Wychavon District Council is a great place to work, with high levels of resident satisfaction and motivated staff who enjoy working with us. Located in South Worcestershire the district boasts a beautiful natural environment, a rich heritage and plenty to do and see. Wychavon district is also ranked as second best rural place to live in the UK.

We pride ourselves on being a progressive organisation who spends time and energy on what we know matters to our residents and communities – things like creating jobs, keeping the streets clean, helping people feel safe and preventing homelessness.

Our staff are at the heart of what we do, and as a result we are always looking to recruit, develop and retain the very best talent we can find.  That's why, as well as a satisfying job, we offer a range of attractive benefits, such as flexible working arrangements, generous holiday entitlements, a pension scheme, plenty of opportunities for personal development, and discounted gym membership.

We share a Chief Executive/Managing Director and a joint management team with Malvern Hills District Council.  Whilst they retain their own political structures and distinct identities, the joint management structure allows us to maximise the opportunity to deliver a wide range of good value services to our customers and communities, and operate and develop shared services and partnership arrangements with each other and with other councils.

Head of Planning Policy
37 hours per week
£46,845 – £51,402 per annum

About the role

Leading a team of planning policy professionals, the Head of Planning Policy will drive forward the review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan which is at a critical stage as we prepare for the formal publication stage and submission for examination. This is a joint development plan between the three local planning authorities of Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon Councils. The role will be responsible for all planning policy matters relevant to Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils as part of the shared planning service between the two authorities.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective leadership and development of the Planning Policy Team along with the delivery of projects as set out in the Local Development Schemes and Service Delivery Plans for Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils. Demonstrating a commitment to delivering the Council's values of great customer service, openness and accountability, innovation and improvement and fairness and respect will therefore be essential. You will also be responsible for championing and demonstrating the Council’s Leadership Behaviour Framework by inspiring, communicating, collaborating and empowering self and others and leading by example.

The successful candidate will need to be confident in their own ability and have a good understanding of current planning legislation. Excellent communication skills and an ability to engage with a range of stakeholders is essential.  You will be in regular contact with applicants, agents, members of the public and other users of the service, you must therefore be committed to delivering an outstanding service to all our customers.

About you

For the role of Head of Planning Policy, you will need to be an experienced leader and have a strong track record of resolving complex planning policy issues. You will have full Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI) membership and be able to demonstrate a commitment to continual professional development (CPD).

Key Requirements:

• Full membership of the Royal town Planning Institute
• Experience of managing teams of staff, leadership skills and commercial acumen
• High level planning policy casework dealing with a wide range of professional planning matters
• Involvement with officers or other departments at a senior level, dealing with corporate issues
• Involvement with Council members at a senior level
• Experience of providing professional / technical advice to local authorities, other relevant organisations or development interests.

Skills and Experiences: 

• Ability to directly undertake and support negotiations with a wide range of professional / technical bodies and stakeholders.
• Able to manage and prioritise own workload to meet project deadlines and performance targets.
• Creative, innovative and proactive approach to recognising and solving problems.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, Councillors. staff and customers both verbally and in writing
• Ability to lead and manage a variety of complex multi-agency projects
• Focussed on customer requirements and shows demonstrable performance management experience
• Ability to lead and work as part of a team as well as on own initiative

To discuss the post or for further information, please call Holly Jones on 01684 862293 or email holly.jones@malvernhills.gov.uk

Closing date: Sunday 20 June 2021

Interview date: TBC

Supporting documents
Employee Benefits
Job Description and Person Specification