Director – Town Planning

Penguin Recruitment Ltd; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Penguin Recruitment Ltd in Manchester seeks a Director of Town Planning to join the team. You will take a senior role, managing key client relationships, securing new work and delivering strategic planning advice across a diverse development portfolio.

The successful candidate will be Chartered (or working towards) with a strong UK planning background, particularly in residential-led schemes and private practice.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a planning consultancy.
• Strong residential development experience.
• Excellent knowledge of the UK planning system across the North West.
• Proven track record delivering successful planning projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a portfolio of complex planning projects.
• Act as senior point of contact for clients, developers and landowners.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Provide commercially focused planning advice and development strategies.
• Lead planning applications from inception through to determination.
• Work closely with local authorities, consultants and other stakeholders.
• Support and mentor junior members of the planning team.
• Represent the business at meetings, consultations and planning committees.
• Contribute to the continued growth and development of the Manchester operation.

Skills

Planning leadership

Client relationship management

Business development

Strategic planning

Mentoring juniors

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Education

Chartered or working towards Chartered status

Job description

Job Title: Director of Town Planning
Location: Manchester

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting an established and highly regarded planning consultancy with the appointment of a Director of Town Planning to join their Manchester team.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced planning professional who is looking to take the next step in their career and play a key role within a growing, ambitious consultancy.

The company has built a strong reputation across the North West for providing commercially focused, proactive planning advice, working closely with developers, landowners, investors and other professional teams. Their work is predominantly residential-led, covering everything from initial site appraisals and planning strategy through to applications, appeals and delivery.

The Role

As Director, you will take a senior position within the business, working closely with existing directors and the wider planning team.

You will have significant responsibility for managing key client relationships, winning new work and providing strategic planning advice across a varied portfolio of development projects.

The role will involve:

• Leading and managing a portfolio of complex planning projects
• Acting as a senior point of contact for clients, developers and landowners
• Developing and maintaining strong client relationships
• Identifying and securing new business opportunities
• Providing commercially focused planning advice and development strategies
• Leading planning applications from inception through to determination
• Working closely with local authorities, consultants and other stakeholders
• Supporting and mentoring junior members of the planning team
• Representing the business at meetings, consultations and planning committees
• Contributing to the continued growth and development of the Manchester operation

The Person

We are looking to speak with experienced planning professionals who have a strong background within private practice and are ready to operate at Director level.

You are likely to be Chartered, or working towards Chartered status, with a strong understanding of the UK planning system and a proven track record of delivering successful planning projects.

You should have:

• Significant experience within a planning consultancy environment
• Strong residential development experience
• Excellent knowledge of the planning system across the North West
• Proven experience managing client relationships
• A strong commercial and business development mindset
• Experience leading planning projects and managing wider consultant teams
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• The confidence to operate at a senior level with clients and stakeholders
• A desire to play an active role in the growth of a consultancy

Why this opportunity?

This is more than simply a senior planning position. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a genuine role in the continued growth of an ambitious planning consultancy, with the autonomy to develop client relationships, win work and shape their own portfolio.

You will join a collaborative team where planning is approached proactively and commercially, with a strong focus on building long‑term relationships and delivering practical solutions for clients.

For the right individual, there is significant scope to develop your career, influence the direction of the business and establish yourself as a key figure within the Manchester planning market.