Planning Solutions Analyst

Planning Solutions Analyst

3 Years Fixed Term, Full Time - 37 hours per week

Up to £46,297 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 24th March 2024

The Opportunity

We are looking for an exceptional Solutions Analyst to join our established and expanding Planning Service. Are you a highly motivated, experienced analyst? Do you have knowledge of the planning sector, data management and analysis and do you have a proven track record of implementing system change?

ECC has an aging planning obligations management system and we need your support to procure and implement a modern system. You’ll support teams across the Council but particularly Planning, Infrastructure and Highways to deliver a modern, public facing system. With new housing developments happening at pace in the County, our communities deserve to know that we are delivering quality infrastructure quickly and our investment in a new data management system is key to this.

You’ll need to be capable of building strong working relationships, supporting procurement, and proactively working with stakeholder across finance, IT and ECC Services to manage change.

This is a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of the growth agenda within Essex. Although this post is initially fixed for 3 years, there may well be opportunity for extension, dependent on the needs of the system. We are seeking a highly-motivated, enthusiastic and experienced individual to join our growing and forward-thinking team.

Accountability

• To manage a specialist planning system and other related systems used by the service on a day-to-day basis providing support to system users, to ensure that key business decisions are made in a timely manner.
• Lead on the procurement of any new system(s) for the service, providing advice and assistance corporately. This includes working closely with ICT and system suppliers to ensure that the systems operate in accordance with contractual agreements. This includes ensuring user acceptance testing of all software releases are carried out effectively.
• To have principal responsibility for ensuring system implementation and ongoing system maintenance fully represent business requirements on behalf of the County Council, including ensuring configuration aligns with appropriate corporate priorities and processes, working closely with ICT colleagues and the third-party system suppliers.
• To set data quality targets and developing appropriate quality assurance processes and procedures to ensure that they are met and to address any shortfalls with appropriate management representatives.
• To be the link between the many users of the planning back-office systems within Infrastructure Planning, Highways, ICT, finance, and other service areas across the County Council and Service Providers to ensure that the systems are managed and maintained in an effective and robust way.
• Act as the main point of contact for any escalations arising from day-to-day use of the systems and their component parts. Eliciting, documenting, managing and prioritising change requests relating to the systems and/or processes being carried out across the service.
• Represent the authority at external product user and development groups as a key stakeholder of the systems delivering proactive suggestions and advice relating to future strategies.
• Work with the County Council’s corporate Finance team to ensure that any interactions between the corporate finance system and the planning systems are closely aligned to operational performance.
• Work with the County Council’s Data and Analytics team to leverage effective performance data from the systems, ensuring that service maximises their use to support departmental strategic and performance targets.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

Relevant degree or other equivalent qualification/s and meeting the following set of skills and experience:

• Significant experience in managing complex deliverables within a planning/growth or ICT environment at a level appropriate to the above qualification/s.
• Experience of business process design, process testing, and the documentation of work instructions.
• Working successfully in an environment requiring extensive collaborative working, such as across partnerships or within large complex organisations.
• Detailed knowledge and use of systems to support local authority planning / growth services.
• Knowledge and understanding of planning and growth issues relating to Local Authorities such as County Councils in England how this informs the role of ICT.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge in relevant professional area

To read more about us please visit: Economy, Investment and Public Health

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

Interviews are expected to take place on 2nd, 3rd or 4th April 2024.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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