Planning & Development Business Manager in Folkestone

Are you a confident leader who thrives on driving performance, improving services and motivating high-performing teams to take the service forward through continuous improvement?

We’re looking for a Planning & Development Business Manager to play a key role in shaping and delivering efficient, customer-focused planning and building control services. You’ll lead a skilled business support function, oversee performance and processes, and support the service by identifying improved ways of working.

This role is ideal for someone with strong leadership capability, with desirable experience in a planning or building control environment, and a track record of turning ideas into effective operational delivery. You’ll need to be highly organised, commercially aware, and able to build strong relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.

Benefits

• A flexible and hybrid working culture
• Generous annual leave
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Health & wellbeing initiatives, including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Reimbursement of professional membership subscriptions
• Salary sacrifice schemes
• Corporate memberships and discount schemes
• Great location: centrally based, close to transport links and free office parking.

Find out more about the benefits of working at Folkestone & Hythe District Council, including our core values and expectations, on our working for us page: Working for us | Folkestone & Hythe District Council

This is a hybrid-position requiring a minimum of two days per week working from the Civic Centre offices in Folkestone, subject to operational needs.

This is a fixed-term contract for up to 2 years for the purpose of covering a secondment.

Closing date: Sunday 19th July 2026

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place at the Civic Centre in Folkestone on Tuesday 4th August 2026.

Please note: This vacancy may close earlier than the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of applications.

To arrange an informal discussion about the role please contact: HR@Folkestone-Hythe.gov.uk