Senior Planning/Lead Project & Planning Officer - 61045418C

Dorchester or Wareham/Wimborne, Dorset

Salary: £28,672 - £42,821

Permeant, Full Time

Closing date: 15^th February 2022

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.

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 Development Management candidates at Lead Project Officer, Senior Planner and Planning Officer grades to join our team.

Dependent on grade, your role within the planning team will include: A varied caseload of minor applications for up to 9 dwellings and other small scale development including changes of use, advertisement consent and applications for listed building consent, or case/lead officer on major applications.

You will hold a degree-level qualification in town planning (or related subject) and 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 is desirable, or eligibility to apply.

The roles 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 present your applications to Committee when required. You will also deal with appeals and site visits. The roles do not include any formal line management responsibility but offer the opportunity to build on experience, leading on projects or particular areas of work and providing supervision and support to other staff. 

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 Kim Cowell, Development Management Area Manager East, on 01202 228810.   

To apply please visit: https://jobs.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-dorset-council-senior-planninglead-project-planning-officer-dorchester-wareham-wimborne-dorset/38912.job