Associate Director

Due to continuing growth, DLP Planning Limited are seeking a full-time qualified and experienced Town Planner to play a key role in our friendly and busy planning team in Bedford.

Our Bedford office includes both our planning team, members of the CASS team (providing architectural, masterplanning, landscape, conservation, ecology and sustainability engineering expertise) allowing collaborative working on design matters and is also the Head Office of the Group.

Whilst this hybrid role is based in our Bedford office, the Company operates as a ‘single team’ and staff can work on projects across the country.

Role and Responsibilities 

As an Associate Director you will work semi-autonomously, under the supervision of Directors. You will lead on projects and engage in a range of development plan / policy and development management work. This will include, but is not limited to, managing planning applications of all scales, local plan representations, site promotion, appeals, EiP and public inquiry work.

With excellent stakeholder management skills, you will also be offered a high degree of client interface and as part of your personal development will be expected to attend networking events in order to grow our client base and promote the company.

You should be self-motivated and a committed team player who is excited by the prospect of developing their own client base and making a real contribution to the growth of the business.

You will receive regular mentoring sessions to aid with your progressing within the business and will also participate in the supervision and mentoring of junior members of the planning team.

Qualifications

We are looking for a qualified Town Planner ideally with at least 8 – 10 years professional experience in the UK preferably in the private sector or a mixture of public sector and client-side roles.

Candidates should be educated to undergraduate level (2:1 or above) and have obtained a postgraduate qualification in Planning.  They should also be a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

Salary and Benefits

Remuneration will be commensurate with the abilities and potential of the successful candidate and will include a competitive salary, performance linked bonus scheme, access to the Company Pension Scheme, health insurance and other fringe benefits including supporting staff undertaking local volunteer work.

We are committed to offering flexible working arrangements.

DLP Planning Limited operates as an Employee Owned Trust (EOT).   The culture, welfare, support and development of our staff is of great importance, and it is key that candidates are closely aligned with those values.

All eligible staff members become part ‘owners’ of the business which brings the added benefit of an element of bonuses being tax free and a future potential payment based on their part ownership of the Company.

Summary of essential and desirable requirements for the role:

Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in Planning or related discipline
• Fully Chartered Member of RTPI
• Minimum 8-10 years professional experience in UK planning roles
• Full UK driving licence
• Experience of managing planning applications and appeals at a range of scales
• Some experience of working in private sector, either in consultancy or client-side
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Excellent written communication skills and capable of drafting professional reports (e.g. Planning Statements, Appeal Statements etc) to a high standard
• Comfortable and committed to attending networking events

Desirable

• Experience of business development
• Some experience of work generation
• Experience of appearing at hearing/public inquiry
• Experience of mentoring junior staff
• Portfolio of existing client contacts in south midlands/east of England region
• Experience of preparing fee proposals/tender submissions
• Some experience of billing and managing project budgets

About DLP Planning Ltd

DLP Planning was formed in 1991 and became an Employee-Owned Trust in 2022.  It is one of the largest independent town planning consultancies in the country and, alongside London as the capital office, there are offices in Bedford, Bristol, Nottingham, Rugby, Milton Keynes, Liverpool Leeds and Sheffield.

DLP Planning Ltd is a subsidiary of DLP Consulting Group and offers clients a multi-disciplinary service as required and/or specialist advice geared to specific disciplines.

The governance structure is such that the Managing Director is supported by the Board of Directors who run the Company but with the added governance of being overseen by the Board of Trustees who include representatives of the senior management, the former shareholders, an Independent Trustee and the staff. All qualifying members of staff are part owners in the business and participate in promoting the objective to help it continue to grow sustainably in the long term.

DLP is an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Contact us

Should you wish to discuss the role, please contact office Director, Andy Parry (07824 056765). To apply, please email your CV and covering letter, detailing your suitability for this role to Practice Manager, Fay Wagstaff at fay.wagstaff@dlpconsultants.co.uk

The closing date for applications is 31^st May 2024