Planning Officer

Job Opportunity: Planning Officer

About Us: We are a dynamic and forward-thinking organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our vibrant city. Our commitment to sustainable development, customer excellence, and equal opportunities is at the heart of everything we do. Join our team and contribute to the positive transformation of our city while enjoying a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Position: Planning Officer

Job Purpose: As a Planning Officer, you will play a crucial role in our City Development team, focusing on the assessment of various planning applications. Your responsibilities include managing development projects, ensuring compliance with regulations, and contributing to the city's evolution in alignment with our vision for a modern, customer-focused, and business-friendly environment.

Main Areas of Responsibility:

• Effectively manage allocated resources for specific projects in line with service objectives.
• Assess and process planning applications, including consultations, negotiations, and preparation of recommendations and reports.
• Enforce planning regulations in collaboration with the enforcement team.
• Handle planning appeals, preparing cases and presenting evidence when necessary.
• Determine pre-application inquiries and respond to development queries.
• Represent the Council in meetings and provide valuable input into the Local Plan preparation.
• Contribute to sustainable development and embed the Local Plan's vision in planning decisions.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of contract management principles.

Supervision and Management Responsibility:

• Ensure meaningful one-to-one conversations, conduct quality annual appraisals, and engage in regular workforce planning and development.

Budget and Financial Responsibility:

• Be accountable for managing resources efficiently and complying with statutory requirements.

Social Value Responsibility:

• Drive social value through all activities, promoting wider benefits for the council, residents, and communities.

Corporate Responsibility:

• Contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan.
• Deliver excellent customer service internally and externally.
• Uphold the council's values, engage in regular communications, and actively participate in team meetings and training.

Competency Framework:

• Demonstrate the ability to perform at competency level 2, as outlined in our competency framework.

Person Specification: Qualification and Training:

• Essential: Degree/diploma or equivalent experience in Town Planning
• Desirable: Evidence of allied skills, such as urban design or local plans

Experience:

• Essential: Relevant experience in a planning office dealing with planning applications
• Essential: Experience processing planning applications of all types and scales, including major applications.
• Desirable: Experience dealing with planning appeals (AI).

Skills/Abilities:

• Essential: Ability to identify problems, set objectives, work to deadlines, and monitor results
• Essential: Proven and confident negotiation skills
• Essential: Excellent report-writing skills
• Essential: Ability to work as part of a team and excellent organizational skills
• Desirable: Excellent communication skills and ICT skills
• Desirable: Problem-solving skills

Commitment:

• Essential: An understanding of and personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council.
• Desirable: Commitment to service improvements and providing a first-class, customer-focused service.
• Desirable: Commitment to undertake relevant training in urban design or architecture to a recognized qualification level.

Other:

• Essential: Full clean driving license
• Desirable: A positive pro-active approach to development management in an urban authority.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dedicated team contributing to the positive growth and development of our city. If you are passionate about planning and shaping the future, we invite you to apply.