Senior Planning Officer

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.
 

• Job Title:                            Senior Planning Officer
• Job Location:                     Shire Hall, Block 4, 1st Floor 
• Salary:                               £39,186 - £44,428 per annum 
• Hours per Week:               37.00 
• Contract Type:                   Permanent 
• Duration:                             
• Closing Date:                     21/10/2024 
• Job Requisition Number:   9561 
• This post is open to job share

About us and our ambitions

We want to create a greener, healthier, and more prosperous place – that’s our big plan for Gloucestershire. We’re ambitious to be a net zero county by 2045; and excited by emerging innovative projects to transform local infrastructure and services, supercharge growth, and attract new investment. Crucial to our success, will be how we plan the use of our minerals, manage waste resources, and support the delivery of effective public infrastructure. That’s why we are looking for an enthusiastic planner to join us. We need a professionally curious person who wants to develop their skills and experiences in the area of assessing minerals, waste, and public infrastructure development proposals. You’ll become a valued and effective planning influencer across the county and beyond.

At GCC, you’ll benefit from a supportive, inclusive, and respectful work environment, where your skills will be valued, nurtured, and experiences broadened. There’ll be opportunities to grow technically and in a leadership capacity. You’ll have the chance to showcase your talents. Our planning professionals are the service’s biggest asset and we’re serious about building and strengthening our workforce. We’ll be investing in you to realise your full potential in the workplace.

About the role

This is a chance to make a significant and meaningful impact in our area, and in terms of your career. As part of a relatively small, but effective Development Management team led by the Principal Planning Officer, you’ll be fully involved in the day-to-day delivery of the council’s development management responsibilities. Key tasks include:- acting as an advisor on regulatory planning matters for emerging development proposals; handling a varied and interesting caseload of planning applications including major schemes; presenting recommendations at planning committee; contributing to the evolution of good practice in development management, and supporting the progression of junior colleagues and our planning apprentices.

All of our council’s planning teams act with a high degree of autonomy and are encouraged to be creative and innovative in their planning practice. We are also big on multidisciplinary working, and nurturing partnerships internally and beyond with the likes of Gloucestershire’s district councils, neighbouring minerals and waste planning authorities, environmental regulators, interest and action groups, local communities, and industry.   

About you

We’re looking for an environmentally orientated planning professional seeking to develop their career in the field of mineral and waste planning, and public infrastructure . Some experience in a unitary or county planning authority or handling major, strategically significant projects would be advantageous, but not essential.

Our ideal candidate will be someone who demonstrates professional curiosity, is keen to get involved in supporting the team in a variety of development management activities, has a keen eye for detail, likes the challenge of taking on and solving problems, and is able to work to deadlines.

They must also have a growth mindset aimed at becoming a reliable and respected county planning practitioner and an effective communicator with good written and oral skills and able to build relationships and confidence in our service. The post holder will need to have a regular and consistent office presence, and willing to make arrangements to get out to rural localities often poorly served by public transport.

About Us

For all of your hard work, you will recieve the following: 

Continuing career development with technical skills and qualification opportunities;

Supportive and positive working environment with professional supervision, regular reviews, and reflection;

Flexible and agile working opportunities including access to central and satellite office localities through the county and home working;

Up to 25.5 days’ annual leave (increasing to 30.5 days after 5 years, pro rata);

The opportunity to buy an extra 10 days’ leave thanks to our Holiday Purchase Scheme;

Everyone who joins us is invited take up our very attractive Local Government Pension Scheme;

Access to a Cycle-to-Work scheme, Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply) and have a great staff discount scheme offering access to savings and discounts with major supermarkets and high street retailers;

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone;

What’s more, you’re welcome to join any of our colleague networks and support groups, and support for volunteering work.

How to Apply

If you feel you have the skills, desire and experience required to make a positive difference to planning at GCC ,then please submit your application and personal statement today by clicking on the “Apply Now” button.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact the Team Manager - Robin Drake via email at robin.drake@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Closing date - 21st October 2024.

Short-listed candidates will be contacted by e-mail shortly after the closing date. Interviews are timetabled for the first full week of November.

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Senior Planning Officer - Job Profile

This Position is subject to a DBS check.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities.  Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.