Planning Policy for Place Principal Officer

We work within an inclusive structure that rejects silos, embraces sharing and learning and works flexibly and collaboratively. We have adopted a matrix working approach that assembles the right teams for the right projects, building resilience and skills. We also work collaboratively with other teams across the council, including Development Management, Area Regeneration, Employment, Business and Skills, Culture, Housing, Property, Capital Delivery, Strategy & Design, and Highways.

We have built a reputation as an innovative, positive, proactive team that delivers excellent results with work produced in-house. The recent achievements of the team include adopting our Local Plan and having our Site Allocations Plan pass examination, contributing to award winning buildings and public spaces, developing the Waltham Forest Design Awards, producing high-quality guidance such as the Residential Alterations and Retrofit SPD and the Leyton Mills SPD, as well as rejuvenating our Local Heritage List.

We are a Home Office–licensed sponsor; however, for this specific role we are not able to provide Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. To be considered, you must already hold a form of UK work authorisation that does not require sponsorship.

Click here to download the Role Profile << [https://fs-filestore-eu.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Waltham_Forest/govRoleProfiles/Role Profile - Principal Planning Policy Officer - 2262.pdf]

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist (PO4) or lead (PO5) in the preparation, review, implementation and monitoring of specific planning policy themes, including the agile supervision of more junior staff where appropriate.
• Support the development of a proactive compliance approach across the Place and Design Team.
• Ensure that the Local Plan is implemented to the highest standard, to meet local needs and create a fairer, more equal borough.
• Ensure high quality communication is maintained internally and externally with officers, elected members, and the general public.
• Provide, at a senior level, specialist expertise and guidance to officers, members, developers, the public and other stakeholders on all aspects of relevant strategic planning policy and practice.
• Support the commissioning of relevant evidence base consultancy projects and review and analyse the outputs.
• Supervisory Responsibilities:
• Project supervision of officers as necessary to support matrix management approach to project work across the service
• Occasional supervision of staff or consultants temporarily assigned to the team or on specific projects.
• Budget Responsibilities:
• PO4: None
• PO5: Project budgets as required to ensure that any external commissions are within budget and delivered to the programme

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Degree in town planning or related subject and eligibility or membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Significant experience, knowledge and understanding of the National Planning Policy Framework and the process of preparing a Local Plan, preparation of supplementary planning documents, review, and monitoring of Local Plan policy.
• Significant experience of developing and writing planning policy within a local authority, voluntary or private-sector context.
• Experience of dealing with developers, stakeholders, elected members and the general public at all levels confidently, sensitively and diplomatically, particularly in a customer focused environment.
• Experience of working in a Planning Department including planning policy work or related experience from working in another part of the development industry.
• Experience of undertaking public consultation and engagement events on planning policy and other planning projects.
• Good understanding of how services are provided in a local government context and political awareness and the issues facing local government.
• Experience of specialist software for the production of planning policy documents, and other related specialist database software and systems and guidance, advanced user of Microsoft Office.
• Experience of preparing significant reports, planning information work and statistical and research work.
• Ability to communicate effectively using a wide variety of media and methodologies, including written, oral, and visual means of communication and experience of providing information and advice to key decision makers, such as elected members and service directors.
• Highly numerate, with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Well-developed interpersonal, persuasion and negotiating skills.
• Ability to see the bigger picture as well as attend to detail.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Accustomed to managing conflicting deadlines and a demanding workload.
• Demonstrable commitment to equal opportunities and equality in employment and service delivery

PO5 (in addition to the above)

• Substantial relevant experience of leading on the development and writing of planning policy within a local authority, voluntary or private-sector context.
• Substantial experience of providing specific policy advice and related planning advice to officers, members, planning applicants and the public.
• Good experience of /ability to provide evidence for local plan examinations and other appeals, hearings, or public inquiries.
• Sensitivity, persuasiveness, negotiation and assertiveness skills to communicate with diverse audiences in emotive circumstances, including excellent political awareness in problem solving and decision making.

Terms and Conditions:

The below terms and conditions apply to this role:

• Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;
• Satisfactory declaration of interest;
• As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English. This means that they must have a command of spoken English, with confidence and accuracy, sufficient for the effective performance of their role. This requirement does not refer to any particular English language qualifications, regional or international accents, dialects, speech impediments or the tone of conversations. It does not require staff to speak only in English.
• Working conditions: hybrid role with a mix of office based work and home working.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines to us how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral