Principal Heritage Planner / Associate Heritage Director

Job Title: Principal Heritage Planner / Associate Heritage Director
Location: Flexible (Hybrid with office hubs in Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham, or Stratford-upon-Avon)
Salary: Competitive + Benefits + Hybrid Working

Are you passionate about heritage planning and looking to take the next step in your career within a dynamic and expanding consultancy?

We're working with a leading multi-disciplinary consultancy that's growing its national Heritage team and looking to appoint a Principal Heritage Planner or Associate Heritage Director. This is an exciting opportunity to work across a diverse project portfolio, shaping the historic environment in a wide range of development contexts.

What's on offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits package (including private medical cover and payment of professional subscriptions)
• Flexibility to work across multiple UK office hubs with hybrid options available
• High-quality, diverse project work across the UK
• A forward-thinking, collaborative and supportive team culture
• Genuine autonomy and scope to grow within the business
• Opportunities for progression and leadership (including Associate Director pathway)

The Role:

As a senior member of the Heritage team, you'll lead on a variety of projects-ranging from strategic land to complex listed building schemes. You'll work closely with planners, architects, developers, and land promoters, offering expert guidance through the planning process.

If you're seeking the Associate Director level, you'll have the opportunity to present a business case, showcasing your client network and commercial insight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead on the preparation of heritage statements, feasibility assessments, and EIA cultural heritage chapters
• Act as a client liaison and project manager
• Provide strategic advice on heritage matters to support planning and design teams
• Mentor junior colleagues and contribute to team development
• Attend site visits, client meetings, and public consultations (in-person and virtually)
• Support appeal and enforcement casework
• Actively engage in business development and networking opportunities

About You:

• Degree or post-grad qualification in heritage, conservation, or a related field
• Strong experience working with the historic environment, ideally in both strategic and development management contexts
• Excellent technical understanding of historic building typologies, materials, and architectural history
• Knowledge of the legislative and policy framework for heritage planning
• Skilled in report writing and assessing significance and setting of heritage assets
• Confident in client engagement and public consultation
• Organised and capable of handling multiple projects simultaneously

Desirable:

• Associate or Full IHBC membership
• Full UK driving licence
• Experience with appeals, enforcement, urban design, or QGIS
• Familiarity with relevant Building Regulations

Interested?
To apply or find out more, contact Josh Jones at Penguin Recruitment on or email in confidence.