Assistant Director - Planning and Implementation

The Planner Jobs Redactive Publishing Limited; England; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Local Authority in Essex is seeking an experienced Assistant Director - Planning and Implementation. This leadership role demands strategic management of planning services to ensure sustainable growth and high-quality urban design. Candidates must have recent local authority experience at the Assistant Director level and RTPI membership. The role involves hybrid working conditions with an impactful responsibility across various planning areas.

Qualifications

• Recent experience in a similar Assistant Director / Director role within a UK local authority.
• Proven ability to manage a large team effectively.
• Strategic level experience in urban planning and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and manage a multi-skilled team.
• Develop and oversee council policies for efficient service delivery.
• Engage with Members to ensure strong relationships and prompt issue resolution.
• Enable cross-Council work to achieve strategic goals.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Urban design

Town planning expertise

Development management

Education

Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

Job description

Overview

Our client is a prominent Local Authority based in Essex, seeking an experienced Assistant Director - Planning and Implementation - to join them on a contract basis.

They require strategic leadership to drive excellence across Planning and Building Control services. This is a high-profile leadership role shaping the borough’s built environment to deliver sustainable growth, high-quality urban design, and resident-focused service delivery. The post will have Chief Planning Officer responsibility and constitutional delegated authority for the functions delivered by two operational Heads of Service: Development Management, Enforcement & Building Control, Planning Policy & Local Development Plan, National Strategic Infrastructure projects (NSIPS), and Land Charges.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and manage a multi-skilled team responsible for council strategy and policy delivery, including Planning Policy, Enforcement, Conservation and Heritage, Building Control, Development Management and Technical Support.
• Own, develop and oversee the council's policies in key areas, solve problems and deliver an efficient, customer-focused service with high standards of professionalism.
• Be a trusted point of contact for engagement with Members to ensure sound relationships and prompt responses to issues and queries raised.
• Ensure effective cross-Council working to enable strategic achievement, collaboration, innovation, engagement and delivery of Council priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Applicants must have recently held a similar Assistant Director / Director level position in this field within a UK local authority.
• Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
• Expertise in town planning, urban design, and development management within an urban context.
• Demonstrable experience of working at a strategic level and previous experience managing a large team.
• Note: Our client is seeking someone who has already operated at Assistant Director level for a local authority; they are not considering candidates stepping up from a lower level.

Contract Details

• Initial contract: 3 months.
• Rate: up to £800/day Umbrella. This role is inside IR35.
• Hybrid working: based in the office 2 days a week.

How to Apply

Please get in touch for further details.