Principal Planning Policy Officer

Rutland County Council; Oakham; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Oakham seeks a Planning Policy Officer to support planning policy functions. You will need qualifications in planning, excellent communication skills, and strong IT abilities. This role offers hybrid working, opportunities for career development, and employee wellbeing initiatives.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension

Opportunities for career development

Qualifications

• Understanding of Local Plans and strategic planning matters.
• Enthusiastic, motivated, and committed to planning policy.
• Ability to write briefs and manage contracts.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional and technical support for planning policy.
• Oversee statutory functions regarding planning policy.
• Manage and support the preparation of CIL and Section 106 Agreements.

Skills

Qualified in planning

Strong IT skills

Good communication skills

Detail-oriented

Education

Membership or eligibility of RTPI

Tools

Mapping tools

GIS tools

Job description

Overview

We are looking for a qualified Planning Policy Officer……..

We care passionately about planning positively for the sustainable growth of Rutland and are looking to enhance our Planning Policy team as we look to start work on a new Local Plan. The successful candidate will be joining the team at a crucial time in the planning for future growth, giving them the opportunity to further their knowledge and experience in a senior position.

About you

To be successful you will need to be:

• Qualified in planning and with membership or eligibility of membership for the RTPI
• Enthusiastic, motivated and committed
• Keen to broaden your experience in all areas of planning policy, with the scope to take on greater leadership and management
• A good communicator, you will bring clarity to complex information and be committed to delivering an excellent standard of customer care
• Strong IT skills, ideally with experience of using mapping and GIS tools, will be essential as is a keen eye for detail

About the role

You will have an understanding and practical experience of working with Local Plans and strategic planning matters and specific duties will include:

• Provide professional and technical support
• To oversee on a day to day basis the provision of the Council’s statutory functions regarding planning policy
• To write briefs, commission consultants and manage contracts for specialist work and projects
• To oversee the provision of technical and professional support for the preparation, consultation and monitoring of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), Section 106 Agreements and other planning policy strategic and guidance

Interviews

Principal Planning Policy Officer interviews will be held week commencing 24 November 2025. Exact date to be confirmed. Please be advised this could be subject to change, in which case we will give appropriate notice.

Application process

We will be reviewing applications on a regular basis and inviting those who meet our essential person specification criteria to interview. If you’re interested in this role, we strongly encourage you to apply without delay.

Our offer to you

Rutland Council is committed to Flexible Working and understands the benefits of supporting employees to manage their work and life balance, whilst meeting the needs of the service.

We are committed to supporting and empowering our staff to be the best workers that they can be and Rutland Council is the place you want to be. Our benefits go beyond the salary – being part of a great team, excellent Local Government Pension, generous annual leave, opportunities to learn and develop your career, and a demonstrable commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff.

Whilst the base for this post is Oakham, Rutland, the Local Authority offers a hybrid working practice. As well as working from home, we feel it is important that you have the opportunity to spend time in the workplace with your colleagues to help you learn, develop and engage.

Find out more

To learn more about working with us visit https://jobs.rutland.gov.uk or if you have any queries about this role please contact Roger Ranson at [e-mail]

How to apply

Click on the apply button which will redirect you to the Jobs Go Public (JGP site) where we handle all our vacancies. If you already have a JGP account you will be asked to login, or alternatively if you don’t have an account, you will be guided through the set up process. Access to an account is necessary, as all updates regarding your application will be sent via the JGP site to the email you have used to register.

If you are experiencing problems or have any queries about the application process, please call us on 01572 758291 or email us at [e-mail]

Please be aware that in the event of a high volume of applications, we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.

All recruitment correspondence, including interview details, will be sent out via email from the Jobs Go Public site. If you require documentation/correspondence in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team.

Rutland County Council is committed to Equality and Diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Everyone at Rutland County Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults and for ensuring that they are protected from harm.