Deputy Chief Planner in Edinburgh

Do you want to play a leading role in shaping the future of Scotland’s places, communities and economy? The Scottish Government is recruiting a Deputy Chief Planner to lead and inspire a skilled cohort of planning and policy officials committed to strengthening and streamlining planning in Scotland. This is a high profile leadership role at the heart of government, with responsibility for helping to ensure Scotland’s planning system supports sustainable growth, investment, infrastructure delivery and vibrant communities across the country. Experience, energy, commitment and professional confidence will be essential to drive forward a wide-ranging work programme, at pace.

As well as delivering planning improvement, you will also work across Scottish Government portfolios to provide timely and accurate professional planning advice to inform a wide range of policies and initiatives, including energy, housing, economic development and investment, better regulation, built and natural environment, marine planning, and infrastructure. This is a unique opportunity to help shape Scotland’s future through national leadership, collaboration and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Acting as Deputy Chief Planner and Head of Division, lead delivery of Ministers’ statutory responsibilities for the operation of the planning system.
• Implementing and operationalising reforms to Scotland’s planning services to help make Scotland the most attractive part of the UK to invest.
• Overseeing a range of statutory planning and consenting decisions, providing high-quality professional advice to ministers to allow sound and timely decisions which minimises the risk of legal challenge.
• Providing strategic and professional support to the Director and Chief Planner in her capacity as head of profession within the Scottish Government as well as working with other built environment professional networks to maximise the impact of planning across portfolios and championing the profession within government.
• Strategic engagement including with members of the High-Level Group in Planning, Heads of Planning Scotland, chairs, CEOs and other senior members of key stakeholder bodies to ensure that the planning system and all sectors involved collaborate effectively to enable and facilitate development delivery to support growing the economy.
• Working flexibly to respond to queries and priorities as they arise.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of the Scottish Planning System, NPF4 and the Planning Acts and how these relate to wider strategies and policies.
• A degree in Town and Country Planning (or equivalent) and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Significant experience as a practising town planner and/or in the planning profession.

Behaviours

• Level 5 Leadership
• Working Together
• Seeing The Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering At Pace

How to apply: Apply online, submitting a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 500 words) demonstrating how you meet the professional skills and experience outlined in the Success Profile above. Behavioural competencies will be assessed at interview. Please include your membership number for the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) within your supporting statement. Applications received without a RTPI membership number will be automatically sifted out, as this is an essential requirement for the role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview, psychometric assessment and staff panel. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 3rd August, with interviews being held between the 20-24th of August in our Victoria Quay office, however this may be subject to change.

Recruitment Principles

As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.

About us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, and read about the Government Vetting Charter, or about all of the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide. Internal candidates may need to gain higher security clearance than they currently hold if successful in their application.

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

Equality statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information: Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.