Planning Change Officer in Huntingdon

Hours: 37 Hours Weekly (2 Year Fixed-Term Contract)

Location: Huntingdon

Contract Type: Fixed term full time

Closing Date: 6 August

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is passionate about providing high-quality services to our communities, residents and businesses. This means we must employ and retain the most talented and dedicated people. Situated within the heart of the Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area, Huntingdonshire is a beautiful district that boasts thriving market towns and many attractive villages, each with its own identity. We are an innovative and forward-thinking local authority whose residents are at the heart of our decision-making.

At HDC we want to employ staff who embody our icare values (Inspiring, Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful, Enterprising), all of which support our ultimate purpose of putting our customers first. As local government continues to evolve, Huntingdonshire District Council is preparing for an exciting period of change through Local Government Reorganisation. While organisational structures may change in the coming years, our commitment to delivering excellent services for our communities remains unchanged. Joining HDC now gives you a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact today whilst helping to shape the future of local government across our area.

We are looking for people who are motivated by public service, embrace innovation, and want to play a part in building the organisation of tomorrow.

Job details: Be part of one of the biggest periods of change in local government and help shape the future of services that matter to our communities. This is an exciting opportunity for a talented, curious and forward-thinking individual to join our Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme. If you're someone who enjoys questioning the status quo, turning insights into action and finding smarter ways of working, this role will give you the autonomy and influence to make a real impact.

We're looking for someone who sees opportunities where others see challenges, is passionate about continuous improvement, and wants to help create services that are efficient, sustainable and customer-focused.

About the role: As Planning Change Officer, you'll play a key role in reviewing and transforming Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection services as we prepare for Local Government Reorganisation. This isn't a role where you'll simply maintain existing processes. You'll be encouraged to bring fresh ideas, challenge traditional ways of working and identify opportunities to improve how services operate.

Working closely with managers and stakeholders across the Council, you'll help redesign processes, streamline workflows and create efficiencies that free up valuable officer time to focus on what matters most. You'll use data, insight and evidence to identify trends, understand demand and inform decision-making. Whether you're analysing service performance, developing improvement plans, supporting transformation projects or testing new approaches, you'll have the opportunity to shape meaningful change and influence how services are delivered in the future.

This role offers a high degree of autonomy, making it ideal for someone who enjoys taking ownership, spotting opportunities and driving improvements from concept through to delivery.

About you: You're naturally curious, open-minded and passionate about finding better ways of doing things. You enjoy working in environments where you can think creatively, challenge existing approaches and contribute ideas that lead to meaningful improvements. Rather than waiting for problems to arise, you're proactive in identifying opportunities, anticipating challenges and developing practical solutions that deliver real results.

You'll be comfortable working with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of your work and driving initiatives forward. You're someone who enjoys turning insight into action, using data and evidence to understand issues, spot trends and make informed recommendations. Whether analysing processes, reviewing performance or exploring new ways of working, you focus on outcomes and are motivated by making a tangible difference.

You'll also be a strong collaborator, able to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders while confidently and constructively challenging the status quo when needed. Organised, adaptable and resilient, you'll thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities can evolve and change is a constant.

Most importantly, you'll be passionate about improving services for residents, creating efficiencies that maximise officer time and capacity, and helping shape a more proactive, customer-focused and sustainable future for the Council. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a significant transformation programme and leave a lasting legacy on the future shape of local government services.

You'll be part of a supportive team that values innovation, encourages fresh thinking and empowers people to make a difference. If you're excited by change, motivated by improvement and ready to help shape the future, we'd love to hear from you.

An offer of employment is conditional upon having the right to work in the UK. HDC does not hold a Sponsorship Licence and is unable to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or take over sponsorship for any role.

To apply for this position, please complete the application form. The closing date is 9am 6 August 2026 and interviews will be held the week commencing 17 August. However, this is a rolling campaign and we'll be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis and will close the advert early should we receive suitable applications, so please don't delay in applying!

We recognise that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. While we welcome the use of technology to help present your experience and achievements, we ask that the content of your application remains an accurate reflection of your own skills, knowledge and experience. In particular, we encourage candidates to demonstrate how they meet the criteria for the role by providing specific examples from their own experience. This helps us to better assess your suitability for the position.

For many of our roles, our hybrid work model enables employees to work remotely while allowing for in-office collaboration opportunities across the district, with an expectation of being in the office at least two days a week. However, please note that some positions may require a more consistent presence in the office due to the nature of the work.

Please note that the official closing date is as above, and will be the correct date. Some third-party websites may have different dates. Please refer to the HDC website for the official closing date to ensure you do not miss out on applying.

Working for the council: As an employer who values diversity of thought, we seek to employ candidates from a range of backgrounds in order to make our organisation more innovative. We are seeking candidates who are looking for their next career opportunity and are supportive employers, enabling our staff to work in an environment that produces high standards of work in an employee-led environment.

Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our recruitment and along with our values we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment, where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We therefore welcome applications from all sections of the community and we offer a range of benefits, including flexitime, to encourage a work-life balance.