Lead Project Officer

Dorset Council UK; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking a Lead Project Officer to join the Southern and Western planning team, shaping local place making and high‑quality design on major applications across Weymouth, Portland and Chickerell. You will lead negotiations, handle pre-application work, present to committees and represent the Council at hearings and inquiries, while mentoring junior planning officers in fast‑track teams.

This is a challenging role for a planning professional seeking to influence growth and

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification in town planning (or related subject).
• Postgraduate qualification in planning normally expected.
• Chartered RTPI membership or eligibility is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate planning obligations and shape development through pre-application enquiries.
• Present major applications to the planning committee.
• Represent the Council at hearings and public inquiries.
• Mentor planning officers in the fast-track teams.
• Sign off applications under the council’s scheme of delegation.

Skills

Major applications experience

Presentation at planning committee

Mentoring planning officers

Education

Degree in town planning

Postgraduate qualification in planning

Chartered RTPI membership desirable

Job description

Looking for a new and exciting challenge? Would you like to develop your planning career in a beautiful and iconic area which not only has thousands of listed buildings, national landscape designations and England’s only natural World Heritage Site - the Jurassic Coast, but is also a place of growth and innovation?

We are a bold and ambitious planning service which has been through a period of positive transformation since becoming a unitary authority in 2019. With a one team approach we are taking Dorset into the future. Dealing with over 4000 planning applications a year - with everything from urban extensions, retail schemes and renewable energy projects to small scale agricultural and householder projects working for Dorset Council’s planning service really does have something for everyone.

What you can expect to be doing?

As a Lead Project Officer you would be part of one of our “major” teams in the Southern and Western planning committee area. You would be one of 6 officers in the southern and western majors team and would have the opportunity to shape local place making and drive high-quality design through the consideration of major applications.

The southern and western area includes Weymouth, Portland and Chickerell where the Council has a regeneration programme with a number of sites representing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the town’s relationship with its waterfront - creating new homes, jobs, public spaces, and commercial opportunities while preserving its maritime heritage.

The lead project role provides extensive opportunities for negotiation, including any necessary planning obligations, shaping development through pre-application enquiries, presenting applications to committee, and representing the Council at hearings and public inquiries. There will be the opportunity to undertake case reviews, signing off applications under the council’s scheme of delegation and to mentor planning officers in the “fast track” teams.

About You

You will hold a degree-level qualification in town planning (or related subject) and it is normally expected a postgraduate qualification in planning. You will have post-qualification experience in a planning role, in either the public or private sector. Chartered membership of the RTPI or eligibility to apply is desirable.

You will have experience of and be confident in dealing with major applications and the presentation of those applications at planning committee. Experience of informal hearings and public inquiries is desirable. Being able to demonstrate experience of mentoring and signing off applications would also be desirable.

Dorset Council: A great place to work

All roles call for affinity with our values: respect, openness, together, accountability, curiosity. With a team that lies by these principles

Employee benefits are generous and include a local government pension, flexible and family friendly working, the opportunity for significant home working and continual learning and development opportunities. If you are looking for a new and exciting challenge a Planning career in Dorset comes with everything you need.