Planning Officer

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Closing Date: 06 January 2025

Interview Method: In Person (Face to Face)

This role is subject to -

Qualification - Degree in Town Planning (or demonstration of relevant experience) 

Manchester is one of the world’s greatest cities. A city with a reputation for innovation.  A reputation for creativity. A thriving regional economy and a proud sense of identity. We are a city with a rich history, a vibrant present-day, and much to look forward to in the future.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping this dynamic modern city. The role is within the Central Development Management Team within the Manchester Planning Service – a high profile, frontline service within the City Council.  We are looking for a talented town planner, who is committed to Manchester, and its vision, in order to realise outcomes for our residents, businesses and visitors. 

The Central Team is responsible for the implementation of the Council's planning policies for the ongoing physical regeneration of the City Centre.  We have a number of nationally significant development areas including Corridor Manchester, First Street, Great Jackson Street and Piccadilly East as part of meeting our housing and economic growth objectives.

The team is also responsible for managing the growth of the City Centre into a number of strategically important regeneration areas, including Victoria North, Strangeways, Ancoats and New Islington, Holt Town and at the Etihad Campus, in order to create great places that bring people and communities together, attract investment and ensure that Manchester continues to thrive.

Candidates would be required to demonstrate that they have experience managing a broad range of planning applications, preferably for a Local Planning Authority.  Candidates would also be expected to demonstrate that they have strong written and verbal communication skills and can prioritise and manage their work load in line with statutory targets whilst delivery quality outcomes for the City.  

Working closely with the Planning Service’s Urban Design, Heritage and Sustainability Team, the role would also require extensive knowledge and understanding of historic buildings, other designated assets and climate objectives, together with relevant legislation, to ensure the City’s growth responds positively to the historic environment and climate change objectives. 

The role would be office based in the Town Hall Extension in the centre of Manchester with candidates expected to undertake site visits, where initiative and professional judgement would need to be demonstrated in order to make sound planning decisions. 

Extensive engagement with elected members, residents, businesses and other stakeholders including heritage organisations would be a key requirement of the role in order to provide high levels of performance, customer service and deliver high quality development proposals in Manchester. There would also be close liaison with other council services to support corporate objectives and Council projects and initiatives.

Candidates would be expected to show personal commitment to continuous self-development and service improvement. 

We’re the local government authority for Manchester, and have teams across the city helping to make this a great place to live for everyone. We’re proud to do local government differently, in a city with an international reputation for diversity, creativity, culture and passion. 

When you join us, you’re joining a team of over 7,000 council staff helping to make our ambition for Manchester a reality. Whatever your role, you’ll be supporting our residents and communities to be the best they can be, and helping to build a Manchester that's fairer for everyone who lives, works, volunteers, studies or plays here. 

To make our ambition a reality, every person we recruit needs to play their its part. It takes a certain type of behaviour, attitude and way of working to get Manchester where it wants to be. Our people and partners have agreed five ‘behaviours’ – the grounding for how we must work together and treat one another:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

A career with us means you can be yourself, thrive, and build the career your talent and ambition deserve.

Creating an inclusive team at Manchester City Council 

At Manchester City Council, we strive to create a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve.  We want to further increase the diversity of our workforce, in particular the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and disabled staff at all levels of the Council. This advert is open to all applicants, and we would particularly encourage applications from candidates identifying with one or both of those characteristics.   

If you want to find out more about the role, our ways of working, flexible arrangements or any workplace adjustments, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. If you are invited to interview, we will ask you if you require any adjustments for you to best demonstrate your suitability for the role in the interview process.   

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Accessibility 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we provide support for employees with physical or mental-health conditions, a disability or neurodiversity. Our workplaces are accessible by design, and we make workplace adjustments including providing aids, adaptations and equipment. These, combined with our flexible working policies such as disability-related leave, enable our employees to perform their role, thrive and be their authentic selves in work. 

We’ve also included some useful tips on how to submit the best application.

When you join us 

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role. 

Other relevant information 

Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment
Who we are - Manchester City Council 
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