Principal Planning Officer

Job Description

Role Purpose
Responsible for a range of complex planning casework to deliver strategic outcomes for the Council.
Accountable for negotiating on proposals to deliver high quality development in the council in accordance with national guidance, planning law and adopted local plans/other guidance.

Responsibilities
Provide clear leadership to deliver the Council’s strategic priorities and meet the Council’s financial targets, as a member of the Directorates Senior Leadership Team.
Update and advise Elected Members in respect of operational and policy issues in relation to the Service.
Lead with a clear identity in terms of flexible and responsive ways of working, inclusive and diverse culture, and high level of employee engagement and wellbeing.
Undertake representational and communication duties on behalf of the Council to promote and protect the Council’s interests in matters concerning their specialist areas.
Create, monitor, and review frameworks of performance measures and quality standards to be applied in the delivery of services.
Function as an ambassador for the Council promoting, both internally and externally, the Council’s vision, strategic aims, and values.
Support the delivery of the Councils’ key strategic aims and objectives ensuring understanding and commitment from staff from across the Service.
Support Corporate and Directorate and service specific transformational change programmes with the aim of maximising efficiency, modernising services, and achieving better outcomes and opportunities for service users and customers.
Ensure flexibility in reacting to the needs of the Council, its’ customers and partners supporting a culture of continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, the Council’s standards of conduct, organisational policy, and professional codes of conduct to uphold standards of best practise.

Qualifications:
Degree in Town Planning or related subject. (Essential)
Membership of (or be eligible to join) the RTPI (Essential)
Project Management qualification (Desirable)

Knowledge
Knowledge of the statutory, regulatory and policy frameworks of the planning system and associated regimes – (Essential)
Knowledge of planning legislation and case law in respect of issues arising from pre-application enquiries, applications, appeals and planning enforcement (Essential)
Familiar with IT systems used for data input, report writing and presentations. (Essential)

Skills:
Negotiation skills – Essential
Ability to manage complex projects (Essential)
Ability to develop and maintain relationships with elected Members.

Experience:
Significant experience of working at a Senior level in Development

Management/Placemaking
Demonstrate the ability to manage a caseload or competing workloads to deliver strategic sites and Maintain performance (Essential)
Experience of providing advice across a range of planning issues in a development

management/planning

environment, including process and procedural matters (Essential)
Experience of managing wide ranging caseloads (Essential),
Experience of supervising junior staff – (Essential)