Senior Strategic Planner

About the role

Looking for a meaningful role where you can work collaboratively to address the range of challenges affecting London?

Come and play your part in shaping the future of London, working as part of the brilliant team of professionals in Planning and Regeneration at the GLA. You will be leading on implementing the spatial policies of the London Plan through working with and supporting stakeholders in Opportunity Areas and other areas of change.

This is a key role in the new Spatial Planning team, within the newly formed Regeneration and Growth Strategies team, which in turn forms part of the Place Unit -  a matrix team working with TfL’s Growth and Master planning team. You will work within the Place Unit to identify and bring forward the most appropriate process for planning for growth.

You will draw together and analyse area information to identify strategic areas and corridors with potential for immediate and future growth potential. You will use your mapping and urban design expertise to prepare frameworks, plans and strategies working with TfL and London boroughs. The aim will be to bring together the aspirations of the Mayor, TfL and the boroughs for a growth area in a coherent future vision and deliverable spatial plan.

You will also work closely with the London Plan team to analyse spatial development patterns and identify current areas that are not realising their potential and prospective new growth areas for homes and jobs.

You should have a detailed knowledge and understanding of national and regional planning and development issues, legal processes and policy trends. In particular, you should have a good grasp of the spatial planning issues in London.

You will be expected to present reports to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor directly, so you will need excellent written and verbal communication skills.  You will also need good negotiation skills and ability to work successfully with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

In their application, candidates should demonstrate how they meet the technical requirements for Grade 8 and the behavioural competencies set out in the Person Specification.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Support the production of Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks. The role will

involve the review, analysis, interpretation and mapping of varying sources of

information and evidence bases (such as data, reports, masterplans and Local

Plans). This will inform the delivery of planning and design-led work at

masterplanning and strategic scale

2.Undertake spatial strategies: development, monitoring and review of the

Mayor's strategies, especially the spatial and economic development, housing

and transport strategies;

3. Briefings and reports for the Mayor, Assembly and other organisations on

planning and spatial development issues.

4. Lead or contribute to the initiation, design, management and completion of

relevant policy development projects and research.

5. Lead or contribute to advice on planning briefs, development proposals and the

plans and strategies of other agencies especially Local Development Documents

and the development plans of adjacent authorities

6. Lead or contribute to coordination, liaison and engagement processes necessary

to address spatial development and planning issues.

7. Prepare responses on behalf of the GLA to complex issues raised by the public

and diverse agencies.

8. Liaise and work with GLA group staff and external organizations including

boroughs, partnerships, consultancies, academic and voluntary agencies to

address the Mayor’s planning and spatial development concerns.

9. Lead on or contribute to the representation of the Mayor’s planning and

development policies, concerns and objectives to examinations in public

(including those into Local Development Documents), commissions and public

inquiries.

10. Realise the benefits of London’s diversity by promoting and enabling equality of

opportunities and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London’s

communities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Technical Requirements/ Experience/ Qualifications

1. Qualification in planning and relevant professional experience as a senior

planner within a similar organisation or business environment;

2. A relevant design qualification and expertise in software packages including

GIS/Adobe CS/Sketch Up

3. Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of national, regional and London

strategic planning and development issues and trends;

4. Technical knowledge at senior level of at least three of the specialisms set out

below as well as a broad appreciation of the bearing of these on other strategic

policy areas: -

I. Strategic spatial planning and urban land use policy;

II. Strategic infrastructure planning and funding mechanisms including

Section 106 planning obligations, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

and/or other funding approaches;

III. Urban design and heritage, London views management framework,

including townscape and visual assessment;

IV. Local Plan and development plan document related policy development

and monitoring, including supplementary planning documents and

guidance;

V. Development management experience and ability to process and

negotiate strategic planning applications or related development

Behavioural competencies

BUILDING AND MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS

… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Develops new professional relationships
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected
• Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals

COMMUNICATING AND INFLUENCING

… is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Communicates openly and inclusively with internal and external stakeholders
• Clearly articulates the key points of an argument, both in verbal and written communication
• Persuades others, using evidence based knowledge, modifying approach to deliver message effectively
• Challenges the views of others in an open and constructive way
• Presents a credible and positive image both internally and externally

PLANNING AND ORGANISING

… is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables

• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and

milestones

• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work

• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team’s work is delivered to a high

standard

• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can

be met

PROBLEM SOLVING

… is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully
• Proposes options for solutions to presented problems
• Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving
• Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems
• Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving

RESPONDING TO PRESSURE AND CHANGE

… is being flexible and adapting positively, to sustain performance when the situation changes, workload increases, tensions rise or priorities shift.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Maintains a focus on key priorities and deliverables, staying resilient in the face of pressure
• Anticipates and adapts flexibly to changing requirements
• Uses challenges as an opportunity to learn and improve
• Participates fully and encourages others to engage in change initiatives
• Manages team’s well-being, supporting them to cope with pressure and change

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA competency framework

The role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (169 Union Street SE1 0LL)

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

London's diversity is its biggest asset, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share.

In addition to a good salary package, we offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Application closing date: 19^th February 2024 at 23:59

If you have a question about the role or would like to discuss it informally, please feel free to contact Darren Richards at Darren.richards@london.gov.uk

Application Process

Please apply using your CV and a Covering Letter (maximum two pages) addressing the following Technical Requirements and Behavioural Competencies listed above in the advert that demonstrates your suitability to the role.

Please upload your Cover Letter to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the application form and upload your CV to the ‘Resume’ section. All documents uploaded must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format and do not include any photographs or images.

Applications submitted without a Covering Letter will not be considered.

All applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system.

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

On this recruitment campaign, as part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and covering letters that could cause discrimination.

Reasonable adjustment will be made to working arrangements to accommodate a person with a disability who otherwise would be prevented from undertaking the work.

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.