This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

About The Role

What's in it for you?

Looking for a new and exciting challenge? Would you like to develop your planning career in a beautiful and iconic area which not only has thousands of listed buildings, national landscape designations and England's only natural World Heritage Site - the Jurassic Coast but is also a place of growth and innovation with a population of 380,000 and an economy worth around £8.1 billion?

We are a bold and ambitious planning service which has been through a period of positive transformation since becoming a unitary authority in 2019. With a one team approach we are taking Dorset into the future. Dealing with over 5000 planning applications a year - with everything from urban extensions, retail schemes and renewable energy projects to small scale agricultural and householder projects working for Dorset Council's planning service really does have something for everyone.

What you can expect to be doing?

We are looking to recruit a Senior Planning Officer to join our Northern area Development Management 'Fastrack' team. As a senior officer in the Fastrack Team you would be responsible for a varied caseload of minor applications and have the opportunity to drive high quality place making, supporting the Team Leader by undertaking case reviews, and to sign off applications under the council's scheme of delegation.

The role provides scope for offering pre application advice, engaging planning performance agreements, negotiating necessary planning obligations as well as presenting applications to committee, and representing the Council at planning appeals.

Unable to show this video due to your cookie preferences

Further Information

About you

You will hold a degree-level qualification in town planning (or related subject) and it is normally expected a postgraduate qualification in planning. You will have post-qualification experience in a planning role, in either the public or private sector. Chartered membership of the RTPI or eligibility to apply is desirable.

You will be confident dealing with complex minor applications and the presentation of those applications at planning committee. Being able to demonstrate experience of mentoring and signing off applications would be desirable.

The posts have a significant travel requirement and you are contractually required to have a vehicle (or transport deemed to be suitable by the council) available for use as required.

We are able to work in a hybrid way with significant homeworking however there is a requirement to carry out site visits and attend in person meetings.

This is a full time role at 37 hours per week. Part-time applicants will be considered.

We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant.

About Us

All roles call for affinity with our values: Responsibility, Respect, Recognition and Collaboration. With a team that lives by these principles, we have a friendly and supportive workplace where you'll be free to learn, develop and thrive.

Employee benefits are generous and include a local government pension, flexible and family friendly working, the opportunity for significant home working and continual learning and development opportunities.

Working in Planning - Dorset Council

Protect it. Shape it. Enjoy it. Be part of Dorset!

Closing date for applications: 23 June 2024.

If you would like to discuss the job vacancies in further detail, please contact the relevant manager as detailed below:

Andrew Collins, Northern Team Leader

01929 557261

[email protected]

About Us

Dorset Council: A great place to work

We're passionate about making Dorset a great place to live, work and visit. Working for us should be no exception.

At Dorset Council we:

provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents
have ambitious aspirations
are excited about our future
care about Dorset and all the people who live here
know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success

You will:

have access to a range of employee benefits
be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed
have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression

We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. We have a commitment to equality and welcome applications from everyone.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role.

We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.

We also look for applicants who share our commitment to our behaviours . We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.

If appointed, the personal information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn .

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.

Find out more about how to apply .

Senior Planning Officer

Senior Planning Officer

Share this job now