Planning Policy Team Leader in London

Why Southwark?

Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern and Borough Market along with conservation areas, historic buildings, social enterprises and a young, diverse, and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.?Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals, and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark 2030 and Southwark Stands Together, underpins all that we do.

Do you have a passion for urban planning and a flair for producing effective, evidenced planning policies? If so, Southwark Council is calling you to join us as a Planning Team Leader, where your expertise will shape the future of our vibrant community!

Your role is not just important; it's transformative to our borough with many new developments taking place along the river Thames, residential estates at Elephant and Castle, at the former Surrey Docks at Canada Water, and through to Peckham and Camberwell. We have started on the process of updating the Southwark Plan under the new planning system. Your work will be varied and will include leading on Housing workstreams and digital initiatives. You will provide essential input into the Southwark Plan and the emerging London Plan and provide a leadership role within the team. We provide a strong emphasis on training and continued professional development and access to an extensive programme of training opportunities.

What You'll Be Doing

Do you have a passion for urban planning and a flair for producing effective, evidenced planning policies? If so, Southwark Council is calling you to join us as a Planning Team Leader, where your expertise will shape the future of our vibrant community!

Your role is not just important; it's transformative to our borough with many new developments taking place along the river Thames, residential estates at Elephant and Castle, at the former Surrey Docks at Canada Water, and through to Peckham and Camberwell. We have started on the process of updating the Southwark Plan under the new planning system. Your work will be varied and will include leading on Housing workstreams and digital initiatives. You will provide essential input into the Southwark Plan and the emerging London Plan and provide a leadership role within the team. We provide a strong emphasis on training and continued professional development and access to an extensive programme of training opportunities.

Your mission:

• Lead a sub-team within our Planning Policy team, guiding crucial work on Southwark’s Local Plan, with a technical focus on Housing delivery.
• Collaborate with consultants, partners internal and external stakeholders on policy writing, research, and monitoring.
• Translate complex strategic planning issues into clear and practical development management policies.
• Ensure alignment of policies with both local and national planning policies.
• Uphold the highest standards of decision-making, ensuring our council's actions are transparent, accountable, and legally robust.
• Use your excellent team working, stakeholder management and communication skills to play a pivotal role in the development and execution of the Corporate Delivery Plan, aligning our strategies, policies, and operational plans with the council's ambitious objectives.
• Your ability to handle complex planning matters with finesse will ensure our council meets its planning objectives and delivers outstanding value for our community.

What We're Looking For

How will you make an impact:

We need a dynamic and experienced Team Leader planner who is driven to make a difference and can bring a blend of the following:

• A proven understanding of urban planning issues and the ability to tackle strategic planning with clarity and creativity.
• Strong communication skills to simplify complex issues into effective policy and capability in managing and leading junior staff.
• An enthusiastic, customer-first mindset, driven to help shape the future of Southwark’s urban landscape.
• Passion for learning, team development, and making a meaningful impact.
• Able to demonstrate how your insights have contributed to the achievement of strategic Planning goals.
• The capability to work in a fast-paced environment, maintaining high standards of attention to detail while meeting deadlines.
• This role offers flexible home working blended with travel into our modern London Bridge office.

IMPORTANT: If you choose to apply, please complete your Supporting Statement focusing on the criteria contained within the Job Description’s Person Specification that is marked as ‘S’ for ‘Shortlisting.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contactCharlotte Brooks-Lawrie , .uk

Benefits and more information:

In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.

Additional Information

Closing Date: 15/10/2026

Shortlisting Date: 17/10/2026

Interview Date: 26/10/2026

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday (36hrs per week)

Location: 16