Senior Planner

publicjobs

Donegal

On-site

EUR 84,000 - 103,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

Donegal County Council is seeking a Senior Planner to provide strategic leadership across the Planning Service and to drive the delivery of high‑quality, customer‑focused planning services. You will lead multidisciplinary teams, shape County Donegal’s development policy and coordinate with national, regional and local partners within a changing legislative framework.

The role offers a significant leadership remit in implementing the County Development Plan and supporting sustainable housing,

Job description

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 29 October 2026

Salary: Starting from €93,698

About the Employer:

The Local Government sector in Ireland comprises 31 Local Authorities and three Regional Assemblies. Local Authorities are the closest and most accessible form of government to citizens and play a vital role in shaping sustainable communities, supporting economic development and delivering essential public services. Their responsibilities include planning, housing, infrastructure, environmental protection, community development, culture, recreation and place-making.

Donegal County Council serves a unique and diverse county with a population of over 170,000 people across an extensive rural, coastal and urban landscape. As Ireland’s most northerly county, Donegal shares over 90% of its land boundary with Northern Ireland and occupies a strategically important position within the North West City Region. The Council works closely with neighbouring local authorities, regional bodies and government departments across both jurisdictions to support coordinated spatial planning, infrastructure investment, economic development and sustainable growth throughout the wider North West region.

Planning is central to the future development of County Donegal. The Planning Service plays a leading role in implementing national, regional and local planning policy, supporting sustainable housing delivery, town and village regeneration, climate action, heritage protection, economic development and the delivery of strategic infrastructure. The successful candidate will contribute to the implementation of the new planning legislative framework and associated planning reforms, while helping to shape the future growth and sustainable development of the county through collaborative working with elected members, government departments, prescribed bodies, communities and a broad range of stakeholders.

Donegal County Council provides a diverse range of services across a large geographic area, including planning, housing, roads, economic development, tourism, community development, culture, emergency services and environmental protection. The Council is committed to delivering high quality public services, strong governance and continuous.

An opportunity now exists to join Donegal County Council as Senior Planner within the Planning, Communities and Culture Directorate. This is a significant leadership role, offering the successful candidate the opportunity to influence strategic planning policy, lead multidisciplinary teams, drive organisational change and contribute to the sustainable economic, social and environmental development of one of Ireland’s most distinctive and strategically important counties.

About the Role:

The Senior Planner will report to the Director of Service and will provide strategic leadership across the Planning Service. The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective management, direction and continuous development of the Planning Department, ensuring the delivery of high quality, customer-focused planning services in accordance with the Council’s Corporate Plan and strategic objectives.

Working closely with the Director of Service, the Senior Management Team and elected members, the Senior Planner will play a key role in shaping the sustainable growth and development of County Donegal. The role requires strong strategic leadership, sound professional judgement and the ability to lead organisational change within an evolving legislative and policy environment. The successful candidate will contribute to the implementation of the new planning legislative framework and associated planning reforms, while ensuring the effective delivery of the Council’s statutory planning functions.

The Senior Planner will lead multidisciplinary teams across a broad range of planning activities, including development management, forward planning, planning enforcement, heritage and conservation, housing delivery, regeneration, climate action and strategic infrastructure. The role also requires close collaboration with government departments, prescribed bodies, regional organisations, neighbouring local authorities and cross-border partners to support the delivery of national, regional and local planning objectives.

The successful candidate will provide professional leadership in implementing and monitoring the County Development Plan and other statutory planning frameworks, supporting sustainable housing delivery, town and village regeneration, economic development, environmental protection and the delivery of major infrastructure projects. They will also contribute to the Council’s commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and the ongoing digital transformation of planning services.

Senior Planner positions are multi-faceted and will include responsibility for the following service areas:

Development Management
Forward Planning and Plan Implementation
Planning Enforcement
Strategic Infrastructure Delivery
Housing Delivery and Sustainable Communities
Regeneration and Place Making
Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability
Cross-Border and Regional Spatial Planning
Digital Planning and Service Improvement

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

To understand, interpret and implement planning legislation and the principles, practices and techniques of planning and sustainable development.
To understand, interpret and implement the legislative provisions, policy context and operational environment within which the statutory functions and operating requirements of the local authority are delivered.
To provide strategic leadership in the delivery of the Council’s Planning Service, ensuring high standards of governance, professional practice, customer service and statutory compliance.
To determine the nature, level and pattern of demand for the Planning Service and to recommend strategic priorities, service improvements and policy initiatives to the Director of Service.
To lead and support the implementation of the new planning legislative framework and associated planning reforms, ensuring the continuous improvement of planning services and statutory processes.
To lead the implementation, monitoring and review of the County Development Plan and associated statutory planning frameworks, ensuring alignment with national, regional and local planning policy.
To support the work of the Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), Corporate Policy Group (CPG) and elected Council in the development and implementation of planning policy.
To provide leadership in the implementation of national, regional and local planning objectives, including regional collaboration and cross-border strategic planning initiatives, working closely with regional assemblies, neighbouring local authorities, government departments and other key agencies.
To build and maintain effective working relationships with elected members, government departments, prescribed bodies, infrastructure providers, regional organisations, neighbouring local authorities, community organisations and other key stakeholders.
To set objectives, performance measures and key performance indicators and contribute to the preparation and implementation of corporate plans, service plans and strategic programmes.
To lead, manage and motivate multidisciplinary teams, promoting collaboration, innovation, accountability and high performance across the Planning Service.
To identify, prioritise and manage work programmes, ensuring the effective delivery of statutory functions, strategic objectives and organisational priorities within agreed timescales.
To implement effective systems of financial management, procurement, governance, risk management and internal control, ensuring the efficient use of resources and the achievement of value for money.
To support the delivery of strategic infrastructure, sustainable housing, regeneration, place-making and economic development initiatives that contribute to the long-term sustainable development of County Donegal.
To manage and supervise employees up to the position/grade of Senior Executive Planner, or analogous grades, ensuring their effective development, performance management and continuous professional learning.
To provide leadership, foster employee engagement, build effective teams and maintain positive industrial relations in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation. To promote innovation, continuous improvement and customer-focused service delivery across all areas of the Planning Service.
To deputise for the Director of Service as required.
To ensure compliance with corporate policies, including Health and Safety, Human Resources, Data Protection, Child Safeguarding and other relevant statutory and corporate requirements.
To ensure the highest standards of governance, integrity and ethical conduct in the performance of all duties, acting at all times in the public interest.
To undertake such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Director of Service or Chief Executive, consistent with the responsibilities of the post.