Development Management Team Leader; Major Developments

Location:

High Wycombe

Leading a team of talented planning officers, you will oversee the delivery of some of the most significant and transformative development proposals in the county, while helping to drive service improvement, performance and professional excellence across the wider planning service.

Buckinghamshire Council is one of England's "Big-8" councils, delivering services across a diverse and dynamic area to the west of London.

With our Regulation 19 consultation on the Buckinghamshire Local Plan underway, we are building a planning service capable of delivering one of the most ambitious growth agendas in the country while maintaining the highest standards of design, placemaking and sustainability.

Our Major Development Management team is responsible for an exciting portfolio of development proposals, including town centre regeneration projects, strategic urban extensions, new settlements, employment development, data centres and energy infrastructure schemes. Working collaboratively with developers, communities, elected members and stakeholders, we secure high-quality development that delivers lasting benefits for Buckinghamshire's residents.

Based in High Wycombe, with excellent transport links to London, Oxford and the wider South East, you'll be working in a vibrant market town surrounded by the Chilterns National Landscape, offering an outstanding balance between career opportunities and quality of life.

As a Development Management Team Leader
, you will provide leadership, direction and support to a team of professional planning officers while maintaining involvement in complex and high-profile development proposals.

You will play a key role in ensuring the service delivers excellent customer outcomes, achieves performance targets and continues to evolve in response to changing demands and opportunities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, developing and motivating a team of planning professionals
• Managing complex, high-profile and politically sensitive planning applications and appeals
• Leading strategic negotiations with developers, agents and stakeholders
• Representing the Council at Planning Committees, hearings, inquiries and public meetings
• Advising elected members, senior officers and key stakeholders
• Driving service performance, innovation and continuous improvement
• Supporting the delivery of income-generating services, including Planning Performance Agreements and pre-application advice
• Contributing to the strategic development of Buckinghamshire's planning service
• Deputising for the Major Development Manager when required

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

You will be an experienced and highly credible planning professional with a strong track record of delivering complex development proposals and leading teams.

Whether you currently work in local government, consultancy or the development sector, you will bring strong leadership skills, professional expertise and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for communities. You will be comfortable operating in a complex and sometimes challenging environment, balancing competing priorities while supporting others to perform at their best.

You will bring:

• Significant experience of managing major or complex planning applications
• Experience of leading, developing or supervising professional staff
• Excellent knowledge of planning legislation, policy and development management…