibility to earn the majority of each project's income (up to 80% of project fees, plus referral fees for work provided to other Cooperative members), which is more than could normally be achieved as an employee or partner of a traditional consultancy. This model encourages every consultant to do their very best to win new business and generate further work.

The ultimate in flexible working

Consultants at Fuller Long have direct control over the way they work, their workload and their career path. Fuller Long also offers flexibility to people balancing a successful career and a family, Ryan adds. "We recognised that many talented female planners want the opportunity to work full time, around the needs of their families. Traditional employers are often unable to accommodate this need."

Fuller 2While each consultant is responsible for generating and working on their own business, the central marketing strategy provides access to new business leads, and the company is on hand to support with back office marketing, administration and technical project support as required. Consultants can also access hot desking and meeting facilities at our Central London offices.

A culture of quality and support

Support is one of the key advantages of Fuller Long’s business model. Consultants are encouraged to consult each other on projects and verify the quality of each other's work, typically by working in pairs – an approach that recreates the support usually enjoyed by employed planners. The company’s culture of excellence means the selection process for new consultants is also reassuringly rigorous. But the benefits – for clients and consultants – are clear:  a highly motivated team, with complete control over their workload, completing projects to a very high standard in a timely fashion.  

Benefits of Fuller Long at a glance

  • Location independence
  • Self-employment
  • Attractive fee model
  • Professional support
  • Access to larger projects with other Cooperative consultants
  • Holiday cover
  • Access to London office base with admin support

Join our Cooperative

Working at a traditional planning consultancy may have many positives, but it can also come with stifling hierarchy and politics attached. With more and more consultants taking control of their careers by working for themselves, Fuller Long can offer you something different: the freedom and financial rewards of being self-employed, with the support and opportunities of a national company.

To find out more or contact one of the team: www.townplanningcooperative.co.uk

Richard Turnbull“After working in local authority for many years, I was keen to become a freelance consultant to allow me to focus on planning work rather than managing people. Joining Fuller Long provided me with the marketing and administration support to help establish myself and build a client base.” Richard Turnbull

 

 

 

 

Juliet Heap“Having already started my own company, I joined Fuller Long to benefit from the support of the established network of other professionals. I can consult with other members on my projects, which helps ensure the best strategy and chances of success for my clients.” Juliet Heap