Bromsgrove District Council

Principal Planner (Development Management): Grade 8
£32,878 - £36,876 per annum
37 hours per week
Permanent

Principal Planner (Development Management): Grade 8
£32,878 - £36,876 per annum
37 hours per week
Twelve months fixed term contract (with possibility of an extension)

Who are we?
Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council are neighbouring Authorities in north Worcestershire. The Development Management team is a shared planning service between the two Authorities, with Bromsgrove District Council as the host. The posts are primarily based in Redditch. We are an enthusiastic, dedicated and friendly team comprising highly experienced Planners and those at the very beginning of their planning career.

Where are we?
We are located in North Worcestershire, between Herefordshire and Warwickshire. We are accessible from major motorways, trains and bus services. Bromsgrove is an attractive rural district, with an ancient market town at its centre. Redditch was formerly a market town until 1964 when it was designated as a New Town; a status it maintained up until 1985. The Borough has an urban north and a rural south.

What do we want you to do?
You will deal with a varied and interesting caseload of predominantly major and minor schemes, drawing upon your enthusiasm and experience of delivering and managing a wide range of applications and projects. You will be interpreting the complexity of permitted development legislation and interacting with a number of agencies and organisations, together with other departments across the two Councils. Your planning knowledge will help us to protect and enhance an environment of both intense Green Belt pressure and a traditional manufacturing landscape.

You will provide direction and an active mentoring role to our Planning Officers and Planning Assistants to ensure the delivery of the Council’s objectives, including the planning growth proposed in our adopted Local Plans. This buddy system is an integral part of our ethos to continually develop technical expertise within the team and to develop the next generation of Planners across the District and Borough.

The posts also offer an exciting opportunity to actively shape the planning service at leadership level. You will be part of key decisions affecting how we react and respond to local and national change and we harness the future direction of the team.

What do you need to be shortlisted?
You must meet all of the following essential criteria:
• Educated to Degree level or above
• Have Full Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute
• Have at least three years experience in planning work, including at least one year in a Development Management setting

Why should you join us?
To improve and build upon your planning experience within a supportive and progressive unit, whilst being part of an ongoing period of transition and challenge for our busy and dynamic department. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fantastic, family-friendly team that consistently delivers high quality development and outstanding standards of customer service.
A strong part of our approach is to provide direction and an active mentoring role to continually develop technical expertise within the team, particularly at the Planning Assistant level. This includes an emphasis on encouraging and supporting CPD. Our aim is to develop and grow the next generation of Planners across the District and Borough.
We are a very social team and host a full calendar of events both in and out of the office. You must like cake if you want to join the team……….

We also offer the following benefits:
• Full payment of RTPI subscription fees
• The certainty of two adopted Local Plans (January 2017) in Development Management decision-making
• Support for continuing professional development and progression
• Free and secure staff parking at both the Redditch and Bromsgrove offices
• Smart, modern offices in Redditch Town Centre located within walking distance to bus and train stations and major retailers
• Opportunity to undertake home working, with supplied IT equipment and dedicated IT assistance
• 23 days annual leave rising to 28 after five years local government service plus statutory holidays and one fixed day per annum
• Flexible working scheme, which includes the ability to work flexible hours and a range of other flexible and part-time working patterns
• Concessionary rates for the use of leisure facilities in Bromsgrove and Redditch
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme
• Use of 24 hour employee assistance programme offering free legal and personal advice
• Car, technology, Cycle2Work, Healthcare and other salary sacrifice opportunities
• Staff benefits from national High Street and leisure providers

Want more information?
Please contact Dale Birch, Development Management Manager, on 01527 881341 or email d.birch@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk.

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is midnight on Monday 22 July 2019. The interviews will be held on Tuesday 30 July 2019 (alternative dates can be made available if requested).

Please clearly state which post you are applying for on your application form.

Supporting documents
Job Description & Person Specification