Planning Environment Manager

Chelmsford City Council; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Chelmsford City Council is seeking an experienced planning professional to lead the Planning Environment Team, overseeing planning enforcement, the natural environment, and other town planning matters in the city.

The successful candidate will ensure development complies with legislation and policies, provide technical guidance, and promote high-quality, timely decisions while supporting sustainable growth and place-shaping.

Qualifications

• RTPI member or eligible
• Degree level in Town Planning or related discipline
• Extensive experience in complex planning matters including enforcement, applications and appeals
• Experience preparing reports/evidence for hearings, inquiries or legal proceedings
• Proven experience managing and developing professional staff
• Excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop the Planning Environment Team with technical guidance and QA across a varied caseload.
• Ensure high-quality, timely and consistent decision-making in line with legislation and policies.
• Engage with Members, developers, communities and partners to deliver high-quality planning outcomes and effective enforcement.
• Promote continuous service improvement and customer-focused delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Town Planning knowledge

Education

Degree in Town Planning

RTPI membership

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and confident planning professional to lead our Planning Environment Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to take responsibility for a diverse service area encompassing planning enforcement, the natural environment function, and other town planning matters. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that development across the City is carried out in accordance with planning legislation, Council policies and sound planning principles, whilst ensuring high-quality, timely and consistent decision-making, delivering excellent customer service and supporting the Council's priorities for sustainable growth, environmental protection and place-shaping.

The postholder will lead, manage and develop a team of planning professionals, providing technical guidance and quality assurance across a varied caseload, whilst promoting a positive, proactive and solutions-focused approach to Development Management. They will work closely with Members, developers, agents, local communities, partner organisations and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality planning outcomes, effective planning enforcement and continuous service improvement.

The successful applicant will be, or eligible to be, a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and educated to degree level in Town Planning or a related discipline. They will have substantial experience in dealing with complex planning matters, including planning enforcement, planning applications and appeals, together with experience of preparing reports and evidence for hearings, inquiries or legal proceedings. They will have proven experience of managing and developing professional staff, alongside excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills.

Please note should sufficient applications be received prior to the closing date, we may close the role for applications early.

Find out more about Chelmsford and Working for the City Council by viewing our Uncover Your Potential brochure above.

As an accredited Essex Family Friendly Employer, this full-time role can be job-shared or part-time if we can fill the remaining hours. Please mention this in your supporting statement. if you are interested. For more details please visit: https://www.essex.gov.uk/family-friendly-charter.

Chelmsford City Council is committed to safeguarding vulnerable groups and expects all employees to share this commitment and have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services. The Council's Safer Recruitment process contains pre-employment checks which includes safeguarding training, obtaining references and ensuring compliance with Disclosure and Barring Service process.

To view further details for this role including a job description, please click the link on the attachments section.

The successful applicant will be, or eligible to be, a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and educated to degree level in Town Planning or a related discipline. They will have substantial experience in dealing with complex planning matters, including planning enforcement, planning applications and appeals, together with experience of preparing reports and evidence for hearings, inquiries or legal proceedings. They will have proven experience of managing and developing professional staff, alongside excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Planning Environment Manager

Company: Chelmsford City Council Salary: £60,327 to £66,258 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Chelmsford, CM1 1JE Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days remote Job type: Permanent Posting date: 2 Nov 2026 Closing date: 23 Nov 2026

Summary

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and confident planning professional to lead our Planning Environment Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to take responsibility for a diverse service area encompassing planning enforcement, the natural environment function, and other town planning matters. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that development across the City is carried out in accordance with planning legislation, Council policies and sound planning principles, whilst ensuring high-quality, timely and consistent decision-making, delivering excellent customer service and supporting the Council's priorities for sustainable growth, environmental protection and place-shaping.

The postholder will lead, manage and develop a team of planning professionals, providing technical guidance and quality assurance across a varied caseload, whilst promoting a positive, proactive and solutions-focused approach to Development Management. They will work closely with Members, developers, agents, local communities, partner organisations and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality planning outcomes, effective planning enforcement and continuous service improvement.

The successful applicant will be, or eligible to be, a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and educated to degree level in Town Planning or a related discipline. They will have substantial experience in dealing with complex planning matters, including planning enforcement, planning applications and appeals, together with experience of preparing reports and evidence for hearings, inquiries or legal proceedings. They will have proven experience of managing and developing professional staff, alongside excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills.

Please note should sufficient applications be received prior to the closing date, we may close the role for applications early.

Find out more about Chelmsford and Working for the City Council by viewing our Uncover Your Potential brochure above.

As an accredited Essex Family Friendly Employer, this full-time role can be job-shared or part-time if we can fill the remaining hours. Please mention this in your supporting statement. if you are interested. For more details please visit: https://www.essex.gov.uk/family-friendly-charter.

Chelmsford City Council is committed to safeguarding vulnerable groups and expects all employees to share this commitment and have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services. The Council's Safer Recruitment process contains pre-employment checks which includes safeguarding training, obtaining references and ensuring compliance with Disclosure and Barring Service process.

To view further details for this role including a job description, please click the link on the attachments section.

Essential requirements

The successful applicant will be, or eligible to be, a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and educated to degree level in Town Planning or a related discipline. They will have substantial experience in dealing with complex planning matters, including planning enforcement, planning applications and appeals, together with experience of preparing reports and evidence for hearings, inquiries or legal proceedings. They will have proven experience of managing and developing professional staff, alongside excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

Related jobs

Marketing Officer (Sports and Leisure)

£33,510 to £36,429 per year

Chelmsford City Council

Chelmsford, Home Counties

Hybrid Permanent Full time

Senior Planning Officer - ARGBC000032

£50,805 to £55,605 per year

Argyll and Bute Council

Negotiable

Remote Permanent Full time

Electoral and Democratic Services Officer

£33,510 to £36,429 per year

Chelmsford City Council

Chelmsford, Home Counties

Hybrid Permanent Full time

Browse more jobs