Graduate Planner

Capita; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days’ holiday (rising to 27)

Cycle2work scheme

Pension auto-enrolment and life cover

Maternity leave 15 weeks (plus adopted

Shared parental leave

Disability confident employer

Job summary

Capita is offering a Graduate Planner role with a clear pathway to Planner, Senior Planner, and Principal Planner positions. You will support planning applications, engage with stakeholders, and contribute to local plans and policy analyses.

The role blends home-based work with on-site support across Belfast, Manchester and London. You will receive mentoring from experienced planners, opportunities for RTPI progression, and a structured development plan as you build experience across development

Qualifications

• Degree/masters level qualification in town planning.
• UK driving licence and willingness to travel for site visits.
• Genuine interest in shaping places and communities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written communication and report-writing ability.
• Confidence to engage with a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to organise, prioritise and manage workload to meet timescales.
• Effective communication and relationship-management with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Support the assessment of planning applications, producing reports and recommendations within agreed timescales.
• Assist senior planners across development management and planning policy tasks.
• Undertake planning research, policy analysis, site assessments and visits as required.
• Liaise with applicants and stakeholders, including pre-application discussions.
• Compile information and evidence to support planning policy, local plans and appeals.
• Contribute to improvements in planning systems, procedures and processes.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Written communication

Stakeholder engagement

Time management

Education

Town planning degree

RTPI accreditation/Associate membership

Job description

Build your planning career in a role offering experience across development management and planning policy. As a Graduate Planner you’ll gain in depth experience of managing planning applications, supporting planning research and contribute to the progression of local plans.We are committed to helping you build a successful planning career. You will receive ongoing support and mentoring from experienced planners, opportunities to work across a variety of projects and a clear pathway towards Planner, Senior Planner and Principal Planner roles. We actively encourage professional development and support employees working towards RTPI membership.Job title:Graduate PlannerJob Description:This role is primarily home-based, but we’re seeking candidates located in or near Belfast, Manchester or London so that on-site support is available when needed.As part of our commitment to building an inclusive and diverse workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from people who are from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds.What you’ll be doingSupport the assessment of planning applications, producing concise reports and recommendations within agreed timescales.Support senior planners across development management and planning policy work.Undertake planning research, policy analysis, site assessments and site visits as required.Liaise with applicants and other stakeholders, including supporting pre-application discussions.Compile information and evidence to support planning policy, local plans and appeals.Contribute to improvements in planning systems, procedures and processes, helping to deliver timely and high-quality work.What we’re looking forEssentialA degree/masters level qualification in town planning.A valid full UK driving licence and willingness to travel for required site visits.A genuine interest in shaping places and communities.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Excellent written communication and report-writing ability.The confidence to engage with a range of stakeholders.The ability to organise, prioritise and manage your workload while meeting required timescales and high-quality standards.Effective communication and relationship-management skills, with the confidence to work with different stakeholders and review detailed evidence.DesirablePlacement-year experience or practical exposure to planning applications, planning policy, research, local plans or site assessments.Recent experience working as a graduate planner within a local authority or public- or private-sector consultancy.Working towards RTPI accreditation and/or Associate MembershipAbout CapitaCapita has been delivering planning services to local authorities since 2005 and is one of the UK's leading providers of planning consultancy and development management support. We have partnered with more than 140 local planning authorities, delivering planning policy, development management and specialist planning expertise across a diverse range of projects. Our team has extensive experience supporting pre-application discussions, Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs), major planning applications and strategically important development proposals, providing robust, evidence-based advice to local authorities and senior decision-makers on complex and high-profile schemes.What’s in it for you?A starting salary of £25,15523 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leaveThe opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choiceAuto-enrolment to our company pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks and plenty moreVoluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technologyAccess to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platformBroaden your planning experience by working across both development management and planning policy, rather than specialising in one area straight away.Build practical experience across planning applications, research, site assessments and local plan work, with support from more senior planners.Develop your stakeholder experience through direct liaison with applicants and involvement in site visits, while contributing to the wider planning team.Unlock Your Potential with CapitaAt Capita, your career can take you wherever your ambition leads. You'll become part of a diverse network of talented, forward-thinking professionals working across a wide range of disciplines and sectors. We’re committed to your growth — offering exciting opportunities to expand your skills, explore new paths, and advance your career.Join us and discover a career with purpose. #CareersWithPurpose Customer first, always Fearless innovation Achieve together Everyone is valuedWhat we hope you’ll do next:Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.Equal OpportunitiesAt Capita, we’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. We want everyone to have the best chance of succeeding as they move through their application and start their career with us. We are an equal opportunity and Disability Confident employer; we want to hear from you if you’d like to discuss any adjustments you might need during your recruitment process. Please email [e-mail] or call 07784 237318 and we’ll get back to you to discuss.For more information about equal opportunities and the types of adjustments we can offer, please visit the Capita Careers website.If you have a question that does not relate to adjustments during your recruitment process, please email our Talent Acquisition team - [e-mail]:Belfast,United KingdomTime Type:Full timeContract Type:Graduate