Development Management Principal Lead Officer

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Date: 3 Aug 2026

Job Location:

Gloucestershire

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title:
  
  Development Management Principal Lead Officer
• Job Location:
  
  Shire Hall, Block 5, 5th Floor
• Contract Type:
  Permanent
• Closing Date: 11/09/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 14643
• This post is not open to job share

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead a specialist Development Management service at a pivotal moment for local government in Gloucestershire.

As Gloucestershire moves towards a new unitary council model, this role offers the chance not only to lead an established and highly regarded County Development Management Service, but also to help shape the future of specialist planning services within a new organisation. You will have a key role in influencing how planning services evolve, ensuring they remain resilient, innovative and equipped to meet the needs of communities, businesses and critical infrastructure for years to come.

If you are an experienced planning professional looking for a role where you can make a lasting impact, lead talented people and help design the future of a service, we'd love to hear from you.

As Development Management Principal Lead Officer, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of Gloucestershire County Council's specialist Development Management Service.

You will lead a dedicated team of experienced planning professionals, technical support staff and emerging planning talent, ensuring the delivery of a responsive, customer-focused and high-quality planning service. Strong operational leadership, people management and a commitment to continuous improvement will be central to your success.

The team manages a diverse and challenging portfolio of work, including:

• County Council developments such as schools, highways, care homes, depots, etc..
• Nationally significant infrastructure developments where the County Council is the determining authority for detailed matters.
• Pre-application advice service.
• Engaging with local communities, site operators, elected members and partner organisations through community liaison across Gloucestershire's strategically important minerals and waste facilities.

The role requires a strong focus on people leadership. You will be supporting and developing a team with a mix of highly experienced officers and colleagues at the beginning of their planning careers. Creating a positive, high-performance culture will be essential, ensuring staff are supported to develop professionally while maintaining a clear focus on service delivery, accountability and continuous improvement. Through effective mentoring, coaching and leadership, you will help build confidence, capability and resilience across the team.

Alongside service delivery, you will play a supportive role in preparing the service for upcoming changes through national reforms and local government reorganisation, contributing to the design and development of specialist planning functions. This is a unique opportunity to influence how planning will be structured and delivered in the future.

The service is also embracing digital transformation and innovation. Having recently implemented a modern cloud-based planning and case management system, we are well placed to enhance agile working, improve customer experience and explore new opportunities for digital service delivery. We are looking for a leader who is enthusiastic about modernising services, challenging traditional ways of working and fostering a culture that encourages innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Working closely with the Team Manager and wider Planning Service, you will ensure planning decisions are delivered efficiently, consistently and to the highest professional standards, while supporting the development of a skilled, motivated and future-focused team.

You will be an accomplished planning professional with significant development management experience and a proven track record of leading high-performing teams.

This role will suit someone who enjoys developing…