Description

Salary £30,660 per annum for 36 hours per week based at County Hall Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2DW. 

You will benefit from 24 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

 Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.

About the role

Surrey faces huge challenges to accommodate housing and economic growth in a sustainable way in the context of a densely populated and valuable natural environment. Surrey is a diverse County with urban fringe in the north abutting Greater London and free standing towns and villages to the south. The County is situated between Heathrow and Gatwick airports. 73% of the County is within the Metropolitan Greenbelt, 26% within one of the two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and 22% covered in Woodland. Development proposals in Surrey are often controversial and can generate significant public interest. Many Surrey residents are deeply concerned about development and actively participate in the planning process.

The County Council is the Planning Authority for minerals, waste and the County Council's own development proposals. It also works closely with the 11 Surrey Boroughs and Districts in respect of strategic development across the County, infrastructure to support Local Plans and the impacts of airport expansion. The Council is currently looking to recruit two Planning Officers, one working in the Planning Development Management working on the County Council's own developments and the other in Minerals & Waste. We are looking for experienced planners looking to expand their experience and to continue to develop their planning careers The County Council will provide support for a planner wishing to gain Membership of the RTPI and may fund further study in appropriate circumstances. You will work in a supportive atmosphere which encourages learning both internally and externally.

Excellent communication skills are crucial to these posts. Post holders will be expected to be able to politely and confidently communicate verbally and in writing with the public, fellow professionals, applicants and County Councillors. Good organisation, self-motivation, enthusiasm and attention to detail are important personal skills in these roles.

To be shortlisted for interview, your application will need to clearly show evidence of:

• A degree in a relevant subject such as planning, geography, environmental science, urban design, sustainability or geology.
• A full UK driving licence;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Experience of working in a town planning or related work environment
• A commitment to delivering sustainable development for the benefit of the residents of Surrey

Additional information

Contact details

For an informal discussion contact Caroline Smith on 020 8541 9975 or by e-mail to carolinedrinkwater@surreycc.gov.uk. We look forward to receiving your application. 

Additional information

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 15/05/2019. Interviews will take place during May.