Principal Planning Officer

Main Responsibility

As a Principal Planning Manager, you'll :

• deal with medium to large and complex  / controversial planning applications which could be:
  • minerals or waste developments,
  • the council’s own development such as schools and roads,
  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development and also:
  • involvement in an increasing number of nationally significant infrastructure projects
• have the opportunity to present your applications to Planning Committee and represent the council at any appeals related to your caseload with support from the relevant technical and legal specialists. 
• responsibilities for maintaining our GIS are spread across the team, and training for everyday type functionality will be provided if required.

The Ideal Candidate

You will

• have an appropriate degree / or qualification.
• substantial experience in dealing with development control matters and planning policy documents.
• experience of working in multi disciplinary  teams.
• good organisational skills and personal drive which allow you to:
  • progress proposals on your own initiative,
  • proactively solve problems utilising your strong interpersonal skills
  • make decisions to meet service delivery targets, all whilst working with tact and diplomacy in representing the council on politically sensitive issues. 

You'll be supported by a range of technical specialists and experienced officers within the organisation.  'On the job' learning, training, mentoring and coaching is not unusual, given the nature of the work, particularly if your career history to date is from a planning organisation that oversees high volume casework associated with housing and employment type matters.  

We'll encourage and support you to develop both your personal and professional skills to your full potential.  Commitment to continued professional development and a willingness to engage with professional bodies and technical advisory groups is desirable to ensure Staffordshire's priorities are represented within local, regional and national forums.  

For an informal discussion about the role contact:   mark.parkinson@staffordshire.gov.uk  

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. 

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.