Senior/Principal Landscape Planner

About the role:

We are seeking an experienced and talented Landscape Planner to join our friendly, established landscape team within LUC. LUC’s award-winning LPM team is passionate about our environment and are proud of the positive impact we make. We have an expanding portfolio of challenging and high-profile projects including the design and assessment of renewable energy projects (onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery storage), routeing and assessment of strategically important electricity transmission infrastructure, landscape character and sensitivity assessments, green infrastructure strategies and landscape designation reviews, along with research projects.

With established teams in London, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow, our team of landscape planners and managers supports a broad range of projects and an established client base with projects at local, regional and national levels. We are also expanding our Cardiff office and are working on a variety of Welsh projects. Through LUC’s Corporate Social Environmental Responsibility activities programme we have the opportunity to volunteer our time to exciting environmental/ nature led projects and community engagement across the country. We are enthusiastic about influencing the wider conversation and policy agenda, and promoting positive outcomes for nature, people and place, responding to emerging guidance and land-based schemes. We draw on the skills and experiences with colleagues in other disciplines including ecology, historic environment, landscape design and planning to fulfil these aims.

The role will include, but is not limited to:

• Project Managing and assisting with leading the delivery of a wide range of projects, fulfilling the role of Project Manager, under the directorship of Project Directors.
• Liaising with and forming a point of contact for clients, and internal and external team members supporting business development initiatives in line with the LUC Strategy.
• Providing high quality project outputs (including written reports), and ensuring the deliverables meet our highest quality standards.
• Getting involved in recruitment and line management of consultant level colleagues.
• Contributing to tenders and pricing exercises and driving the development of our growing portfolio of work.

LUC encourages professional development, supporting team members from graduate or qualifying membership status to chartered and fellow member of their chosen professional body. This not only includes the opportunity to work on an exciting range of dynamic projects but also training and development opportunities.

A full-time role would be based on 37.5 hours Monday to Friday. However, LUC has a strong track record in flexible working and we have been recognised for our flexible working culture, so we are happy to discuss a range of flexible working options for this role including part time hours (minimum 30 hours per week) if desired.

Salary: £32,500 - £48,750 FTE Depending on experience (Plus £4,000 London allowance if applicable)

The role includes the opportunity to share and participate actively in the management and ownership of the business through the Employee Ownership Trust, which places full ownership of the company with the employees. Being employee-owned gives us the independence to do things our way and grants every employee the power to shape our future, together.

About you:

The successful candidate will be a strong Landscape Architect / Landscape Planner or a professional in a related discipline but with transferable skills. You will have good all-round skills which include high quality reporting, presentation, verbal and written communication, with a solid technical competence and proven delivery experience. You will be capable of supporting work, whilst winning and identifying new work opportunities. LUC is a people-centred organisation, so we look for leaders who will work collaboratively and positively in order to maintain our reputation for being some of the friendliest professionals in the market.

Essential

• An inquiring spirit, with a keenness to explore and to get to know new places, to understand new technologies, and a self-starting, proactive approach to getting work done.
• A willingness to travel around the UK and to visit sites within its remotest corners.
• Experience of managing and delivering Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) projects, ideally from initial feasibility through to mitigation strategies.
• Experience with some or all of the related aspects of LVIA (such as Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Residential Visual Amenity Assessment, Aviation Lighting Impact Assessment etc.).
• Educated to degree or post graduate level (from a landscape or related field).
• Excellent organisation and report-writing skills.
• Experience of writing or inputting to fee bids/ winning work.
• Experience of being client facing and working with other external team members.
• Proficiency in the use of computer software to prepare high quality reports and tenders including Word and Excel.
• A driving licence, experience of undertaking field work and competent photography skills.

Desirable

• Experience of one or more of the following: – Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) – Landscape Sensitivity Studies (LSS) – Green Infrastructure Strategies – Assessment and management of protected landscapes – Planning for future landscapes and responding to climate change – Landscape design principles and guidance.
• Knowledge of LVIA viewpoint photography and visualisation production process.
• Experience of working with renewable energy infrastructure and wind farm design software.
• Experience of working on Nationally Significant Infrastructure projects and involvement in landscape and visual support for Development Consent Orders.
• Experience of examination and/or the appeal/ a public inquiry process, potentially as an expert witness or in support of others fulfilling this role.
• Experience with consultation and engagement.
• Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (CMLI).

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK. Please apply by uploading your CV and covering letter via the below link. LUC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. We value the differences, needs and contributions a diverse workforce represents, and we strive to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in all our people related activities.