Senior Planning Officer

Ref: CRS00295

Location: Civic Centre, High Street Uxbridge, Middlesex, London, UB8 1UW

Salary range: £45,021 - £49,083

Closing date: 12 August 2024.

About us

At Hillingdon we’re proud of our commitment of ‘Putting our residents first’, ensuring they’re at the heart of everything we do! We want to attract talented individuals like yourself who share our aspirations for the borough and can support us to deliver exceptional services for Hillingdon.

With an ambitious strategy we pride ourselves on delivering services that improve the lives of all our residents, businesses, and partners. Embarking on a journey of continuous improvement, we’ve set an agenda to ensure the provision of; safer communities, a thriving local economy, a greener more sustainable environment, whilst increasing our digital capabilities.

Working at London’s second largest borough can be tough, particularly with government reforms, budget restrictions, and political attention – but it’s enough to keep us busy and ensures no two days are the same!

What does a Senior Planning Officer do at Hillingdon?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a high performing Development Management team in a new role created through a recent transformation of the Planning Service.

The Senior Planning Officer role is a great opportunity for an experienced Planning Officer to further develop their planning skills and experience under the successful guidance and support of a friendly and experienced team.

The post holder will be responsible for determining a diverse portfolio of planning applications including complex minor applications through to largescale major applications (subject to candidates’ experience), ensuring that the best planning outcomes are achieved for our residents.

As part of the role, successful candidates will also be expected to provide high quality planning advice through the Council’s pre-application advice service, as well as providing more general planning advice and guidance to residents, applicant/agents, colleagues and councillors as required.

Post holders will gain experience of all aspects of the planning appeal process, ensuring that high quality submissions are made to the Planning Inspectorate, acting as the Council’s expert witness in hearings, and taking part in public inquiries where required.

Retention Allowance:

This role benefits from an optional retention allowance of approximately 5% (in addition to the advertised salary), subject to terms and conditions.

About you

Candidates should have a Diploma or Degree in Town & Country Planning, or equivalent discipline (such as geography, construction, architecture or design) at graduate or post graduate level and be a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) or working towards membership of the RTPI.

Candidates will be expected to have prior significant experience of the end-to-end process of determining planning applications within a local government setting.

As an essential part of a high performing Development Management team, your focus will be on results. You will need excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to write reports clearly and concisely for a variety of audiences.

Candidates must have the ability to organise and prioritise workload and to work on their own initiative, as well as having excellent ICT skills and the ability to learn and use service specific software.

A full driving licence is also an essential requirement for this role.

For further information, or an informal discussion about the role, please contact Katie Crosbie - Area Planning Service Manager - North (KCrosbie@hillingdon.gov.uk).

What we offer

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.

Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:

Work Life Balance

• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life
• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff
• Generous Holiday Entitlement – You will receive a minimum of 26 days annual leave each year, in addition to bank holidays. This entitlement increases to a maximum 37 days after 10 years of service.

Health & Wellbeing

• Hillingdon Sport Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough
• Cycle Purchase Scheme – Promote eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme
• Discount on Golf Fees – Enjoy up to 30% discounts on green fees at council owned golf courses
• Financial Benefits – Secure your future with access to the Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union
• Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits
• Eye Care – We contribute towards eye tests and lenses for Display Screen Equipment Mental Health Support – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues Support and Counselling Services – Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.

Commute with Ease

• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.

Equity, Diversity and Equality Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We value the unique perspectives and experiences of all individuals, and we believe that our workforce should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities. We recognise the value of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from candidates from underrepresented groups.

Join us in building a workplace where diversity is not only embraced but also celebrated, and where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Additional Information

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Applicants should be aware that the post will only be offered to successful candidates subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.

Due to an expected high volume of applications, we could close this role early, we therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.