/ Job Title / Career Grade Planning Officer (Development Management)
Department / Regeneration and Environment
Section / Planning | Development Management
Grade / Scale 6 – PO3 (Career Grade)
Reports to / Team Leader (North, South or Strategic Applications Team) or other officers as may be allocated from time to time
Staffing Responsibility / None
Organisation / Organisation chart attached
Job Purpose
- Through the application of competent DM skills and customer service, make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the borough through the innovative and practical development of proposals for planning permission to ensure that growth and regeneration in the borough is delivered in line with the Brent Local Plan.
Principal Accountabilities and Responsibilities
- Responsibility for a caseload of development proposals and to meet your own performance management and quality targets.
- Evaluate and make sound recommendations on the planning merits of development proposals, the complexity of which will rise with progression through the career grade from simple to more complex proposals and projects.
- Defend the Council’s decisions at appeals to the Planning Inspectorate, the complexity of which will rise with progression through the career grade from simple to more complex proposals and projects.
- The provision of pre-application advice on a range of development proposals, the complexity of which will rise with progression through the career grade from simple to more complex proposals and projects.
- Calculating planning fees and CIL payments and, where required, negotiate financial and other contributions in planning obligations.
- Promote customer satisfaction when delivering DM Services.
- As a member of a planning area team, take individual and collective professional responsibility for championing the council's diversity agenda and proactively implementing initiatives which secure equality of access and outcomes and commit to continually developing personal understanding of diversity.
- Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.
- Carry out duties with due regard to the Council’s Customer Care, Equal Opportunities, Information Governance, Data Protection and Health and Safety policies and procedures.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.
DBS Status / No check required
Politically Restricted / No
Person Specification
Career Grade Level 1
Knowledge and Qualifications- A-Levels or equivalent that would allow entry onto RTPI accredited first degree
- An appreciation of current issues & developments affecting planning, regeneration & local government in London (desirable)
- Policy: an appreciation of main central government & development plan policy issues (desirable)
- Law: an appreciation of spatial planning legislation (desirable)
- An appreciation of the operation of local government (desirable)
Experience
- Experience of providing a support function to a planning service (desirable)
- Planning applications: appreciation of processes involved and to demonstrate an ability to provide effective and responsive development control services on a caseload of predominantly straightforward development proposals, planning applications and appeals relating to a range of development types, but including many householder applications
- Appeal awareness: understanding of process (desirable)
Skills and Abilities
- Writing: display general level of ability in letter & report writing; exhibit a clear & comprehensible writing style in line with Plain English principles
- Experience of working in an office environment, including the appropriate use of information technology
- Good organisational and analytical skills
- Ability to read and scale drawings and appreciation of urban design skills
- Time/priority management: developing ability & understanding of techniques
- Ability to work effectively under pressure
- Methodical & attention to detail
- Logical thinker & ability to analyse & weigh issues
- Appreciation of team working
- Polite, helpful & building confidence
- Listening, questioning and reasoning ability
- Verbal communication: effective in most situations
- Presentation skills: developing ability
- Customer care awareness
- To be prepared to attend evening and weekend meetings (eg committees & events within the borough) and from time to time and to work hours required to meet pressing deadlines that may exceed contracted hours (desirable)
- Ability to carry out required site visits
Career Grade Level 2
Knowledge and Qualifications- First degree or equivalent that would allow entry onto RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Understanding of current issues & developments affecting planning, regeneration & local government in London
- Policy: understanding of main central government & development plan policy issues
- Law: understanding of development management legislation
- Understanding of the operation of local government
Experience
- Planning applications: understanding of processes involved and an ability to provide effective and responsive development control services on a mixed caseload of development proposals, planning applications and appeals, including more complex cases and covering a range of development types and issues
- Appeal experience: understanding of process
Skills and Abilities
- Writing: display general level of ability in letter & report writing; exhibit a clear & comprehensible writing style in line with Plain English principles
- Effective level of general (Windows) and basic level of specialist (egAcolaid) IT skills
- Basic report writing and decision drafting (conditions/reasons for refusal)
- Ability to read and scale drawings and appreciation of urban design skills
- Time/priority management: effective in most situations
- Ability to work effectively under pressure
- Methodical & attention to detail
- Logical thinker & ability to analyse & weigh issues
- Developing ability at working in teams
- Polite, helpful & confident
- Negotiation: developing ability & understanding of techniques; clear listening, questioning and reasoning ability
- Verbal communication: effective in most situations
- Presentation skills: developing ability
- Customer care understanding
- To be prepared to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings (eg committees & events within the borough) and from time to time and to work hours required to meet pressing deadlines that may exceed contracted hours (desirable)
- Ability to carry out required site visits
Career Grade Level 3
Knowledge and Qualifications- RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Good understanding of current issues & developments affecting planning, regeneration & local government in London
- Policy: good understanding of main central government & development plan policy issues
- Law: good understanding of development management legislation
- Good understanding of the operation of local government
Experience
- Planning Applications: provide effective and responsive development control services on a mixed caseload of development proposals, planning applications and appeals, including large, complex and specialised developments types and issues.
