Senior / Planning Officer - 61043212B

Wareham or Wimborne, Dorset

Salary: £25,481 - £37,890

Permanent, Full Time

Closing date:  31^st October 2021

Interview date: Week commencing 01 November 2021

Apply link: https://jobs.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-dorset-council-senior-planning-officer-warehamwimborne/37102.job

Looking for a new and exciting challenge? Protect it. Shape it. Enjoy it. Be part of Dorset.

Dorset is a beautiful and iconic area, with historic market towns and miles of stunning coast. But it’s also a place of growth and innovation, with a population of 375,000 and an economy worth over £7 billion. To serve this unique area, a new unitary council was established in 2019. Bold and ambitious, with a One Team approach, we’re taking Dorset into the future – and our Planning team is taking centre stage.

What you will be doing

Our Planning team is dealing with 5,000 planning applications a year – everything from significant urban extensions, to small scale, householder projects. To make sure each one has a positive impact on our area, we need two Planning Officers to join our Eastern area fast track team, to deal with householder and ‘minor’ applications for up to 9 dwellings and other small scale development including changes of use, advertisement consent and applications for listed building consent.

About you

The two roles could fall into one of these grades depending upon your experience. Please advise on your application form which role you believe you are best suited to.

For the Grade 9 role - You will hold a degree-level qualification in town planning (or related subject) and preferably a postgraduate qualification, as well as ideally having post-qualification experience in a planning role, in either the public or private sector.

For the Grade 10 role - A full qualification in planning is normally expected, and preferably chartered membership of the RTPI or eligibility to apply. Applicants would also be expected to have previous experience in a planning officer role.

For the Grade 11 role - Chartered membership of the RTPI and significant planning experience are normally essential requirements.  

Each role will include working with developers, communities, colleagues within the council and external bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency to bring forward appropriate new development. You will prepare reports and recommendations on planning applications, and will also deal with appeals and site visits. These roles offer the opportunity to gain a broad range of development management experience and are ideal for someone looking to progress their career in planning in a supportive team environment.

Additional information

All our 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 working, the opportunity for significant home working and continual learning and development.

If you are looking for a new and exciting challenge and hope to improve the quality of your leisure time, with beautiful beaches and countryside on your doorstep just waiting to be explored, a Planning career in Dorset comes with everything you need.

This post has 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.

For further information, please contact Elizabeth Adams, Development Management Team Leader, on 01202 228781.