Planning Policy Officer

West Northants Council; Northampton; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

West Northants Council is seeking a motivated Planning Policy Officer to join the Planning Policy Team. You will contribute to preparation and review of Local Development Documents, including the Local Plan and its evidence base, community engagement activities, consultations, Sustainability Appraisals, AMRs, and neighbourhood plans.

The role leads in developing planning policies in collaboration with council services, partner authorities, and agencies, ensuring effective policy implementation

Qualifications

• RTPI membership or eligibility required for this role.
• Strong expertise in planning policy and Local Plan development.
• Experience collaborating with local authorities and partner organisations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and review Local Development Documents including the Local Plan and its evidence base.
• Lead community engagement activities, consultations and appraisals (Sustainability Appraisals, AMRs, neighbourhood plans).
• Develop planning policies in collaboration with council services and partner authorities, and provide policy advice at meetings.
• Manage day-to-day operations of the Planning Policy team to deliver a high-quality, value-for-money service.

Skills

RTPI member

Planning policy

Community engagement

Education

RTPI-recognised degree

Job description

We are seeking a motivated and forward-thinking Planning Policy Officer to join our dynamic Planning Policy Team. In this role, you will play a key part in delivering the team's objectives and enhancing the quality of planning services across the district.
You will actively engage with the local community and embrace new technologies to ensure our services are modern, responsive, and efficient.
What will you be doing?
Your contribution will be vital in supporting the Team Leader and Head of Service in the preparation and review of Local Development Documents, including the Local Plan and its associated components such as the evidence base, community engagement activities, consultation documents, Sustainability Appraisals, Authorities Monitoring Reports, and neighbourhood plans.
You will also take the lead in developing planning policies and proposals, working closely with other council services, partner authorities, and agencies to ensure effective implementation.
The role involves providing planning policy advice at both formal and informal Council meetings and contributing to the overall delivery of a high-quality, value-for-money service. You will help manage the day-to-day operations of the Planning Policy team while adhering to both policy and operational guidelines.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to make a meaningful impact in shaping local development through collaborative, proactive, and community-focused planning work.
To be successful in this role, you must be a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and hold a planning-related degree or diploma that is recognised by the RTPI.
At West Northants Council, it's about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is 'to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive'. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner
The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.