Senior Planning Officer in Stoke-on-Trent

Directorate: Housing, Regeneration and Operations

Section: Planning and Building Control

Location: Civic Centre

Hours: 37 hours per week

This advert is open to both internal and external applicants.

About us:

We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on Trent City Council is more than just a job, it's about making, protecting and improving the services for the local population, reducing inequalities and improving independence for the people who live and work in the city. And that's where you come in. We are always looking for people of the highest calibre with skills, knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset and most valuable resource. The skills, knowledge and experience of our c.4,600 employees are essential to delivering our ambitions and vision for our organisation and Stoke-on-Trent. We want to be an employer that people are proud to work for, and where our staff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps them to excel and to deliver the high-quality services that our residents need.

Further information on the Council and our directorates

The Role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Stoke on Trent City Council; the Planning Department are looking to recruit to the role of Senior Planning Policy Officer.

Key duties and responsibilities for this post will be to prepare and manage the production of evidence-based documents; preparation and development of the Local Plan and supporting documents; acting as an expert witness at public examination and hearing sessions; providing specialist advice on planning applications and aiding the delivery of corporate projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide expert professional advice on spatial planning policy, legislation and guidance ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, best practice and corporate objectives
• Support the preparation, review and implementation of key planning documents including, the Local Plan, Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), Local Development Orders (LDOs) Planning Briefs, Neighbourhood Plans and Local Transport Plans
• Deliver specialist planning expertise to support sustainable regeneration initiatives, site development projects and strategic area based programmes
• Advise senior council officers, elected members and key stakeholders on planning policy implications relating to major investment, development an regeneration opportunities
• Work proactively with developers, partner organisations and internal stakeholders to help deliver the vision and objectives of the Statutory Development Plan and other strategic planning and regeneration programmes
• Commission, undertake and contribute to research, monitoring and evidence-based studies to inform planning policy development, support planning decisions and enable wider corporate regeneration projects

About You:

• Have excellent communications skills and ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders such as Heritage, Housing, Economic and Environmental Teams to bring diverse ideas, wants and needs together
• Your people skills will be as important as your technical knowledge, town planning is a test of your all round abilities and gives you a deeply satisfying career
• Must have a RTPI recognised degree in Town Planning or equivalent, as well as being able to demonstrate you have the experience and specialist expertise in the production of policy documents and delivery of specialised policy advice
• Knowledge of planning legislation and best practice
• Ability to manage and deliver work to demanding timescales

What we offer:

• A competitive salary based on your skills, experience and talent
• Hybrid and flexible working options
• An excellent local authority benefits pension scheme
• Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training sessions and apprenticeship and management schemes

Further information on our Rewards and Benefits can be found here

Pre-Employment Checks:

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:

• Right to Work in the UK
• Proof of address
• Satisfactory references
• Occupational Health Clearance
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
• DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable for the role)

Please note that if an employee who is currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy their application will receive priority. If this happens you will be advised accordingly.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they don't meet all the listed requirements. If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply. We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves, and can succeed together.