Senior Planning Policy Officer

The Planner Jobs Redactive Publishing Limited; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organisation seeks a Senior Planning Policy Officer to help prepare the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. This role requires significant experience in planning policy and excellent interpersonal skills. You will work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and be part of a dynamic team focused on delivering high-quality services. The position is fixed-term until March 2028 and offers competitive benefits.

Benefits

Health and well-being initiatives

Pension scheme enrollment

Discounts on cafés, restaurants, and gyms

Qualifications

• Significant expertise and experience in Planning Policy, especially on local plans.
• Collaborative working across teams and with partners.
• Flexible approach to work.

Responsibilities

• Prepare the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire.
• Develop planning policies and evidence-based documents.
• Deliver efficient, high-quality services to residents.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Persuasion skills

Negotiation skills

Organizational skills

Education

Planning degree

Full membership of RTPI or eligibility

Job description

Overview

Senior Planning Policy Officer

Location: Buckinghamshire County Wide

We are looking for a Senior Planning Policy Officer to join our team. If you have significant experience of working within planning policy (including on local plans), can demonstrate the ability to work closely and collaboratively with a range of stakeholders and are able to support other staff, this could be the role for you. By joining us as a Senior Planning Policy Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, you’ll be offered a competitive benefits package and will be part of a team committed to shaping the future of Buckinghamshire for generations to come, with opportunities for personal career development.

This is a Fixed-term contract/Secondment opportunity until March 2028.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are focused on the future and have a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

Planning Policy sits within the newly formed Spatial Planning and Climate Resilience service, as part of our Planning, Growth and Sustainability directorate. Our directorate works with partners to help shape the future of Buckinghamshire and deliver services on planning, economic growth, regeneration, strategic infrastructure, transport and property.

A key opportunity is the new Buckinghamshire Local Plan that we are currently preparing, working across services and with partners. We support towns and parish councils as they prepare neighbourhood plans and ensure high-quality development monitoring information.

About the role

As an experienced planning policy professional, you will take on key work areas in preparing the Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. This will entail developing planning policies and preparing evidence-based documents to support the plan, as well as working on other planning policy work. You will be part of a team delivering an efficient, high-quality, resilient and customer-focused service to residents.

We want to play to your strengths while providing opportunities to develop and broaden your skills. As part of a larger team, you will benefit from working with colleagues with a wide range of experience across different topics.

As an any-desk worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can be from either home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week.

About you

You will have excellent interpersonal, persuasion, and negotiation skills with significant personal expertise and experience in Planning Policy, particularly in relation to local plans. You will be able to work collaboratively across teams and with partners. You will have a flexible approach to work, good organisational skills and contribute positively in a team environment.

You will have a planning degree and full membership of RTPI (or be eligible for membership).

Other information

Location: Aylesbury Gateway or Wycombe offices

This is a Fixed-term contract/Secondment opportunity until March 2028.

For information about this role in more detail, please contact Nina Merritt at [e-mail].

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For information on how long cautions and convictions take to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and support flexible working to empower a productive and happy workforce.

About the Business Unit

Our Planning, Growth and Sustainability directorate works with partners to help shape the future of Buckinghamshire. We deliver services on planning, economic growth, regeneration, strategic infrastructure, transport and property. Our priorities include developing the economic narrative for Bucks, creating more jobs and delivering the right infrastructure to help businesses and residents thrive, while delivering a proactive planning service that makes the best use of the Council’s land and property portfolio.

It’s a great time to join one of our teams. You will help shape the economic future of Buckinghamshire and work on high-profile development projects and major infrastructure programs.

We recognise and reward you

We offer a benefits package, promote flexible and agile working, and provide discounts on various cafés, restaurants, shops and gym memberships, plus pension scheme enrollment. To apply, please use the apply button.