Planning Officer (Development Management)

Salary: £28,721 - £40,362 (Band C/D)

Location: Grantown on Spey

Job Type: Permanent Contract

Hours: Full Time; 36 hours per week (though part-time hours at 0.8 FTE will be considered)

Closing Date: 23:59pm, Sunday 4 June 2023

Interview Date: Wednesday 21 June 2023 (held virtually)

This is a career graded post. Demonstrable experience of working with planning caseload would support appointment immediately to band D (salary scale £33,652 – 40,362)

Alternatively, the post is suitable for a recent graduate, starting at a graduate level salary band C, (salary scale £28,721 - £33,476), but subject to ongoing performance and organisational need, there is scope to work through the graduate role upwards into a Planning Officer level role (band D). Movement onto band D grading will be subject to appraisal reviews of performance and experience gained.

Equalities:

CNPA is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, relationship status, disability, age and social class. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, as they are under-represented in the environment sector.

We are Disability Confident committed employer, if you are an applicant with disabilities who meets the essential requirements of the post, we will interview you. In all circumstances CNPA appoints on merit-based evidence the applicant supplies in meeting the essential criteria for the post.

About Us:

The Cairngorms National Park (CNP) is the largest national park in the UK, covering 4500km². It is also a place of sheer abundance, having more high mountain ground than anywhere else in the UK, the largest Caledonian forest, some of Scotland’s purest rivers and finest livestock rearing farmland. It is home to 25 percent of the UK’s rare and endangered species. It is a truly unique place to work, with our dedicated and passionate Planning & Place directorate who are committed to delivering a high quality planning service, every day. Furthermore, there is access to some of the most beautiful countryside straight from our Headquarters office door.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) was recognised as one of Scotland's top 10 flexible employers and listed in the UK’s Top 100 best not for profit companies to work for; we’re dedicated to both this fantastic landscape and our employees.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a Planning Officer (Development Management) to join the CNPA, undertaking planning casework and delivering and improving the technical and administrative processes associated with the planning service.

The Role:

As a Planning Officer (Development Management) you will undertaking planning casework, including the assessment of planning applications in relation to the development plan and the National Park’s policy framework, the preparation and presentation of reports to the CNPA’s Planning Committee and undertaking planning condition approval, pre-application consultations and non-material variations.

You will also undertake and assist with work across the other functions of the planning service including monitoring and enforcement and development planning.

So, if you are keen to be our Planning Officer (Development Management) and you can display the skills and experience listed here, this is the role you’ve been waiting for.

CNPA Benefits:

· Civil service pension scheme

· 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus Public Holidays

· Professional development

· Flexible working

· Cycle to work scheme

· Use of pool cars

About You:

To be considered as our Planning Officer (Development Management), you’ll need:

• A recognised degree in Town Planning or closely related subject area and eligible for Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Up to date knowledge of Scottish planning legislation, regulations, policies and current practice.
• Excellent communication skills – experience of and ability to give clear oral and visual presentations to Planning Committee and to write concise and accurate planning reports in plain English.
• Excellent time and workload management skills and ability to meet tight deadlines.
• IT skills – word processing, spread sheets, databases, and presentation software.
• Experience of using E-planning systems, IDOX Uni-Form and Document Management Systems (or equivalent system) to process planning casework;
• Ability to meet tight deadlines with minimal supervision and work effectively and efficiently within the context of a small team
• Spatial awareness skills and ability to accurately interpret drawings and maps
• Full UK driving licence or access to driver if disability prevents driving.
• Permission to work in the UK

Experience of development management in the context of a planning authority, ideally in the Scottish planning system, including the processing and project management of complex planning applications, planning appeals and presenting to Planning Committees; understanding of living and working in rural areas and the relationship between land use planning and wider rural issues; a secondary qualification relevant to the post, e.g. surveying; architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, ecology or economics and experience of the planning system from the private or NGO sector would be beneficial to your application.

How to apply:

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply Now’ button

Please note, we do not accept Curriculum Vitae (CV).

If you require more information, or if you require any adjustments to be made to the application process due to disability please contact us on 01479 873535 or email: recruitment@cairngorms.co.uk

To see how the CNPA collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants, please view the Privacy Notice available on our website.