Principal Town Planner

Job Title

Principal Town Planner

Northampton

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading multidisciplinary land and property consultancy with offices across the Midlands. The business delivers a wide range of services including planning, architecture, building surveying, valuation, and business consultancy, helping clients maximise the value and potential of their assets. You will join a collaborative, multidisciplinary development team made up of planners, engineers, surveyors, archaeologists, and architects.

The organisation offers the ideal balance between scale and agility - large enough to deliver diverse, high-quality projects, yet small enough to provide autonomy, visibility, and genuine cross‑disciplinary collaboration.

This is a senior‑level position combining strategic leadership, business development, and hands‑on planning consultancy delivery. You will act as a key figure within the Kettering office, driving growth, strengthening client relationships, and enhancing market presence.

• Act as the lead planning expert within the Kettering office
• Deliver planning consultancy services across a variety of sectors
• Provide both general and strategic planning advice to clients
• Coordinate and prepare planning applications with internal teams
• Manage post‑planning negotiations, appeals, and related processes
• Oversee development lifecycle stages including technical design, procurement, and construction‑phase input
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams, managing delivery, risk, and programme performance
• Support and mentor junior team members to develop technical capability

• Drive growth of the planning and development offer across Northamptonshire
• Build and maintain strong relationships with developers, landowners, promoters, and agents
• Cross‑sell complementary services including land promotion, valuation, and agency work
• Increase brand awareness and generate new instructions
• Identify opportunities to diversify services and expand into new markets
• Improve operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability
• Strengthen integration across the wider service offering

We are seeking an experienced planning professional with strong leadership and commercial capability.

• MRTPI qualified (or equivalent)
• Proven experience in planning consultancy and development‑led work
• Track record of business development, networking, or team growth
• Strong understanding of the full development process
• Experience in post‑planning, technical design, and project delivery
• Excellent project management and coordination skills
• Full UK driving licence

• Strategic thinker with strong attention to detail
• Confident decision‑maker and problem solver
• Strong communicator and relationship builder
• Commercially aware and growth‑focused
• Resilient, adaptable, and proactive
• Passion for innovation and continuous improvement

• Competitive salary (dependent on experience)
• Private healthcare (BUPA)
• 35 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Additional birthday day off
• Extra holiday for long service
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Enhanced pension scheme (NEST)
• Professional membership fees paid + CPD support
• Employee Assistance Programme + health plan + flu jab
• Agile and flexible working culture
• EV and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes