Role overview
The role holder is the lead senior manager responsible for strategic direction of planning and development activities across group to ensure AGS Airports Limited achieves its growth vision. 

There is a core requirement to deliver credible strategies such as the Master Plan, Airport Development Strategy and Surface Access Strategy. Managing internal and external stakeholders throughout the creation and on-going execution of these strategic intents. 

The role holder will lead the preparation of technical and legal details for external economic development, to support and inform decision making for optimisation and delivering funding and development opportunities, benefiting AGS’ airports, regions and stakeholders. Work closely with the CEO, Director of Communications and the local airport Operations Directors to design and deliver an effective public relations and affairs plan (including MP/MSP/councillor/key stakeholder engagement). 

The candidate must have senior leadership and mastering planning / policy experience, with a proven track record of outstanding client focus, whilst displaying the essential skills of stakeholder management.

Principle accountabilities:

• To be the principal point of contact for all planning, transport and strategic development issues relating to AGS’s airports. 
• Provide professional advice to the business in the fields of planning, transport and strategic development. 
• Review and co-ordinate responses to relevant UK, Scottish, regional and local planning, transport and economic development plans and other policy documents. 
• Monitor and review facilities capacity information against market demand and business objectives. 
• Lead the production and implementation of the airport’s Master Plan, Surface Access Strategy, Airport Development Strategy and supporting studies. 
• Deliver spatial planning strategy and delivery for land use diversification activities across the group.
• To champion the principles of good design as contained in the airport Design Guidelines. 
• Support the capital and business planning processes. 
• Undertake a Development Manager role in the delivery of certain aspects of the Master Plan and Surface Access Strategy. 
• Prepare planning applications (and permitted development notifications), including co-ordinating the production of Environmental Impact Assessments and planning appeals. 
• Maintain and develop positive relationships with local, regional and national planning authorities.
• Ensure that conditions, commitments and obligations arising as a result of planning permissions are delivered and discharged in a timely and efficient manner. 
• Lead the AGS Airports’ Safeguarding Team to ensure the accurate and reasonable assessment of planning applications in a timely and efficient manner in accordance with all technical, statutory, licensing and audit requirements. 
• Undertake managerial reviews and audit of safeguarding responses to ensure compliance with safeguarding criteria. 
• Evaluate information, balance competing demands and decide on the best course of action to protect the safe and efficient operation, and future development, of AGS Airports. Challenge and negotiate potential solutions while minimising the risk of adverse impacts. Approve the raising of formal planning objections.
• Maintain excellent working relationships with local planning authorities, developers, airport clients and other aviation stakeholders. Deliver a service that meets customer and stakeholder expectations at all times. 
• Formulate AGS Airports’ response on issues that best protects the companies’ strategic interests. Monitor and influence national policy and regulations as they relate to aerodrome safeguarding. Input to industry working groups as required on safeguarding related issues. 
• Manage the preparation of legal agreements or evidence, co-ordinate inquiry teams and act as expert witness when required at public inquiries arising out of the Aerodrome Safeguarding function, while protecting GLA interests and meeting statutory timescales. 
• Take ownership of AGS Airports’ Aerodrome Safeguarding processes, identifying and leading on value added functional initiatives and enabling best practice to be developed and applied across the function. 
• Management of the strategic radar mitigation scheme and promotion of high level policy support for safeguarding.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to the safeguarding team to nurture skills within the safeguarding function. Manage the training and development of direct and indirect reports to ensure technical competency of safeguarding team. Lecture on formal training courses and to industry conferences as necessary. 
• Oversight of the Crane permit process (via Safeguarding Manager and Crane Permit Leads)
• Management of safeguarding budgets and contracts to stay within budget and achieve value. 
• Provide professional/senior manager input to planning inquiries and senior national/local government liaison relating to aerodrome safeguarding. 

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree and/or post graduate qualification in Planning, Transport Planning or similar.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (RTPI etc.). 
• Proven practical experience of Scottish planning system and planning law. 
• Experience of developing, managing, and driving forward, major infrastructure projects. 
• Ability to effectively influence and communicate with internal and external stakeholders at the highest level, including speaking at public/stakeholder/industry events. 
• An extensive working knowledge of technical standards and regulations relevant to the safe operation of airports within the UK. 
• Experience of working with teams with a diversity of skills and knowledge. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. 
• Strong graphic and spatial awareness skills. Familiarity with the use of AutoCAD and mapping systems. 
• Ability to think strategically, prioritise and plan effectively while balancing competing demands. 

Framework and boundaries

• The role involves direct line management. 
• The role is instrumental in taking decisions regarding working methods, procedures, expenditure, resources and team strategy. 
• The role holder is responsible for personal and team compliance with Health and Safety, Security an Environmental policies, ensuring working practices minimise risk to self, work colleagues, customers, staff and the environment.
• The role will involve working with all departments across AGS Airports.
• Comply with all legal and statutory obligations applicable to this role.
• National, regional and local planning, economic, transport and environment policy frameworks.
• The post holder will work with both internal and external stakeholders across the airport campus and with relevant third parties and approval bodies outside the airport.
• CAP 168 licencing conditions and Circular 2/2003 statutory consultee obligations in relation to aerodrome safeguarding.

Interfaces
•    AGS Board.
•    AGS Executive Committee.
•    Shareholder representatives.
•    Airport Senior Management Teams.
•    Multiple external stakeholders and suppliers.

Direct Reports:
•    Safeguarding Manager