Senior Planning Officer

Swindon Borough Council; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Swindon Borough Council is seeking a Senior Planning Officer to lead a busy caseload of major and complex applications, including appeals. The role supports a high-performing Development Management team and includes occasional evening work and borough-wide travel for site visits.

We offer a hybrid working pattern with a minimum of three in-office days per week, and a salary of £53,051 p.a. plus benefits. Fluency in English is required and the closing date is 9 November 2026.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate MA or Diploma in Planning or related discipline.
• Experience of report writing, policy formulation, monitoring and detailed analysis of information.
• Experience of major development schemes or town expansion including negotiation skills and the implementation of Master Plans, Framework Plans, Design Codes and S106 requirements.
• Computer literacy in word processing, databases, spreadsheets, GIS and presentation package.

Responsibilities

• Manage and progress a busy caseload of major and complex applications including where these culminate in appeals.
• Be part of a high performing team and contribute to developing staff and skills.
• Occasional out-of-borough evenings to meet service needs.
• Travel throughout the Borough for site visits and meetings.

Skills

Report writing

Negotiation

Policy formulation

Data analysis

Education

MA or Diploma in Planning

Tools

Word processing

Databases

Spreadsheets

GIS

Presentation software

Job description

Senior Planning Officer

Ref: 193142

Salary: £53,051 p.a. plus benefits

37 hours per week

Swindon Borough Council are on an exciting journey to transform service delivery. We want our town to be the best it can be. Our ambitious vision in the new Swindon Plan is supported by realistic transformation programmes, with the people of Swindon at their heart. Because that’s who we’re doing it for – the communities and businesses that make our town great. As part of the Council, you’ll support a friendly local authority making decisions with real impact. It’s all for better public services. Better processes. And a better quality of life, for everyone. Join us, and Swindon will be better with you.

Your next role

We are looking for a senior planning officer within the Development Management function to manage and progress a busy caseload of major and complex applications including where these culminate in appeals.

You will be part of a successful and high performing team. At Swindon we pride ourselves on developing staff to their highest potential investing in our team with training and developing skills at all levels.

You may occasionally need to work within the borough on some evenings to meet the needs of the service.

The team operates a hybrid working model with all practitioners expected to be in the office for a minimum of three days per week.

The ability to travel throughout the Borough will be required and access to a car for site visits and meetings.

You must be fluent in the English language (as a requirement of Part 7 of the Immigration Act “for the effective performance of a customer-facing role”).

About You

You’ll need to demonstrate in your application including supporting statement, how you meet the following essential criteria for this role:

• Post-graduate MA or Diploma in Planning or related discipline
• Experience of report writing, policy formulation, monitoring and detailed analysis of information.
• Experience of major development schemes or town expansion including negotiation skills and the implementation of Master Plans, Framework Plans, Design Codes and S106 requirements.
• Computer literacy in word processing, databases, spreadsheets, GIS and presentation package.

Your next package

Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.

As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.

For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. It’s why our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway. So, you’ll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We’ll look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we’ll achieve our vision of a prosperous, revitalised Swindon together. And you’ll be proud to say it was made better with you.

Please see our Vision and Values page for more details and our new Swindon Plan.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

Your next steps

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from a diverse range of communities, and in particular disabled people and people from ethnic minorities. Read our statement of commitment to equality & inclusion.

For further information about the role please contact Andrew Guest, Senior Principal Planning Officer, at [e-mail]

Closing date: 9 November 2026

Interview date: 16 November 2026