Senior Town Planner

Vivid Resourcing; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Vivid Resourcing partners with a highly regarded independent planning and development consultancy in Birmingham to appoint a Senior Town Planner. You will manage a varied caseload and provide high-quality planning advice from feasibility to submission and determination.

The role offers ownership, direct client exposure and the opportunity to influence projects across residential, commercial and education-led development.

Qualifications

• Degree or postgraduate qualification in Town Planning or related discipline.
• Several years’ planning experience, ideally in consultancy.
• MRTPI status or working towards Chartered status.
• Strong knowledge of the UK planning system and development management.
• Experience managing planning applications from inception to determination.
• Experience across residential, commercial, employment, logistics or education projects.
• Excellent report-writing and communication skills.
• Confident in dealing with clients, local authorities and stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to manage your own workload.

Responsibilities

• Managing planning applications across a range of development sectors.
• Preparing planning statements, appraisals and representations.
• Providing strategic planning advice to clients and project teams.
• Undertaking planning research including reviewing planning history, local and national policy and development plan frameworks.
• Supporting development sites through Local Plan processes.
• Managing planning appeals where required.
• Liaising with local planning authorities, statutory consultees and other stakeholders.
• Attending client meetings, site visits and project team meetings.
• Working alongside architects, transport consultants and environmental specialists.
• Managing project programmes and ensuring work is delivered to a high standard within timescales.
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships.
• Supporting junior team members and contributing to their professional development.
• Contributing to business development and identifying opportunities to develop existing and new client relationships.

Job description

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Working Pattern: Full-time, hybrid/flexible working available

Sector: Town Planning & Development Consultancy

The Opportunity

I’m currently working with a highly regarded independent planning and development consultancy in Birmingham that is looking to appoint an experienced Senior Town Planner to join its established team.

This is a particularly good opportunity for a commercially minded planner who wants genuine responsibility, strong client exposure and the opportunity to work on a varied portfolio of development projects.

The consultancy has built a strong reputation for providing commercially focused planning advice to developers, landowners, property companies and education providers. Its work spans a range of sectors, with a particular strength in residential, industrial/logistics and education-led development.

You’ll be joining a relatively lean and experienced team, meaning you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with senior colleagues, take ownership of projects and have a visible impact on the wider business.

The Role

As a Senior Town Planner, you’ll take responsibility for managing a varied caseload and providing high-quality planning advice to clients from initial feasibility through to planning submission and determination.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing planning applications across a range of development sectors.
• Preparing planning statements, appraisals, representations and other planning documentation.
• Providing strategic planning advice to clients and project teams.
• Undertaking planning research, including reviewing planning history, local and national policy and development plan frameworks.
• Supporting the promotion of development sites through the Local Plan process.
• Managing planning appeals where required.
• Liaising and negotiating with local planning authorities, statutory consultees and other stakeholders.
• Attending client meetings, site visits and project team meetings.
• Working alongside architects, transport consultants, environmental specialists and other professional advisers.
• Managing project programmes and ensuring work is delivered to a high standard and within agreed timescales.
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships.
• Supporting more junior members of the team and contributing to their professional development.
• Contributing to business development and identifying opportunities to develop existing and new client relationships.

About You

I’m keen to speak with Town Planners who have gained solid experience within a private consultancy environment and are ready to take greater ownership of projects and client relationships.

Ideally, you will have:

• A degree or postgraduate qualification in Town Planning or a related discipline.
• Several years' relevant planning experience, ideally gained within consultancy.
• MRTPI status, or be working towards Chartered status with relevant experience.
• Strong knowledge of the UK planning system and development management process.
• Experience managing planning applications from inception through to determination.
• Experience across residential, commercial, employment, logistics or education projects would be advantageous.
• Excellent report-writing and communication skills.
• The confidence to deal directly with clients, local authorities and other stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of the development process.
• The ability to manage your own workload while contributing effectively within a close-knit team.

Why Consider It?

This isn't simply an opportunity to join another large consultancy. The attraction here is the level of responsibility and client exposure you'll receive.

You’ll be working alongside experienced planning professionals on interesting development projects, with the opportunity to build on your technical expertise while developing commercially and professionally.

For the right person, there is also scope to progress within the business as the consultancy continues to grow.

If you're a Senior Town Planner based in Birmingham or the wider Midlands and are open to hearing about a role that offers autonomy, varied project work and genuine career progression, I'd be happy to have a confidential conversation.