Principal Planning Officer

Salary range: £49,854 - £56,565 per annum

About Us:

Take your planning and leadership experience further by making one of London’s most vibrant and densely populated boroughs greener, fairer, and safer to achieve our ambition to be the best borough.

Kensington and Chelsea is a unique place, home to places of great cultural importance and diverse communities. We have unmatched built heritage sitting alongside iconic retail centres, a vibrant specialist employment market, an international medical quarter and world class cultural attractions. We also have many challenges facing us. We’re not only home to the wealthy but also to some of the most deprived wards in London. We’re committed to delivering good growth in the Borough, with homes for all, and have started our own ambitious house building programme. One of our priorities is how we engage with all our residents, and we have introduced new ways of doing this. This all contributes to making the borough an unparalleled place to work and offers huge potential for professional development.

You will join a forward-thinking Council that puts their customers at the heart of everything they do. We know that to provide the best for our residents and visitors, we need to do the same for our workforce. We are committed to growing and developing our team, investing time in their professional and personal development.

We have a hybrid model of working with 3 days in the office each week.

The Role:

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to be an important part of the newly created fast-track team, deputising for the fast-track team leader and helping grow the service, which aims to be the largest and most successful fast-track service in the country.

As a Principal Planning Officer, you will also be responsible for major planning applications and the more complex minor applications, both at pre-application and application stage. Whilst it may be the smallest of the London boroughs, its unique built environment, the variety of land uses, and its diverse population mean your case load will be an exciting mix of applications.

You will deputise for the Development Management Team Leader in managing the team which will include reviewing recommendations, allocating work and mentoring junior officers, helping to grow and develop the team. You will also manage Planning Performance Agreements and prepare appeal statements and appear at public inquiries and hearings, as well as attending committees and advising other Council departments on planning matters. You will mentor and support other officers dealing with complex schemes.

You will also have an opportunity to help shape our planning service, implement changes, and be committed to continuous improvements to service delivery, including in our ever growing fast-track team.

With a strong and supportive team behind you, you’ll play a key part in the growth and success of the Development Management service. You will be joining a high performing, forward thinking, and ambitious planning department that is committed to providing a high quality, effective and responsive service.

Please refer to the Job Description for more information

About You:

With a Planning degree or equivalent, you’ll also need to be eligible for licentiate membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (or equivalent), and evidence of a commitment to continuous professional development.

You’ll bring considerable planning experience, with exceptional negotiation skills and proven project management skills. You must be capable of dealing with large and complex proposals at all stages, including pre-application and appeals.

With this, you should have an excellent working knowledge of current planning legislation and practice. And, with the ability to construct concise reports that present clear and persuasive arguments, you should be able to give both formal and informal presentations. You will be able to deal with a wide range of people including very engaged and informed residents, Councillors, and fellow professionals. We are looking for a customer focused approach and willingness to work proactively and collaboratively, with a commitment to high quality outcomes.

Ideally, you’ll also have a working knowledge of London planning issues and historic buildings and conservation areas, with some experience of arranging small scale contracts for consultancy advice.

Putting communities first and working together, with respect and integrity are our values and we want people who share these to come and work with us. Your experience and expertise are important; however, your values and behaviours are also important, and we are looking for candidates who are enthusiastic, hardworking, and have a positive can-do attitude.

In return, you can look forward to a package that includes a competitive salary, a high-quality pension scheme and generous annual leave plus bank holidays. We are committed to growing and developing our team and will invest time in your professional development.

Please apply online by clicking on the 'apply button' explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.

Application process

Please do not upload any documents, including CVs/Covering Letters or supporting statements, as these documents will not be reviewed and could result in your application not being shortlisted.

You should describe how you meet the person specification requirements for the position you are applying for in Section G of the application form.

Additional information:

The council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

We make sure all our staff are vetted to a high standard by conducting pre-employment checks to assess and assure the trustworthiness, integrity, and ability of prospective employees. This includes validating identity, right to work in the UK, qualifications (where applicable), work history (including the investigation of gaps) and referencing. They may also involve criminal record checks (UK and overseas).

We promote equality, welcome diverse applicants, and ensure inclusivity in our recruitment and selection process.

This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.

Information about the safeguarding of children and support for families: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/children-and-education/safeguarding-children

Information about protecting and safeguarding yourself and others from abuse and neglect: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/safeguarding-adults

We do not accept speculative CVs.

If you have any queries, please contact: recruitment@rbkc.gov.uk

Closing date: 26th August 2024.

Interview date: Week Commencing 9th September 2024.