Hive Land & Planning
Head of Planning (Director)
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Head of Planning (Director)
Hive Land & Planning · Manchester (Salford) · Hybrid · Permanent · £75k–£95k + bonus + route to equity
We're hiring a Head of Planning to lead and grow Hive's Planning team. This is a critical senior appointment as we scale toward our 2030 ambition: to become one of the UK's largest independent planning, development and socio-economics consultancies.
Hive has just been named Insider North West Property Consultancy of the Year 2026 and the RTPI NW Mid-Sized Planning Consultancy of the Year. We advise on some of the region's most significant large-scale and transformational residential-led regeneration and new settlement schemes — various Garden Villages/New Settlements, Cotton Works Wigan, Mayoral Development Zones and the Barrow Housing Delivery Strategy among them.
Our work is partnership-led and collaborative. We work alongside local authorities, developers, landowners and public-sector partners to help turn complex plans into deliverable places — and we expect the person leading our Planning team to do the same.
The package
- Base salary £75k–£95k
- Performance bonus
- Route to equity / profit share for the right person
- 25 days' annual leave + birthday off + Christmas closure
- Hybrid working from our Manchester City Centre fringe office (Salford)
- Comprehensive pension and benefits
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What you'll do
- Lead, grow and develop the Planning team
- Own the Planning service line end-to-end
- Lead delivery on Hive's largest residential and mixed-use instructions
- Develop existing client and partner relationships, and build new ones, through a collaborative, partnership-focused approach
- Sit at the senior leadership table and help shape Hive's next phase
What we need from you
- MRTPI chartered
- 10+ years post-qualification experience
- Consultancy experience somewhere in your career (you understand fee earning, utilisation, BD and client-facing delivery)
- A track record on large-scale residential and mixed-use schemes — strategic sites, urban extensions, garden villages / new settlements, urban regeneration, volume housebuilder portfolios or major RP/affordable schemes
- Demonstrable experience acting for both public sector clients (LPAs, Homes England, Combined Authorities, RPs) and private sector clients (housebuilders, land promoters, developers, investors)
- A collaborative, partnership-led mindset — comfortable working alongside clients and co-consultants,
- Evidence of leading teams (internal and external). You don't need the "Head of Planning" job title today, we are keen to hear from those ready to step up
- UK right to work
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Strongly preferred
Currently Associate Director, Director or equivalent in a planning consultancy (or someone with such a position in their recent past). Visible sector profile — speaker slots, awards shortlists, sector body involvement.
Location
Based anywhere within sensible commuting distance of Manchester (NW, NE, Yorkshire, North Midlands) or willing to relocate. Project work is UK-wide; the team is Manchester-centred.
How to apply
This is a senior, confidential hire. Get in touch directly with Mark Vaughan (mark.vaughan@hiveland.co.uk) or Stuart Sage (stuart.sage@hiveland.co.uk) for a discreet first conversation. All enquiries handled in strict confidence.
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