- Appeal experience: written representations & informal hearings
Skills and Abilities
- Writing: display good level of ability in letter writing; clear reports on a wide range of planning issues; exhibit a clear & comprehensible writing style in line with Plain English principles
- Effective level of general (Windows) and developing level of specialist (egAcolaid) IT skills
- Report writing and decision drafting (conditions/reasons for refusal)
- Urban design skills: general level of proficiency and ability to explain to others
- Time/priority management: good level of proficiency
- Ability to work effectively under pressure & appreciation of stress management
- Ability to achieve a quality/quantity balance
- Logical thinker & ability to analyse & weigh issues
- Proficient at working in teams
- Assertiveness: developing effective ability
- Negotiation: good level of proficiency; clear listening, questioning and reasoning ability
- Verbal communication: effective in difficult situations
- Presentation skills: effective ability
- Customer care competence
- To be prepared to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings (eg committees & events within the borough) and from time to time and to work hours required to meet pressing deadlines that may exceed contracted hours (desirable)
- Ability to carry out required site visits
Career Grade Level 4
Knowledge and Qualifications- RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Eligible for Membership of RTPI or RICS (Planning & Development)
- Comprehensive understanding of current issues & developments affecting planning, regeneration & local government in London
- Policy: comprehensive understanding of main central government & development plan policy issues
- Law: comprehensive understanding of development management legislation & good appreciation of related legislation including local government legislation
- General level of political awareness & comprehensive knowledge of the operation of local government
Experience
- Planning Applications: provide effective and responsive development management services on a caseload of mostly major development proposals, planning applications and appeals requiring a wide range of knowledge.
- Appeal experience: written representations and informal hearings
Skills and Abilities
- Writing: display high level of ability in letter writing; clear reports on complex or controversial issues; exhibit a clear & comprehensible writing style in line with Plain English principles
- Effective level of general and competent level of specialist (egAcolaid) IT skills
- Competent report writing and decision drafting (conditions/reasons for refusal)
- Urban design skills: understanding of principles and ability to explain to others
- Time/priority management: high level of proficiency
- Ability to work effectively under pressure & handle stress
- Demonstrable ability to take tactical decisions and achieve high quality and high level outputs through the practical application of project management techniques
- Innovative thinker & ability to analyse & weigh complex issues
- Good understanding of the dynamics of team working
- Assertiveness: effective level of proficiency
- Negotiation: high level of proficiency; clear listening, questioning and reasoning ability
- Verbal communication: good level of proficiency in most scenarios
- Presentation skills: presentation of non-controversial items at Committee
- Customer care proficiency
- To be prepared to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings (eg committees & events within the borough) and from time to time and to work hours required to meet pressing deadlines that may exceed contracted hours
- Ability to carry out required site visits
Operation of the Career Grade
The qualification, experience and competence criteria are set out below:
Salary Scale / Required Qualification, Experience & CompetencesCareer Grade Level 1
Scale 6 /- A-levels or equivalent that would allow entry onto an appropriate RTPI accredited first degree
- Sufficient knowledge and/or experience of work within Development Management to be able toperform at a satisfactory level
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & the Level 1 Person Specification
Career Grade Level 2
Progression subject to formal interview & assessmentSO1 /
- First degree or equivalent that would allow entry onto an appropriate RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Planning experience (desirable)
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & the Level 2 Person Specification
- Past performance against targets (for internal assessments only)
Progression subject to assessment by Team LeaderDM Manager
SO2 /
- Successfully completed 1st year of postgraduate degree
