Head of Strategy

Job summary

Thank you for your interest in our Head of Strategy role.

This is an exciting time to join the Planning Inspectorate as we move forward in delivering our 2024–2027 Strategic Plan, at a moment when planning continues to feature prominently on the Government’s agenda. Our purpose is to maintain a fair planning system, support significant national infrastructure, and help communities shape the places they call home. Strong strategic leadership is essential to achieving these goals.

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.

We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please see the information pack attached. You can also view our careers page at Civil Service Careers

Job description

As the Head of Strategy, you will lead a small team working across the organisation to guide, challenge and provide practical support for the planning, long-term development and effective delivery of the Planning Inspectorate’s strategic ambitions. Your team will provide high level analysis and ask critical questions, supporting the organisation to identify issues which require further investigation or exploration, supporting Board and Executive team members to navigate key strategic decisions.

The role is responsible for challenging our ways of thinking by leading our strategic direction, and long-term planning to ensure it is aligned with government priorities and sector-wide developments. The role also leads the annual business plan process and has responsibility for leading the development of the Annual Report and Accounts. You will play a lead role in the fostering collaboration across the planning system to deliver efficiency.

For full information on the role and assessment process please refer to the candidate pack attached.

Office Attendance: This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units. This Head of Strategy role is a senior role in the Planning Inspectorate, and the successful candidate should expect to be in the office at least once each week.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience of planning, organising, controlling, managing, developing and directing strategic and operational activities including multi-disciplinary areas of work which are complex and/or diverse and of delivering outcomes against agreed objectives.
• A track record of successfully leading the delivery of strategy design and resulting change programmes.
• Experience of promoting continuous improvement to enable impact, efficiency and effectiveness at an organisational level and excellent problem-solving skills to finding creative and innovative solutions
• Demonstrable leadership skills and clarity of vision with evidence of driving and effectively managing delivery of change initiatives.
• Experience of using a highly collaborative style with proven experience of building productive and trusted relationships with colleagues and senior stakeholders at all levels across the business to build consensus.
• Outstanding verbal communication skills to chair meetings, deliver presentations, network and work effectively with internal and external staff and stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including being able to negotiate, give feedback, persuade, influence, deal with conflict, work effectively with groups and individuals including those with differing perspectives and in challenging circumstances.
• Outstanding written communication skills to write senior and complex correspondence, reports, presentations, policies, procedures, processes and strategy papers.
• Self-management skills to work independently, autonomously and as part of a team, using own initiative and being flexible and adaptable.
• Demonstrable excellent planning and organization skills to deliver work to agreed timescales and standards

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £77,741, Planning Inspectorate contributes £22,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.
• Generous family friendly policies.
• Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 11 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

For guidance on how to apply see About the application process , Civil Service Careers

Drop-in session:

The Chief Finance Officer will be holding a drop-in session to answer any questions relating to this role or about working in the Planning Inspectorate at 1pm Thursday 26th February. If you wish to attend the session, please follow this link If you experience any problems accessing the link please email pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Application

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:

• A CV: The CV section is an opportunity for you to detail your career history. It should outline the jobs you have done, the length of time you were employed within each role and a brief description of your role, responsibilities and duties which demonstrate relevance to the role you are applying for against the essential criteria. You must type, or ‘copy and paste’ into the text box called ‘Employment History’ within the online application. You cannot attach a copy of your CV.
• A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement allows you to outline your suitability for the role in more depth, expanding on your CV evidence. It is an opportunity for you to provide evidence against the essential criteria listed within the candidate pack on the Person Specification page.
• A short statement against the lead criteria shown below (maximum of 250 words): This allows you to outline your experience and will only be used if there are a large number of applications. The minimum standard must be reached for applications to proceed.

A track record of successfully leading the delivery of strategy design and resulting change programmes

All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you will:

• Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role
• Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength and experience questions
• Need to prepare and deliver a presentation
• Facilitate a Staff Panel discussion

Candidates who are successful at shortlist stage will be sent full assessment requirements with their interview invitations.

Other Information

Shortlist Date: w/c 02 March 2026

Staff Engagement Panels: w/c 09 March 2026

Interview Date: w/c 16 March 2026

Interviews will be held in person at our office in central Bristol.

The Planning Inspectorate does not fund travel and subsistence for candidates to attend interviews.

We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and what we will be assessing you against which is detailed in the Person Specification.

The Planning Inspectorate is committed to finding the right person for the job. We recruit using Success Profiles and consider the criteria you will need to demonstrate to be successful for the role.

ID and Documents

If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.

We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to do a right to work check using identity document validation technology (IDVT) through the services of an Identity Service Provider (IDSP), Civil Service Jobs. If we are unable to confirm your right to work and through the IDVT we will need to do a manual right to work check using original documents with you in person.

Visa Sponsorship

The Planning Inspectorate cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates, we do not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

Disability Confident Interview scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

To be considered for an interview under the scheme you must:

• have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010
• provide evidence in your application that you meet the minimum criteria in the job description
• meet all of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential

While we will endeavour to provide you with all the appropriate information, you are the expert on your specific requirements so if you require any adjustments, you should consider the information provided about the assessment process in the candidate pack and then:

• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. The earlier and more clearly you tell us what you need and why you need it, the more likely we are to be able to accommodate you in a timely fashion.

All Planning Inspectorate colleagues must meet the baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window). This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Jo Butcher
• Email : PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact in the first instance: The Vacancy Manager via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).
If you are not satisfied with the response, you receive you should then contact, Chief People Officer, via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).
If you are still not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission. https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitme…

Attachments

Candidate_Pack_Head_of_Strategy Opens in new window (pdf, 502kB)EVP(Great_Place_To_Work) Opens in new window (pdf, 534kB)