Planning Officer

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council; Barnsley; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities across grades and career

Career progression pathway

Flexible and hybrid working

RTPI membership and professional dev

Challenging strategic planning proj.

LG Pension Scheme

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is seeking a Senior Planning Officer to lead planning policy work, deliver the Local Plan, and shape sustainable growth across the borough. The role emphasizes collaboration with officers, councillors, communities and external partners to drive forward policy development and evidence-based planning decisions.

You will work on diverse projects, develop IT-enabled planning solutions, and play a pivotal role in housing and town centre strategies, while aligning

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in planning policy and spatial planning.
• Experience managing complex policy projects and leading work programmes.
• Strong analytical, report-writing and research skills.
• Ability to communicate confidently with a wide range of audiences.
• Collaborative approach and ability to build effective working relationships.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation and monitoring of Barnsley's Local Plan.
• Support IT solutions including GIS and MS365 for planning.
• Develop planning policies responding to local priorities.
• Lead on preparing evidence studies, reports and policy documents.
• Represent the Council at examinations, hearings and public meetings.
• Support delivery of corporate priorities and growth ambitions.

Skills

Planning policy

Spatial planning

Policy project leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Project management

GIS knowledge

MS365

Tools

GIS

MS365

Job description

As a Senior Planning Officer you'll play a key role in preparing, reviewing and delivering planning policy across the borough, including:

• A lead role in the preparation, progression, implementation and monitoring of Barnsley's new Local Plan.
• Supporting the development of IT solutions including Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and MS365 packages to help drive forward preparation of the Local Plan and the wider digital planning agenda.
• Developing planning policies that respond to local priorities and national planning reform.
• Lead on preparing evidence studies, consultation material, reports and policy documents.
• Working collaboratively with officers, councillors, communities, developers, infrastructure providers, neighbouring authorities, statutory consultees and consultants.
• Helping to shape strategies that support sustainable growth, regeneration, housing delivery and economic development.
• Contributing to the creation of attractive, healthy and resilient places across the borough.
• A lead role in presenting evidence and representing the Council at examinations, hearings, inquiries and public meetings as required.
• Supporting the delivery of key corporate priorities and long-term growth ambitions.

No two days are the same. You'll work on a diverse and rewarding range of projects that help shape the physical, social and economic future of Barnsley.

We're looking for enthusiastic and motivated planning professionals who want to make a real difference. You may already be working in planning policy, development management, consultancy or a related field and be looking to broaden your experience within a forward-thinking local authority. We're interested in people who can demonstrate:

• Extensive experience of planning policy, spatial planning or related work.
• Experience of managing complex policy projects, leading work programmes, representing organisations at examinations or inquiries, and mentoring colleagues is particularly valuable.
• Extensive understanding of the planning system and the role of Local Plans in shaping sustainable growth.
• Strong analytical, report-writing and research skills.
• The ability to communicate confidently with a wide range of audiences.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• A commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for communities and places.

Most importantly, we're looking for people who share our passion for creating great places and who want to play a meaningful role in Barnsley's future.

Barnsley is a borough with ambition, confidence and a clear vision for the future. Across the borough, we're delivering transformational regeneration projects, planning for new homes and communities, supporting investment and infrastructure, and creating places where people and businesses can thrive. As we embark on preparing our next Local Plan under a changing national planning system, there has never been a more exciting time to join Barnsley's Planning Service. We're looking for talented planning professionals to join our welcoming, ambitious and highly respected Planning Policy team. Whether you're developing your career, looking for your next challenge, or ready to take on a senior leadership role in plan-making, we offer the opportunity to work on projects that will have a lasting impact on the future of the borough. This is your chance to help shape how Barnsley grows over the coming decades, influencing strategic decisions on housing, employment, infrastructure, climate resilience, town centres and place-making, while contributing to a vision that will benefit communities for generations to come.

At Barnsley, planning is at the heart of delivering our ambitions. You'll join a supportive, collaborative and forward-thinking service where your contribution is valued and your development is encouraged.

Barnsley is changing and this is bringing more opportunities for people to enjoy new challenges and work in different ways in the service of our community.

• Opportunities across a range of grades and career stages.
• A genuine career progression pathway.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements that support work-life balance.
• RTPI membership and ongoing professional development support.
• Access to challenging and rewarding strategic planning projects.
• The Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.