- Development Management experience
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & progress towards the Level 3 Person Specification
- Past performance against targets (for internal assessments only)
Career Grade Level 3
Progression subject to formal interview & assessment PLUS a suitable vacancyPO1 /
- An appropriate RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Significant Development Management experience
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & the Level 3 Person Specification
- Past performance against targets (for internal assessments only)
Progression subject to assessment by Team Leader & DM Manager
PO2 /
- An appropriate RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Generally,Significant post qualification Development Management experience
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & progress towards the Level 4 Person Specification
- Past performance against targets (for internal assessments only)
Career Grade Level 4
Progression subject to formal interview & assessment PLUS a suitable vacancyPO3 /
- An appropriate RTPI accredited postgraduate degree
- Generally,Substantial post qualification Development Management experience
- Assessment of competence against the Job Description & the Level 4 Person Specification
- Past performance against targets (for internal assessments only)
Entry criteria
An officer’s starting Salary Scale entry point will be based on both qualification and experience at the time of employment, in addition to an assessment of their competence against the Job Description & the appropriate Level of the Person Specification. These entry requirements are defined in the table above for each Salary Scale band. Officers will normally start at the bottom of the Salary Scale band that they qualify for.
Progression each year
Decisions on annual progression up the SpinalPoints within a Salary Scale band takes place in the normal manner through the council’s [PDCS]process and is unaffected by this career grade scheme.
Assessments to move up to the next Salary Scale band will take place in March of each year alongside the council’s [PDCS] process so that, if awarded, the new salary level can be paid from 1 April. If there is a delay in carrying out assessments, any promotion that is awarded will be backdated to 1 April.
An officer who starts employment with the Council between 1 April and 30 September in any year can apply to move in the following March for commencement on 1 April; that is between 6 to 12 months from their start date. An officer who starts employment with the Council between 1 October in one year and 31 March in the following year can apply to move in the subsequent March for commencement on 1 April; that is between 12 to 18 months from their start date.
Officers should only apply to move when they are confident that they have achieved all of the appropriate criteria for the next band (as set out in the table above) as only one application to move to the next Salary Scale band can be made in any 12-month period. The scheme will only allow an officer to move to the next Salary Scale band, it does not allow them to jump a Salary Scale band.
Progression within the Career Grade levels
Movement from Salary ScaleSO1 to SO2 or from PO1 to PO2will be based on:
- confirmation that an officer has reached the necessary level of qualification and experience;
- an explicit assessment, by their Team Leader, of competence against the requirements of the Job Description & satisfactory progress towards the requirements of the relevant Person Specification; and
- that a satisfactory level and quality of work has been produced over the previous year.
This assessment has to be agreed in writing by the DM Manager. Any appeal against these decisions will be to the Head of Planning, whose decision will be final.
Progression between the Career Grade levels
Movement from Salary Scale 6 to SO1, SO2 to PO1 or PO2 to PO3 will be based on a formal interview. It will generally be with theirTeam Leader, the DM Manager and a representative from HR. It is also likely to involve testing. Essentially it will be the same process as applying for the post in response to an advert. A decision to allow an officer to move will be based on:
- confirmation that they have reached the necessary level of qualification and experience;
- an assessment of demonstrated competence against the requirements of the Job Description & relevant Person Specification; and
- that a satisfactory level and quality of work has been produced over the previous year.
Any appeal against these decisions will be to the Head of Planning, whose decision will be final.
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