32405 - Planning Advisor - National Infrastructure Team

Environment Agency; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK Government Agency is seeking a Planning Advisor to ensure environmental considerations are prioritized in major infrastructure projects. This role involves engaging with stakeholders early, providing technical leadership, and addressing complex environmental issues. The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge of UK planning laws and excellent communication skills. This position offers flexible working arrangements across England.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable knowledge of planning legislation and procedures.
• Ability to address environmental development issues.
• Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Engage early to influence development proposals.
• Provide technical leadership within the team.
• Work collaboratively with customers and stakeholders.
• Lead internal projects for continuous improvement.

Skills

Knowledge of the UK planning system

Advising on development issues

Excellent interpersonal skills

Communicating strategic issues

Job description

Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you! We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share.

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.

We are recruiting Planning Advisor to ensure environmental issues remain at the heart of major infrastructure development, so the best outcomes for people and wildlife are achieved.

You will be dealing with major infrastructure proposals for primarily as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Proposals (NSIPs), including pre-planning enquiries or planning application consultations. We use professionalism and expertise to protect people, property, and the natural environment - engaging with the Planning Inspectorate/local authorities and developers on the key issues of flood risk, water resources and quality, remediation of contaminated land, and biodiversity.

Responsibilities

• Seeking opportunities to engage early and influence early stages of development proposals
• Providing technical leadership which inspires and motivates the team and colleagues
• Working collaboratively - developing excellent relationships with customers and stakeholders
• Leading internal projects and working groups - achieving integrated solutions that progress continuous improvement

The Environment Agency is a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. This vacancy also guarantees an incident response role to assist with management of any incident that requires a structured approach working together with partner agencies to protect the public and the environment.

The team

Our new National Infrastructure team sits within Local Operations and works on major infrastructure – working closely with our area teams, allowing flexibility to face workload pressures as they evolve across the country. As part of an exciting new way of working, you will contribute to developing a strong, supportive, dynamic, and agile team working environment. Location is flexible, working in both EA offices and at home, across England, with some travel/overnight stays needed.

Qualifications

You will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Knowledge of the UK planning system and relevant legislation, including Town & Country Planning and the Development Consent Order regime/Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects
• Ability to deal with/advising on development issues and/or on complex environmental problems
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Communicating strategic and technical issues to a range of audiences
• A proven ability to achieve results and proactively identify and solve problems

It would be helpful, but not essential, if you had:

• An understanding of the political framework the EA works within
• Project management skills to assist your ability to work flexibly and respond to contesting demands in a challenging but rewarding workload environment
• Membership or demonstration of progression towards membership of a relevant professional body