About the role:

Horsham District Council is looking for a Senior Planning Officer to work in our Major Applications team within our Development and Building Control department.

We have a number of large scale development sites being built out and are in the process of reviewing our local plan which will allocate further new development across the District. We consider around 3000 applications each year with one of the highest number of major applications in the surrounding area.

As Senior Planning Officer in the Major Applications team you will have demonstrable experience in managing a varied caseload of complex development proposals, taking ownership of the application process for major development schemes from pre-application discussions through to determination and implementation, attending planning committees and defending the Council at appeal as required.

About you:

To succeed as Senior Planning Officer, you will be required to travel around the District and therefore have a current UK driving licence and access to a car. We are seeking a motivated individual who has experience of dealing with complex cases, has a willingness to learn, and is adaptable to change.

For an informal discussion about this role please call Adrian Smith, Major Applications Team Leader on 01403 215460.

About us as an employer:

We have a friendly and supportive working environment and being a smaller Council, you can really get to know everybody.

We encourage and support our employees to have a healthy work life balance by, offering 28 days’ (207.2 hours) annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata), and flexible/hybrid working options where applicable.

We offer a generous benefits package including an online platform offering discounts from online retailers and access to a car lease scheme. Staff are also eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), where the Council contributes circa 20% of pensionable salary.

To support employees’ professional development the Council provides reimbursement for professional subscriptions and a number of training opportunities, including extensive in-house learning resources, short courses, Apprenticeships, and qualifications such as Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Visit our Jobs and careers page to find out more about Working for Horsham District Council and Our employment commitments.

To apply:

If you would like to apply for the role, we highly recommend you show clearly within the ‘Experience Section’ of the application form how you meet the essential criteria detailed within the Role Profile when applying. If you do not make this clear, it is unlikely you will be shortlisted for interview.

Internal applicants, if you would like to apply for the role, please submit an expression of interest to HR@horsham.gov.uk explaining clearly how you meet the criteria and what you feel you can bring to the role.