Planning Inspectorate (PINS), Chief Executive Officer

Job summary

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of the Government’s ambitious programme of planning reform and its commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes this Parliament. As Chief Executive, you will lead the Planning Inspectorate in its vital role as a key delivery partner in enabling sustainable development, supporting the timely preparation and examination of local plans, and ensuring confidence in the planning system through the delivery of high-quality, impartial services.

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is at an important moment in its evolution. We are strengthening our focus on customers and stakeholders, modernising how we deliver services, and accelerating the use of digital and data-driven solutions to improve timeliness, quality, and transparency across the system. This includes supporting the efficient examination of local plans and the timely determination of nationally significant housing and infrastructure proposals, helping to ensure the planning system can respond effectively to the scale and pace of development required. At the same time, we are committed to maintaining the professional integrity and independence that underpin public trust in our work.

Our workforce is highly skilled and deeply committed to public service. We are proud of our open and collaborative culture, and of the expertise our people bring from a wide range of professional backgrounds. Central to our success is an inclusive leadership approach that values diversity, supports continuous professional development, and empowers colleagues to deliver their best work.

As Accounting Officer, the Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of governance, financial stewardship, and value for money, working closely with the Board and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to maintain strong accountability and effective risk management.

We are seeking a Chief Executive who can set a clear strategic direction, inspire confidence through change, and work in close partnership with the Board, MHCLG, and stakeholders across government, local authorities, industry, and communities. You will bring strong leadership, sound judgement, and the ability to balance pace and innovation with robust governance and accountability.

In return, we offer the opportunity to lead a nationally significant organisation, to shape the future of the planning system, and to make a meaningful difference to communities across the country.

Job description

The Chief Executive (CEO) of PINS is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for the overall success, strategic direction, and operational delivery of the organisation. Working closely with the PINS Board and MHCLG, the Chief Executive ensures the Inspectorate delivers its mission, supports government priorities, and provides high-quality, impartial services to customers and stakeholders.

As the Inspectorate’s most senior executive, the CEO is responsible for ensuring the organisation delivers an effective and efficient service that underpins the Government’s ambitious agenda for planning reform. This includes making sure that the Inspectorate’s services reflect and implement the significant changes the Government has and continues to make to national planning policy, and to the structure and process of development plans, as part of the Government’s growth mission. In doing so, the CEO leads a highly skilled workforce, ensuring the Inspectorate is a modern, confident, customer‑focused organisation capable of delivering at pace while maintaining professional integrity – with an increasing focus on taking a collaborative approach to engagements with local and strategic authorities.

As Accounting Officer, the CEO is responsible for the highest standards of financial administration and best utilisation of public assets. This includes providing robust leadership to the Executive Team and working closely with the PINS Board to deliver effective corporate governance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Set and communicate a clear vision for PINS, aligning the organisation with evolving government policy and the needs of a modern planning system.
• Organisational Alignment: Lead the organisation to deliver efficient, timely, and high-quality services against targets, while promoting inclusivity and diversity.
• System Collaboration: Build and maintain effective partnerships across government, local authorities, industry, and community stakeholders.
• Digital Transformation: Drive innovation and digital transformation to enhance service delivery and customer experience, in particular through the incorporation of AI tools.
• Governance and Accountability: As Accounting Officer, ensure robust financial management, risk control, and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Change Management: Lead and inspire the organisation through change, embedding a growth and continuous improvement mindset.
• Professional Renewal: Foster a culture of continuous professional development, reflective practice, and cross-disciplinary collaboration

Person specification

We are seeking an accomplished leader with proven experience guiding large, complex organisations or teams at a senior level. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to set strategic direction, drive organisational transformation, and deliver technology-enabled change and business improvement. They will possess exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the credibility to represent PINS externally, alongside strong commercial awareness, risk management expertise, and financial acumen to fulfil Accounting Officer responsibilities. A commitment to professional development, inclusivity, collaboration, and adherence to Civil Service values is essential.

To be successful in this role applicants should demonstrate the following essential criteria:

• Experience of leading and inspiring large, complex organisations or multi-disciplinary portfolios, with accountability for significant workforces, budgets, and delivery against national or system-wide priorities.
• A strong track record of delivering high-quality, efficient, and customer-focused services at scale, including performance against demanding targets, service transformation, and maintaining quality and integrity under sustained operational pressure.
• Proven ability to set and sustain a clear strategic direction for a complex organisation, translating government policy and/or long-term organisational objectives into executable plans, prioritising effectively, and maintaining focus in a dynamic and politically sensitive environment.
• A proven ability to build, lead, and sustain influential partnerships across government, local authorities, industry, and other system partners, with the credibility to engage Ministers, Boards, senior officials, and external stakeholders to secure outcomes and manage competing interests.
• Significant experience of leading large-scale organisational, cultural, and digital transformation programmes, including the adoption of new technologies and innovative ways of working, delivering measurable improvement in performance, resilience, and customer experience.
• Demonstrable experience of operating within robust governance and accountability frameworks, with clear ownership of financial management, risk, assurance, and value for money at organisational level, consistent with Accounting Officer responsibilities.

Candidates may also demonstrate the following desirable criteria:

• Experience which will provide a relevant perspective to the UK planning system, for example on housing, business or commercial development, infrastructure, economic growth more broadly, sustainability, or a perspective from local government.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £130,000, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £37,661 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

How to apply

To apply you will need to submit a CV and Statement of Suitability via Be Applied. Your CV (up to two pages) should set out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Your Statement of Suitability (up to two pages) should explain how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential and desirable criteria for the role.

The Panel: Lea Paterson, Civil Service Commissioner and Panel Chair, Trudi Elliott, PINS Chair, Jo Key, MHCLG Director General, and Adrian Penfold, PINS NED, form the selection panel.

Shortlist: Applications will be sifted after the closing date and shortlisted candidates will be invited to the next phase of assessment and interview. Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria, these will also be used to form the basis of the panel’s final interview questions. Desirable criteria will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who rank evenly against the essential criteria.

Assessment: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a Staff Engagement Panel – designed to provide insight into how you engage and interact with your team. Feedback from the session is passed to the panel for consideration alongside your final interview. Candidates may also be invited to meet with a Senior Stakeholder. This is not a formal part of selection, but an informal chance to find out more about the role and organisation.

Shortlisted candidates may also be invited to give a short presentation, or complete an exercise at interviews - further details will be provided when invited to interview.

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

Drop-in session

We will be hosting an informal drop-in session on Thursday 5th February at 2pm, the link can be found here. This will be a chance to find out more about the role, the team and the wider department. If you are interested in joining, please use the link provided. Any issues please contact scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Appeals and complaints​If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application you should speak to the SCS recruitment team at SCS.recruitment@communities.gov.uk ​ - Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:​- a procedural irregularity;​- an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy; or​- exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day​ It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the team at SCS.recruitment@communities.gov.uk. If the team is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by Email to: info@csc.gov.uk ​ Internal Fraud DatabaseThe Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. ​The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. ​The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited data set back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre-employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented..​For more information – please see the internal fraud register page.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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 : SCS Recruitment
• Email : scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Attachments

PINS, CEO - Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 868kB)