Senior Planning Officer

Are you motivated by the reward of delivering an exceptional planning service?

An exceptional opportunity to join our excellent planning service at West Oxfordshire District Council as a Senior Planning Officer, working with a fantastic tight knit team to shape a variety of high value and complex planning cases, whilst delivering an outstanding service of customer care through an innovated and practical solutions based approach.

This permanent role offers flexibility from working within the offices at Witney and agile working allowing you that extra freedom and work life balance.

Are you interested in developing a career in planning? Or are you already a Town Planner who is experienced in dealing with a wide range of pre-application enquiries, complex planning applications, appeals and post application work? If so we would love to hear from you.

Our Planning Service is fundamental to the success of the council's ambition for a sustainable future, and we are passionate on leading on our climate and ecological emergencies in the area. From the Salt Cross Garden Village strategic development area to the development of a new world class car museum at Enstone, our focus is to enable our communities in West Oxfordshire and beyond to thrive, creating great places for people to live, work, learn and enjoy in our ever-evolving communities.

We want our future generations to thrive too and are serious in tackling issues concerning climate and environmental emergencies to planning propositions. Now is a fantastic time to be joining us. We are looking to deliver upon our council priorities and shape our environment for the benefit of the local area and beyond.

About the role

You will work closely with the planning team and be an important cog to lead on a variety of high profile and challenging projects as well as looking at innovative ways to make a difference in delivering quality and sustainable placed outcomes through our service.

The successful candidate will be accustomed to dealing with a wide range of pre-application enquiries, planning applications, appeals and post application work. You will need to be motivated and a well organised worker with a positive outlook who is able to deliver good performance and high standards. Experience of Planning Committee and Appeals is required and the candidate will be a member of the RTPI or eligible for membership.

Ultimately we are looking for an experienced Senior Planning Officers but we would also welcome applications from candidates looking to step up in their career. Fundamentally, we want to give you the tools to support you, harness your potential and grow within your role long term.

You will need

• Planning or related degree.
• Eligibility for full Membership of the RTPI.
• Substantial (likely to be more than 5 years) relevant professional experience.
• Ability to resolve complex issues by negotiation
• Deliver commitments and take ownership of own caseload, reshaping of plans to deliver required outcomes

Special Conditions

• Full Driving Licence and access to a car

If you wish to have an informal discussion about this role, please contact Abby Fettes on

For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

What can we do for you

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements(depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays, which increases to 30 days after five years' service and 33 days following 10 years' continuous service
• In addition you will have an extra two volunteering days a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Renewed again for another year there is a Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Generous contributorylocal government pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements

To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page to complete an application form and supporting statement together with your CV. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It's important that we're a good fit for each other, so let us know what's important to you and why you want to work for West Oxfordshire District Council. Your CV will not be available to the hiring manager unless you are shortlisted for interview to assist with our non-biased screening process so please ensure you complete the application form in full.

It is important that our staff reflect the diversity of our community, and we therefore welcome and encourage applications from people of all genders and sexual orientation, those from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds, and those with disabilities.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable adults, young people and children. Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies

Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references; proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years' employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.

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