We are seeking to appoint talented and highly motivated town planners, urban designers, or those with a dual qualification in both these disciplines, to join our Planning and Urban Design Team. You will operate in a client-side role for a significant public landowner / master developer, to positively plan and design high quality and sustainable places across Hampshire, within an award-winning Property Services team with a turnover of £27 million per annum.

Our diverse and ambitious programme of planning and design work across a £3 billion property portfolio includes a pipeline of strategic land sites ranging from 100 to 3,500 homes, local plan promotion, securing planning permission for surplus land, supporting capital projects and external public commissions. Projects include Manydown garden community in Basingstoke and Uplands Farm in Hedge End which have received national recognition for placemaking.

In response to internal succession and growth through new business, we now have an opportunity for a Principal Planner/Urban Designer to join our team.

We offer a collaborative team environment with opportunity for progression, flexible working arrangements, pension scheme and a strong commitment to continuous development through in-house training programmes, professional qualifications and APC mentoring.

To find out more visit: https://www.hants.gov.uk/jobs/careers/propertyservicesrecruitment

When applying, your supporting statement should relate to your ability to perform the role responsibilities and how you would operate (behaviours) as contained in the job description / person specification, using examples of your knowledge, skills and experience. Interviews will consist of a structured interview and competency-based questions; please bring examples of your work.

Job Purpose:

To provide quality comprehensive planning, design advice, professional services and strategic overview related to conducting transactions, influencing and implementing policy and management of the County Council land and property portfolio with an emphasis on major project and policy initiatives.

To manage key projects involving co-ordination of multi-disciplinary teams of development specialists, including external consultants to deliver completed projects on time and within cost and other constraints.

Role Responsibilities:

Lead planning and urban design projects and programmes, contributing to and supporting the leadership of the Strategy function through:

Delivering Quality Services

• Coordinate planning and urban design projects and programmes including major projects, strategic land and capital receipts, providing comprehensive services that are high quality, creative and effective
• Manage major projects involving co-ordination of multi-disciplinary teams of development specialists, including external consultants

Being Effective

• Lead and manage specific projects and resources and direct and motivate staff and consultants to ensure the successful delivery of programmes
• Support all staff and team development; deputise for the Planning and Urban Design Manager and contribute to the management of the Strategy function
• Communicate effectively to represent Property Services and the County Council and present its policies, property projects and strategies

Building Professional Excellence

• Feasibility – coordinate policy reviews and representations, site analysis, feasibility studies, development briefs, design reviews, layouts, master planning
• Planning applications – coordinate planning statements, design and access statements, submission management, pre-application discussions, planning agreements, disposal support

Behaviours:

Uphold our values and support our shared culture through your behaviours and, by your own example, inspire those of your team:

Committed 

• Be passionate about and dedicated to delivering public services
• Be willing to give your time and energy and share your motivation with others

Collaborative 

• Be open to understanding and working collectively with others
• Respect others’ aims and seek to achieve shared outcomes
• Recognise and enable opportunities to make connections across Property Services
• Through your leadership build cohesive teams 

Effective

• Make the most productive use of your time and resources to deliver your service outcomes
• Communicate successfully with others to build and maintain positive and productive relationships 
• Seek continuous improvement in your own performance and the wider service
• Actively maintain your resilience and well-being

Supportive 

• Openly share your experience, knowledge and ideas to help others
• Show care for others, using good judgement in offering them your encouragement and support
• Take collective responsibility with your team
• Actively support the learning and development of your team to enable individuals to thrive

Agile

• Respond positively to change and be open to doing things differently
• Show flexibility in managing multiple tasks and be accountable for their prioritisation
• Be flexible in your approach to solving problems
• Be open to learning and willing to adapt

Professional

• Act with integrity at all times
• Value and respect the experience, knowledge and ideas of others
• Be aware of the impact your behaviour has on others 
• Always perform to the best of your abilities

Role Requirements:

Essential Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Degree or professional qualification(s) in Planning and / or Urban Design
• Membership of a relevant professional body or equivalent experience
• Experience in dealing with local planning and highway authorities 
• Significant planning or development experience and sound technical ability and a track record of high quality service delivery, including successful delivery of key projects 
• Proven project management skills and risk management experience 
• Strategic thinking/big picture skills
• Ability to negotiate and decide courses of action, and make sound judgements when dealing with transactions, and deal with emotionally demanding situations in a sensitive and appropriate manner.
• Ability to co-ordinate the work of others and plan over long timescales (over 1 year and often 3 to 4 year time horizons for complex projects)
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team and proven team building, leadership and development skills
• An ability to solve problems and produce and present solutions and original ideas and motivate others
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with ability to influence in challenging situations
• Ability and skill to make important personal and tactical decisions affecting the outcome of key projects. 
• Competent in both two and three dimensional design and graphic presentation and communication
• Awareness of breadth and scope of legal, financial and technical matters affecting the ownership and management of a major property portfolio
• Effective presentational skills in all mediums to a wide ranging audience
• Awareness of business and commercial processes and methods.
• Possess a high level of skills in planning and development analysis, conceptual thinking, integration of ideas and creativity
• Effective knowledge of current national planning agenda and policies
• Commercially astute and a proactive view of potential development
• Honesty, integrity and the highest ethical and professional standards in all dealings with the Council's property, clients` information and commercial interests 

Working Conditions:

The following section provides an outline of the working conditions that may be encountered in this role:

• Moving of objects of up to 5 kg weekly
• Display Screen Equipment use
• Work environment: Lone working, Outdoor work
• Involves wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Driving: Hampshire County Council badged vehicle, Own vehicle for work purposes.

Contact details for an informal discussion:

Matthew James, Planning and Urban Design Manager on 01962 846567