Area Planning Manager
About us
Hillingdon is London's second largest borough, and we're proud of our commitment of 'Putting our residents first', ensuring they're at the heart of everything we do! We want to attract talented individuals like yourself who share our aspirations for the borough and can support us to deliver exceptional services for Hillingdon.
With an ambitious strategy we pride ourselves on delivering services that improve the lives of all our residents, businesses, and partners. Embarking on a journey of continuous improvement, we've set an agenda to ensure the provision of; safer communities, a thriving local economy, a greener more sustainable environment, whilst increasing our digital capabilities.
Driving forward innovative and dynamic solutions across our Planning, Regeneration & Public Realm service, we're recruiting for a Area Planning Manager to lead an area based planning function, ensuring high quality sustainable development is delivered.
What does an Area Planning Manager do at Hillingdon?
Taking responsibility for leading development and planning services across the management and enforcement teams, the Area Planning Manager heads an area-based planning function, dealing with all aspects of planning applications, consents, notifications, inquiries, and enforcement issues.
Working in collaboration with internal and external partners, the Area Planning Manager works proactively with the Senior Leadership Team and the wider management team to implement changes and deliver improvements in service delivery.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Oversee allocation of cases/ inquiries
- Manage caseload of complex strategic major cases
- Oversee determination process for all applications, consents, and cases
- Lead the creation and implementation an area-based Development Management & Enforcement service
About you
With a demonstrable background of leading and managing teams, you'll have experience of assessing, negotiating, and providing advice on complex/ major development proposals, contributing to positive outcomes.
You'll be able to evidence examples of using your communication and influencing skills to work in collaboration with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, managing and allocating case work within a timely manner.
Displaying an expert understanding of the planning, design, end enforcement related issues facing Hillingdon, you'll be able to identify opportunities to implement continuous improvement initiatives and embed a culture of 'putting residents first'.
Key skills/ experience to evidence within your application:
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of statutory policies, legislative and regulatory frameworks
- Politically astute with expert negotiation skills, and ability to influence decision making
- Successful track record leading/ contributing to service improvement
- Build long term effective relationships working in collaborations to identify solutions
What we offer
We offer a range of Company benefits. These vary according to the business area and role but may include:
- local government average salary pension scheme
- free parking (4 days a week) if based at the Civic Centre
- a 36-hour week for all full-time staff
- generous holiday entitlement: a minimum 25 days a year (plus bank holidays), rising to 28 days after five years' service. For more senior positions holiday entitlements can rise to a maximum of 36 days
- career breaks
- flexible working hours
- season ticket loan
- access to a Credit Union
- access to a wide range of training and courses
- discount on a variety of Adult Education courses run by the Council
- payment of professional fees where these are required
- discounts at council-owned leisure centres and swimming pools at Hillingdon (Uxbridge), Queensmead (South Ruislip), Highgrove (Ruislip) and Botwell Green (Hayes)
- cycle purchase scheme
- car sharing scheme
- 30% discount on green fees at council-owned golf courses
Additional information
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Applicants should be aware that the post will only be offered to successful candidates subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.
Due to an expected high volume of applications, we could close this role early, we therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.