At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire teams to shape Salford's growth and sustainable development.
- Company: Join a dynamic council at the forefront of urban regeneration.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, excellent pension, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborate with key stakeholders and drive innovation in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on city planning and influence decisions at a regional level.
- Qualifications: Degree-level qualification with extensive experience in planning and leadership.
The predicted salary is between 59576 - 70089 £ per year.
If you’re an experienced and strategic planning professional with strong leadership credentials, this is an opportunity to play a leading role in shaping the future of Salford’s growth and development.
The scale and pace of regeneration across the city means you will be at the forefront of delivering high-quality, sustainable development.
You’ll lead a key statutory service, influence planning decisions at scale, and work closely with senior stakeholders across Salford and Greater Manchester.
Why join us in Infrastructure?
- Scale of growth and regeneration in Salford.
- Opportunity to lead a high-profile planning service at a time of significant change.
- Influence at city and Greater Manchester level, including involvement in regional planning networks.
- Close collaboration with Building Control, Development and Investment teams.
- Strong learning culture with a focus on continuous development.
- Dedicated leadership and digital skills development programmes, tools and E‑Learning.
- Hybrid/flexible working.
- Competitive package, including excellent pension.
Your role
You will provide strategic leadership for Planning Development Management and Technical Support teams, ensuring a high-performing, responsive and forward-looking service that supports the city’s growth ambitions.
As part of the Place senior leadership team, you will work closely with internal and external partners to deliver sustainable development and ensure sound decision‑making in a complex regulatory environment.
We want you to
- Lead and inspire a professional workforce, developing capability and high performance.
- Provide strategic direction and leadership for development management services.
- Promote the role of planning at a city and Greater Manchester level.
- Ensure robust, legally sound planning decisions in line with policy and legislation.
- Drive service transformation, innovation and digital enablement.
- Manage service budgets, income and financial performance.
- Work closely with Planning, Building Control, Development and Investment teams to maximise growth opportunities.
- Build strong relationships with elected members, developers, partners and stakeholders.
- Oversee governance, performance management and continuous improvement.
Your profile
- Degree‑level qualification and significant post‑qualification experience ideally within a local planning authority.
- Extensive experience in planning, development management or a related discipline.
- Proven leadership of services, teams or complex programmes.
- Strong technical knowledge of planning legislation, policy and regulatory frameworks.
- Experience managing budgets, governance and risk.
- Strong commercial awareness and understanding of development delivery.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, including engagement with senior leaders and elected members.
- Strong communication, organisational and problem‑solving skills.
- Experience developing and leading teams to achieve high performance.
- Privacy Statement and Data Protection
Our core data protection obligations and commitments are set out in the council’s primary Recruitment and Employment Privacy Notice which can be found at https://www. salford. gov. uk/gdpr .
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Development Management in Swinton
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Development Management in Swinton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Skills:Architecture is all about creativity and technical skills, so make sure your portfolio is front and centre! Include a range of your best projects, showcasing different styles and techniques. Don't forget to explain your design process and the challenges you overcame for each project – it gives hiring managers a glimpse into your thought process!
Tailor Your CV to Architecture:When putting together your CV, highlight relevant experience in architectural design software, like AutoCAD or Revit. Plus, if you have any internships or coursework that involved real-world projects, be sure to mention them. We want to see not just what you've done, but how it relates directly to this role at Salford Council!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to Salford Council. Talk about specific projects or values of theirs you admire, and how you see yourself contributing to their team. We want to feel your enthusiasm – let it shine through your words!
Use Professional Terminology:Don't shy away from using industry-specific jargon that demonstrates your expertise! Terms like 'sustainability', 'scale', and 'aesthetics' can not only show your knowledge but also help you connect with the hiring team. Just ensure it's done in a way that's relatable and not overly technical, so we can see your passion clearly!
How to prepare for a job interview at Salford Council
✨Master the Technical Questions
In an architecture interview, be ready to tackle some technical questions about building codes, design principles, and software like AutoCAD or Revit. Brush up on your knowledge of materials and components, as you might even face scenarios to solve during the interview that showcase your problem-solving skills in real-time.
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Your portfolio is your golden ticket! Make sure it not only showcases your best work but also highlights your design thinking process, from sketches to final outputs. During the interview, be prepared to discuss the projects in detail—what challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learnt.
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Architecture is a collaborative field, so showing that you're a team player is essential. When conversing with the interviewers, actively listen and respond to their ideas. This isn’t just about you showing off your skills, but also about connecting and demonstrating how well you’d fit into their team at Salford Council.
