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SalaryAre you motivated by the reward of delivering an exceptional planning service?
A rare opportunity to join our excellent planning service at West Oxfordshire District Council as a Principal Planner, leading a fantastic tight knit team to shape a variety of high value and complex planning cases, whilst delivering an outstanding service of customer care through an innovative and practical solutions based approach.
This permanent role offers the flexibility of working within the offices at Witney and agile working, allowing you that extra freedom and work life balance.
Are you interested in taking the next stage in your career in planning? Or are you already a Principal Planner who is experienced in dealing with a wide range of pre-application enquiries, complex planning applications, appeals and post application work? If so we would love to hear from you.
Our Planning Service is fundamental to the success of the Council’s ambition for the future. From the Salt Cross Garden Village strategic development area to the development of a new world class car museum at Enstone, our focus is to create great places for people to live, work, learn and enjoy in our ever expanding and evolving communities. Now is a fantastic time to be joining us. We are looking to deliver upon our council priorities and shape our growth potential for the benefit of the local area and beyond.
You will head up one of the Development Management teams and lead on a variety of high profile and challenging projects as well as looking at innovative ways to make a difference in delivering quality and sustainable places and addressing the climate crisis.
The successful candidate will be accustomed to dealing with a wide range of pre-application enquiries, planning applications, appeals and post application work. You will need to be self-motivated and a well organised worker with a positive outlook who is able to deliver good performance and high standards. Experience of Planning Committee and Appeals is required and the candidate will be a member of the RTPI or eligible for membership.
Ultimately we are looking for an experienced Planner but we would also welcome applications from candidates looking to step up in their career. Fundamentally, we want to give you the tools to support you, harness your potential and grow within your role long term.Here is what one of the Principal Planners says:
“The Development Management team at WODC has always been a supportive and enthusiastic group, able to handle the challenges of the job within a tight-knit and sociable team. My personal experience whilst at West Oxfordshire has been one of opportunity and progression.
I started with WODC in 2014 as a Planning Admin Support Officer, before moving into a planning officer role. The Council supported me through my masters degree and four and a half years after joining, I was given the opportunity to take on a role as a Senior Planning Case Officer. I’m now fulfilling the Principal officer role and I am continuing my professional development with the support and guidance of my colleagues.”
You will need
- Planning or related degree.
- Full Membership or eligibility for of the RTPI.
- Substantial (likely to be more than 5 years) relevant professional experience.
- Experience of being involved in continuously improving services and developing products to meet customer need
- Ability to remain calm and confident when dealing with challenging customers and environments
- Ability to resolve complex issues by negotiation
- Deliver commitments and take ownership of own caseload, reshaping of plans to deliver required outcomes
Special Conditions
- Full Driving Licence and access to a car
If you wish to have an informal discussion about this role, please contact Abby Fettes on Abby.Fettes@westoxon.gov.uk or call recruitment on 01285 623319.
For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.
What can we do for you
- Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
- Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
- 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays and an extra two volunteering days off a year for you to support a charity of your choice
- Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
- Pension scheme with a good employer contribution of 5% of your earnings
- Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
- Access to digital financial advice (covering your pension scheme, mortgages and other finances)
- Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements
- Additional income protection, covering 50% of your salary for potentially a further five years if you are unable to work due to sickness or injury
To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page and submit your CV and supporting statement. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It’s important that we’re a good fit for each other, so let us know what’s important to you and why you want to work for Publica Group Ltd. Your application will not be considered if you have not provided a supporting statement, in addition to your CV.
Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email.
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable adults, young people and children. Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references; proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.
