Strategic Sites Officer (Planning)

Permanent - £46,464 - £50,512 per annum

Wychavon and Malvern have an ambitious growth strategy and will be building over 20,000 homes and 300 hectares of employment land over the next 15 years. The strategy includes the delivery of the major new settlements at Worcestershire Parkway for 10,000 homes and 50 hectares of employment land and Throckmorton for 5,000 homes. This is your chance to help shape the future of some of the fastest growing Districts in the West Midlands.

As a Strategic Sites Officer, you will lead the Planning Management process for the delivery of these major developments focused initially on the nationally significant development at Worcestershire Parkway.  

Reporting into the Head of Development Management, the role is varied and no day will be the same – you’ll ensure the smooth running of the pre application and planning application process for these major developments working closely with key partners such as Homes England, Worcestershire County Council and the combined landowner group.  

You will be in regular contact with applicants, agents, members of the public and other users of the service.  Great communication skills and an ability to engage with a range of stakeholders is therefore essential along with a commitment to delivering an outstanding service to all our customers.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced planning professional to grow your CV by leading the planning management process for some of the largest developments in the country and cement your planning experience in a supportive and ambitious shared service 

About you 

The successful candidate should have:

• Comprehensive and up to date knowledge of planning law and practice
• Experience of the delivery of major projects
• Degree level education, with a recognised qualification in town planning, as well as full RTPI Membership.  
• Good computer literacy and be able to use MS Office, property databases and GIS systems.
• The ability to work under pressure and manage a caseload of complex/contentious planning applications is essential. This is a demanding role, but an exciting challenge for the right candidate, therefore you must be committed and have a desire to succeed and develop your skills within the role. 
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• An appreciation of good design, the ability to negotiate planning obligations within tight deadlines.
• Outstanding customer care and a commitment to supporting performance improvement.

We are looking for an experienced individual who is able to successfully lead a team, providing valuable contributions with a friendly approach. 

You will be required to attend Planning Committee meetings and undertake site visits so flexibility, a full driving licence and use of a car is essential. You will also need to be able to travel throughout the districts.

What we can offer 

Our staff are at the heart of what we do, and as a result we are always looking to recruit, develop and retain the very best talent we can find.  So, as well as a rewarding career, we offer a range of attractive benefits, such as:

• Agile Working
• Excellent pension scheme with employer contributions
• Generous annual leave entitlement with options to purchase additional annual leave
• Committed training programme and development opportunities
• Payment of one professional membership subscription e.g. RTPI. 
• Onsite nursery with 20% staff discount
• Discounted Gym and swim membership
• Health and Wellbeing support and a Free Employee Assistance scheme including access to counselling services
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee Discounts with a range of companies including EE and the Kaarp discount scheme.

To discuss the post or for further information, please call Ciaran Power, Head of Development Management on 01684 862317, or Ian Macleod, Director of Planning and Infrastructure on 07823 535035.

Closing date: Monday 6 May 2024

Interview date: Friday 17 May 2024 

Please note if we experience a high intake of applications, we may close the role and interview for the position sooner than advertised.