Job Title: Principal Town Planner
Location: Northampton
About the Company
Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading multidisciplinary land and property consultancy with offices across the Midlands. The business delivers a wide range of services including planning, architecture, building surveying, valuation, and business consultancy, helping clients maximise the value and potential of their assets. You will join a collaborative, multidisciplinary development team made up of planners, engineers, surveyors, archaeologists, and architects. The organisation offers the ideal balance between scale and agility - large enough to deliver diverse, high-quality projects, yet small enough to provide autonomy, visibility, and genuine cross‑disciplinary collaboration. Due to strategic growth within the Kettering office, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Planning Consultant to help establish and expand the planning and development presence across Northamptonshire.
The Role
This is a senior‑level position combining strategic leadership, business development, and hands‑on planning consultancy delivery. You will act as a key figure within the Kettering office, driving growth, strengthening client relationships, and enhancing market presence.
Key Responsibilities
Technical & Delivery
- Act as the lead planning expert within the Kettering office
- Deliver planning consultancy services across a variety of sectors
- Provide both general and strategic planning advice to clients
- Coordinate and prepare planning applications with internal teams
- Manage post‑planning negotiations, appeals, and related processes
- Oversee development lifecycle stages including technical design, procurement, and construction‑phase input
- Lead multidisciplinary project teams, managing delivery, risk, and programme performance
- Support and mentor junior team members to develop technical capability
Strategic & Business Development
- Drive growth of the planning and development offer across Northamptonshire
- Build and maintain strong relationships with developers, landowners, promoters, and agents
- Cross‑sell complementary services including land promotion, valuation, and agency work
- Increase brand awareness and generate new instructions
- Identify opportunities to diversify services and expand into new markets
- Improve operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability
- Strengthen integration across the wider service offering
About You
We are seeking an experienced planning professional with strong leadership and commercial capability.
Essential Requirements
- MRTPI qualified (or equivalent)
- Proven experience in planning consultancy and development‑led work
- Track record of business development, networking, or team growth
- Strong understanding of the full development process
- Experience in post‑planning, technical design, and project delivery
- Excellent project management and coordination skills
- Full UK driving licence
Personal Attributes
- Strategic thinker with strong attention to detail
- Confident decision‑maker and problem solver
- Strong communicator and relationship builder
- Commercially aware and growth‑focused
- Resilient, adaptable, and proactive
- Passion for innovation and continuous improvement
Benefits
- Competitive salary (dependent on experience)
- Private healthcare (BUPA)
- 35 days holiday (including bank holidays)
- Additional birthday day off
- Extra holiday for long service
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Enhanced pension scheme (NEST)
- Professional membership fees paid + CPD support
- Employee Assistance Programme + health plan + flu jab
- Agile and flexible working culture
- EV and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes
If you meet the above criteria, please contact Josh Jones on (phone number removed) or email (url removed).
Contact Details:
United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia Recruitment Team
