Principal Planner

London Borough of Camden; Camden Town; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

London Borough of Camden is seeking a Principal Planning Officer to lead major planning applications, mentor planners, and step in as Development Management Team Manager when needed.

You will manage complex cases and coordinate negotiations to secure strategic benefits for Camden’s residents, based at 5 Pancras Square.

Qualifications

• RTPI qualification is essential.
• Experience in local government handling complex planning problems.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead major, complex planning applications and negotiations to secure strategic benefits for the Borough.
• Mentor and guide planners across levels and act as Development Management Team Manager or Deputy when required.
• Manage enforcement projects and appeals to ensure timely, high-quality decisions.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Mentoring/leadership

Communication

Organisation

Education

RTPI qualification

Job description

Starting salary: £52,205
Job level: Level 4 Zone 2
Work location: 5 Pancras Square, N1C 4AG
Hours per week: 36
Contract type: 12 month fixed term / secondment
Closing date: Wednesday 7th October 2026 at 23:55

Alternative flexible working options available / open to discussion

Anonymised Application – in keeping with Camden’s commitment to inclusion the recruitment to this role is anonymised and supports the objective of reducing the impact of unconscious bias.

About us

In Camden we are committed to working together to make our borough the best place to live, work, study, and visit. Partnership with our communities is central to the way we work, so that everyone can access opportunities, and nobody gets left behind. Here’s where you can help decide a better future for us all.

The role

As a Principal Planning Officer, you will focus primarily on the larger and more complex applications affecting Camden taking the lead on negotiations to secure strategic benefits for the Borough’s residents.

You will directly mentor and guide planners across various levels, ensuring the delivery of quality developments. Stepping into the roles of both the Development Management Team Manager and Deputy when required, you'll guide our strategic direction and ensure effective decision-making. Additionally, you will personally lead and manage major, complex, and sensitive planning applications, enforcement projects, and appeals. Your expertise will shape the future of our community, making a tangible difference in our development journey.

About you

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and personable planner with strong communication and negotiation skills who is motivated to deliver for the people of Camden. You should care about residents, while your grasp of the planning process's financial and societal implications sets you apart. Collaborative by nature, you are able to find smart solutions to complex problems, delivering high-quality developments even in challenging socio-political scenarios.

The successful candidate will be working with a high caseload and multiple demands on their time and so will need to be organized and efficient. You've worked in local government, handling complex problems and taking charge of important tasks. Your knowledge of planning and laws is impressive, and you're good at getting things done effectively.

Your understanding of how planning affects people and places, along with your knowledge of the London planning system, makes you a strong candidate. A recognised RTPI qualification is essential for this role.

Working for Camden

We’re ready to welcome your ideas, your views, and your rebellious spirit. Help us redefine how we’re supporting our communities, and we’ll redefine what a career can be. If that sounds good to you, we’d love to talk.

At Camden, you’ll receive a host of benefits as well as joining a flexible working employer.

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Camden Council to be a great place to work and to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

To discover more about Camden and our commitment towards diversity, equality and safeguarding, please visit our recruitment website

Asking for Adjustments

Camden is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier‑free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long‑term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please contact us on 020 7974 6655, at [e-mail] or post to 5 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG.