Town Planner

Marks and Spencer plc (UK); City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Colleague discount 20%

Holiday entitlement

Discretionary bonus

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Induction and training

M&S Choices perks

Parental/adoption policies

Wellbeing support

Volunteer day

Job summary

Marks & Spencer plc seeks an experienced planning professional to lead planning applications across the UK estate, collaborating with internal teams and external consultants to secure timely consent. You will build strong relationships with local authorities, developers, and stakeholders to manage risks and drive successful store developments.

The role requires deep knowledge of UK planning policy and a commercial mindset to align planning with business objectives, while supporting broader

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing planning applications and delivering successful planning outcomes in retail or development sectors.
• Strong knowledge of planning policy, development management, and UK property landscape.
• Experience managing external consultants and ensuring high-value advice.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage planning applications across the UK estate to secure timely planning consents.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external consultants on acquisitions, store renewals, relocations, and new developments.
• Build relationships with planning authorities, landlords, developers, and stakeholders to support outcomes.
• Identify planning risks and opportunities, providing updates to project teams and senior stakeholders.
• Support wider property strategy through policy engagement and process improvements.

Skills

Planning expertise

Stakeholder engagement

Commercial awareness

Problem solving

Communication skills

Job description

• Lead and manage planning applications, securing timely and commercially effective planning consents across the UK estate.
• Work closely with internal teams and external consultants to support acquisitions, asset management, store renewals, relocations, and new store developments.
• Build strong relationships with local planning authorities, landlords, developers, elected officials, and community stakeholders to support successful outcomes.
• Identify planning risks and opportunities early, providing clear updates and recommendations to project teams and senior stakeholders.
• Support the wider property strategy through planning policy engagement, consultant management, and continuous improvement of planning processes and best practice.

  An experienced planning professional with a strong understanding of the UK planning system and development process.

• A confident communicator who can influence stakeholders and represent M&S professionally with both internal and external partners.
• A proactive problem solver, able to navigate complex planning challenges and identify practical solutions.
• Highly organised and commercially aware, with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• A collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys building strong working relationships.

What You Will Bring

• Proven experience managing planning applications and delivering successful planning outcomes within retail, property, or development environments.
• Strong knowledge of planning policy, development management, and the wider UK property landscape.
• Experience managing external consultants and ensuring delivery of high-quality advice and value for money.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage confidently with councils, developers, landlords, and project teams.
• A commercial mindset, with the ability to balance planning, operational, and business objectives while driving projects forward.

  We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

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Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special...

• 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues, including our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist for you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.