Senior Planning Policy Officer

Coventry City Council; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking a motivated Senior Planning Policy Officer to join its Planning Policy team during an exciting phase of its Local Plan Review. The role involves leading planning projects, providing policy advice, and engaging collaboratively with stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of planning legislation and experience in public presentations. This position offers a chance to significantly impact Coventry's planning landscape while working in a supportive team.

Benefits

Comprehensive rewards and benefits package

Qualifications

• Relevant post-qualification experience in planning.
• Experience leading planning projects and providing policy advice.
• Familiarity with national planning reforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning policy projects within the team.
• Provide policy advice and engage in specialist planning areas.
• Contribute to consultations and public presentations.

Skills

Planning legislation understanding

Project leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Research skills

Customer-focused approach

Collaboration

Political environment experience

Public presentation

Job description

Planning Policy is a service area within Coventry City Council's planning department which supports the growth of the city and manages development from inception to delivery.

As a high performing department, we deal with a wide range of planning matters. We are a dynamic and forward-thinking team with a can-do approach and are always striving to improve our service. We recognise the importance of developing a strong, robust and resilient team through learning and development.

The service is wide and varied, being inclusive of Development Management and Planning Policy teams, and encompasses a number of individual but related specialisms all focused on delivering a city for those wishing to live and work here. Those specialisms include Planning, Ecology, Trees and Landscape, Urban Design, Conservation, Archaeology and Environmental Protection.

Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want 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 applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role?

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Senior Planning Policy Officer to join our Planning Policy team at a pivotal moment in our planning journey. Coventry is currently in examination for its ambitious Local Plan Review, making this a particularly exciting time for a skilled and motivated planning professional to join the team and help shape the future of the City. We are also updating a suite of SPDs and are engaged in the emerging regional Spatial Development Strategy.

The role offers you the chance to take ownership of planning policy projects and bring your skills and expertise into a welcoming, supportive and collaborative team, playing a senior role in both local and regional planning policy development.

Who are we looking for?

A motivated planning professional with relevant post‑qualification experience, ideally with some planning policy experience.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A sound understanding of planning legislation, policy, and emerging national reforms.
• Experience leading planning projects and providing policy advice.
• Experience of engagement in specialist areas of planning policy development.
• Strong communication, research, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A proactive and customer‑focused approach.
• Experience of working collaboratively across teams.
• Experience of working within a political environment.
• Confidence in presenting in public forums and contributing to consultations.

Personal statement

When applying for this role you will be asked to write a personal statement. In your personal statement please include the following:

• Your experience of developing planning policies, including your methods of collaborative working with stakeholders.
• Your experience of delivering high‑quality presentations or reports.
• What you consider to be the key planning challenges which Coventry faces.

Interview date: 25/01/2025

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant, and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies