Enforcement Officer

Experience, qualification, and soft skills, have you got everything required to succeed in this opportunity? Find out below.

Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon. The councils operate in a truly flexible, and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes not where you work.

Salary and grade: Starting from £32,367 Grade 4 with progression to grade 5 (maximum £44,747)

Duration of role: Permanent

Hours per week: 37

Closing date: 13 April 2025

About the role and what we’re looking for: If you are looking to progress your career in planning enforcement and the wider planning field this is an excellent opportunity to expand your experience in a busy and forward looking planning service. You will gain experience in dealing with a wide variety of investigations and associated appeals in our market’s towns, villages and most attractive countryside which are the subject of significant development pressure and growth.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Investigate, negotiate and resolve a wide range of enforcement matters including material changes of use and listed building control.
• Attend site visits and evening meetings of the relevant council committees, and forums, presenting recommendations in respect of enforcement and any related matters as required.
• Provide professional advice on all enforcement related matters face to face, on the telephone and in writing on behalf of the council.
• Prepare and present evidence in respect of appeals against planning enforcement decisions, particularly in respect of written representations appeals as and when required.
• Investigate and negotiate more complex enforcement matters.
• Prepare and present a range of enforcement and planning appeals and provide assistance at public inquiries as required.
• Process planning applications and lawful development certificate applications that arise from enforcement investigations and as allocated within the department.
• Provide professional pre or post application advice face to face or in writing as and when necessary.
• Assist the team leader with any specific projects within the planning service (such as participating in continuous development).
• The duties may vary from time to time without changing the nature of the post or the level of responsibility and the post holder may also be required to carry out any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post.

About you: Your essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold a full and current driving licence and have the use of a car for work purposes.
• Able to research concepts or projects with minimal supervision.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Able to prioritise and manage own work.
• Able to think rationally and logically.
• Proven skills in relating well to elected councillors and the general public.
• Accurate and strong written communication skills.
• Strong oral skills and experience in giving succinct and well-argued presentations both formally and informally.
• A knowledge of planning legislation coupled with the ability to interpret policies and planning law.

Your essential qualifications:

• Relevant planning degree or equivalent qualification or level of experience.
• If you have the following experience or qualifications – it’s a bonus: Certificate in Planning Enforcement.

The benefits we offer:

• A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
• Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.
• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary.
• The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!
• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more).
• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.

You may also have experience in the following: Senior Planning Officer, Local Authority, Policy, Town Planning, Council, Planner, Project Management, Planning Policy Manager, Town Planner, Legislation, RTPI, Sustainability, Planning Enforcement, etc.