Senior Executive Planner

publicjobs; Leinster; On-site; EUR 69,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Carlow County Council is seeking a Senior Executive Planner to support the Planning Department's expansion and development. The role reports to the Senior Planner and leads planning teams to deliver a high-quality service across Development Management, Forward Planning, and Project Delivery.

The ideal candidate will have significant management experience in town planning, plus the ability to engage with stakeholders, analyse policy, and provide clear reports and policy responses.

Qualifications

• Significant management experience in a town planning context.
• Experience analysing national/regional planning policy and guidelines.
• Experience preparing or assessing planning applications and pre-application proposals.
• Ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and deliver value.
• Strong report writing and IT skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage planning teams to deliver high-quality service.
• Assess policy updates and respond to implications for the Council.
• Prepare reports, recommendations, and presentations for Council and committees.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external agencies and bodies.
• Prepare, review, and implement development plan documents and statutory plans.
• Monitor and report on implementation of plans and objectives.
• Provide planning advice on unauthorised development and enforcement where appropriate.

Skills

Management experience

Town planning policy

Planning applications assessment

Lead multi-disciplinary teams

Report writing & IT skills

Job description

Job title: Senior Executive Planner

Employer: Carlow County Council

Location: Carlow

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 8th October 2026

Starting Salary: €80,680

About the Employer

Carlow County Council is one of 31 Local Authorities in the Republic of Ireland. Carlow County Council consists of 18 members elected every five years and the county is divided into the three Municipal Districts of Carlow, Muinebheag & Tullow.

Carlow County Council provides services to a population of over 62,000 citizens in the areas of housing, integration, regeneration, roads, transportation, planning, environment, libraries, economic and community development, tourism, fire and emergency response, parks, amenities, heritage, arts, and water services.

At a strategic level, the Council operates through its Corporate Policy Group comprising the Cathaoirleach of the Council and the Chairpersons of the local authority’s four Strategic Policy Committees as well as a Municipal District representative. The Chief Executive and the Council’s Management Team play a key role in supporting and advising this policy group.

The Council has over 400 employees and can offer exciting careers across our services in various roles such as engineering, technical, financial, management, administration, library services, fire services and general services.

The Council headquarters are in Carlow Town and there are also offices in Tullow and Muinebheag. The Council operates within an annual revenue budget of €81 million and a multi-annual three-year capital budget of €306 million.

About the Role

Carlow County Council wishes to recruit a Senior Executive Planner to support the expansion and development of the Council’s Planning Department. This is a great opportunity to join a progressive local authority that is experiencing significant population growth and responding to the challenges of providing housing for all, supporting economic development, ensuring that the county has adequate infrastructure and public services and underpinning the development of sustainable and resilient communities across the county.

This position is a senior position within the Planning Department reporting to the Senior Planner and/or other employee nominated by the Chief Executive. The Senior Executive Planner is responsible for managing elements of the Planning Department and providing a multiplicity of services to the Council. The role of Senior Executive Planner in a local authority is an excellent opportunity to engage with the active delivery of strategic policy across Development Management, Forward Planning and Project Delivery and to strengthen the Council’s approach to Planning Enforcement.

The Planning Department also contributes to a multi-disciplinary approach to Climate Action, Active Travel, Regeneration Initiatives and the promotion and protection of the Natural and Built Heritage in the county. The Senior Executive Planner will be required to work closely with the Senior Management Team and Elected Members to deliver the full range of services, implement local policy decisions and deliver on strategic corporate objectives and in accordance with the general policy direction of the elected council at both full Council and Municipal District level.

The Senior Executive Planner duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Lead and manage a planning team(s) to deliver a high-quality planning service and to achieve organisational objectives.
• Assess new and emerging national and regional planning policy and legislative updates, assessing the implications for the Council and responding to these updates as required.
• Prepare reports, recommendations and presentations for Council, Committees and senior leadership teams as maybe required.
• To develop and maintain relationships with external agencies including Regional Assemblies, Prescribed Bodies, Government Departments and other Committees as maybe required.
• Prepare, review and implement development plan documents / statutory plans as appropriate and to prepare / present reports on these matters for the appropriate Committees of the Council.
• Monitoring and reporting on implementation of statutory plans and overall objectives of the Planning Department.
• To assess planning applications and, pre-application proposals against the Council’s policies and provide recommendations and policy responses / recommendations to these as required.
• Assist in the development and delivery of capital projects, including regeneration projects, and assist in and advise on associated Part 8 processes.
• To work effectively with colleagues to deliver services, often as part of cross-sectoral teams or multi-disciplinary teams.
• Provide professional planning advice regarding unauthorised development including recommendations on initiating enforcement proceedings as appropriate
• To ensure compliance with corporate policies (Health & Safety, HR, Data Protection, Child Safeguarding etc.).
• To ensure good governance and act in the public interest at all times.
• Any other associated duties as may be assigned from time to time.

About You

The ideal candidate shall have the following Skills and Experience:

• Have significant management experience in a town planning context.
• Have experience of analysing and considering new and emerging national and/or regulatory policies and guidelines in a town planning context with a view to assessing the implications of such developments and responding to same.
• Have experience of preparation or assessment of planning applications and preapplication proposals in the context of applicable planning policies and regulations.
• Have experience of managing and leading multi-disciplinary and cross functional teams and have the ability to motivate, empower, encourage and achieve maximum efficiency and value for money from the personnel and processes under their control.
• Have experience of maintaining sound employee relations and conflict resolution.
• Have a track record of delivering results.
• Have an understanding of Local Authority services and structures in Ireland, particularly as they relate to the planning function, or have the ability to quickly acquire same.
• Be capable of working in close consultation with key stakeholders and in seeking cooperation and consensus with a whole range of bodies and representative groups.
• Excellent report writing and strong IT skills.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent communication/presentation, facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to motivate, empower and encourage personnel under their control to achieve maximum performance.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 8th October, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.