Senior Planner/Principal Planner

Penguin Recruitment; Tetford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the Utilities and Infrastructure sector is looking for a Senior/Principal Planner in Thetford. The role involves leading a team to deliver various environmental planning services, building relationships with clients, and ensuring compliance with legislation, while offering extensive developmental opportunities and benefits including flexible working and a positive workplace culture.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus 1 day for your birthday

Vitality Health Membership

Flexible working arrangements

Pension Scheme

Life insurance

Free on-site parking

Cycle to work scheme

26 Weeks paid Maternity Leave

2 Weeks paid Paternity Leave

Discounted gift cards

Qualifications

• Relevant planning degree and chartered membership of MRTPI required.
• Strong skills in analysis, presentation, and communication necessary.
• Experience with GIS systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to deliver environmental planning services focusing on technical planning.
• Develop strong relationships with clients and local planning authorities.
• Mentor and support junior staff while ensuring compliance with regulations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Communication

Commercial awareness

Self-motivated

Organised

Leadership

GIS knowledge

Education

Planning degree

Chartered membership of MRTPI

Job description

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Senior Planner/Principal Planner, Thetford

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Client:

Penguin Recruitment

Location:

Thetford, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

484ba93d4e4b

Job Views:

4

Posted:

29.06.2025

Expiry Date:

13.08.2025

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Job Description:

Location: Thetford

Penguin Recruitment are delighted to be supporting an exciting client in the Utilities and Infrastructure industry, who are committed to bringing the UK and Ireland closer to Net Zero every day. Their land, environmental and geospatial experts work together to unlock the consents needed by our clients to deliver key projects. Their services include land access and assembly, agricultural liaison, planning, environmental impact assessments and geospatial mapping.

The Environmental and Planning Team is looking for an experienced Principal Planner to bolster the existing planning expertise in this busy and exciting part of the business which is continuing to grow.

Candidates are required to:

• Have a relevant planning degree and have achieved chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI).
• Have sound analytical and presentation skills coupled with great written and verbal communication skills; ideally you will be able to write and prepare fee proposals for the work you undertake and advise others when inputting into larger multi-disciplinary projects
• Be commercially aware, enabling you to understand client needs and requirements when undertaking negotiations with stakeholders
• Be an excellent communicator with the willingness to learn and develop
• Have good knowledge of GIS systems and an understanding of environmental technical disciplines
• Be self-motivated and organised
• Have a full UK driving licence

What does the role involve?

• Lead or manage a small team to deliver a range of environmental planning services with a focus on technical Planning specialisms for projects and sites with varying levels of environmental sensitivities, including feasibility assessments, screening, scoping, planning and coordinating projects in line with relevant Environmental and Planning related guidance, legislation and policy as applied in UK, providing advice and preparing and delivering a range of planning and technical related reports; including planning applications.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with a range of internal and external project stakeholders including client teams, technical specialists and Local Authority planning officers whilst also drawing on the expertise of specialist colleagues, attending relevant meetings and site visits.
• Reporting directly to the client, take ownership of own/team performance in meeting deadlines and objectives and use a proactive approach and own high level initiative to drive progress and continuously improve delivery.
• Offer the wider Environmental and Planning team assistance on other projects and actively support team and wider business development, using own experienced skills to provide guidance on complex cases, seek efficiency gains and identify areas of new work and ways to cross-sell wider company services.
• Maintain own knowledge and skills via company and wider CPD and, if working towards professional membership or qualification (e.g. RTPI), take responsibility for own learning and progress, scheduling progress review meetings and maintaining an up to date record of activities.
• Monitor, support and coordinate the work and development of more junior members of staff and, if applicable, provide constructive line management to own line reports, engaging in regular progress review and feedback meetings, delegating tasks effectively and showing genuine interest in their welfare and development whilst also being able to hold difficult conversations.
• Participate in and actively support company groups, initiatives, events and socials, promoting DM’s values and always engendering a positive attitude within the workplace.
• Carry out work in compliance with relevant legal, regulatory, contractual and organisational requirements and policies.

What does the role offer?

• 25 days annual leave plus 1 day to celebrate your birthday
• Vitality Health Membership (including Private healthcare, subsidised gym membership and other discounts)
• Flexible working through our ‘Flexible Advantage’ supporting working families & your work/life balance
• Pension Scheme via The Peoples Pension
• Life insurance (4x Base Salary)
• Free on-site parking in non-city centre offices
• Cycle to work scheme
• 26 Weeks paid Maternity Leave
• 2 Weeks paid Paternity Leave
• BHN Extras – provides discounted gift cards for hundreds of popular retailers
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme (provided by Octopus Electric