Planning Director – Sheffield

Planning Director

Terms: Permanent role
Location: Sheffield
£: Negotiable

DLP is one of the UK’s leading employee-owned planning-led practices, providing tailored multidisciplinary advice to our clients across the development sector.

Joining DLP brings with it the opportunity to gain valuable experience working alongside skilled professionals who will provide you with essential guidance and support to grow your career as a professional planner. You will also have the ability to work for a wide variety of clients and projects across both the private and public sectors and alongside colleagues in the wider DLP Group’s core business sectors which include:

• Planning Research & Analysis
• Masterplanning & Urban Design
• Architecture
• Transport & Infrastructure
• Sustainability Engineering

The range of benefits that we offer to our employees includes private healthcare with BUPA, life insurance, company salary sacrifice pension, cycle to work scheme, contributions towards professional subscriptions and enhanced maternity scheme.

Our Sheffield Office serves a wide area covering Yorkshire and The Humber and the wider north of England. The Sheffield Office includes members of the Sustainable Development Delivery team (SDD) and Research and Analysis (R&A). This mix of specialisms allows for collaborative working.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a qualified Town Planner ideally with at least 10 years + professional experience preferably in private sector consultancy or a mixture with public sector and client-side roles. Candidates should have a postgraduate qualification in Planning and be a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

With the support of other members of the senior management team, the Director will take part in leading the Sheffield Planning Office with the expectation that they will further develop its profile and build upon its well-established project portfolio which includes residential, mixed use strategic sites, urban regeneration, advanced manufacturing proposals, education projects, solar and renewable energy projects and enforcement matters. The Company, however, operates as a ‘single team’ so staff routinely work outside of their base location in liaison with other DLP Offices.

The postholder will have a leading role in further building the team.

Supporting your professional development

We support our staff with a very active training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme which is intended to educate, inform and invite feedback.

Our CPD programme involves presentations from both external speakers and internal staff members, with all staff encouraged to present on a relevant topic to develop their presentation skills.

Every staff member is formally reviewed at least annually.  During this process, achievements and future targets are reflected upon and discussed – always with the aim of learning and moving forward

Supporting your wellbeing

As an Employee Ownership Trust, our staff, their wellbeing and their personal and professional development is of paramount importance to us.

We are committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and wellbeing throughout DLP and as an organisation we seek to:

• Actively contribute towards enhancing social value, including through our impacts on the environment, communities, local economies and innovation.
• Promote mental, physical and social wellbeing in the workplace.
• Actively promote, celebrate and enhance diversity across the organisation.
• Cultivate and promote an inclusive culture that maximises the talent, skills and diversity within our workforce.

What do we expect from you?

As a Director you will confidently lead on projects and engage in both development management and development plan / policy work. This will include, but is not limited to, managing major planning applications, planning appeals, Local Plan representations, site promotion, Local Plan Examination and public inquiry work.

You should have experience of managing professional teams and be able to provide leadership and vision. With excellent stakeholder management skills, you will be at the forefront of client development and will be required to attend networking events to promote the company.  You should be client-facing and have a strong and proven record in business development. You should have a network of contacts and definitive targets for sectors in which to generate the next stage of growth for the Office. Our aim is to further strengthen the reputation of DLP Planning Ltd in the region and wider north as part of that process.

As Office Director, you will assume responsibility for the financial and performance planning of the Office and will participate and contribute to wider company management.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities are set out as follows;

• Manage and grow the established Planning team;
• Provide leadership and mentoring for the office and team as it grows;
• Development of the client base including oversight of existing client instructions and development of new client opportunities;
• Manage the workloads and professional development of staff, ensuring that all the required standards are met;
• Manage and maintain the Office profitability, including client accounts, budgeting, and income projections;
• Develop and secure specific opportunities in identifiable growth sectors;
• Contribute to Companywide business and development strategy; and,
• Accountability to the Board of Directors and the Managing Director

A full driving licence is essential.

We offer hybrid working and therefore need a commitment from our staff to work collaboratively in a face-to-face environment on ‘core’ office days. Should you choose to work from home on ‘non-core’ days, you will work independently but you will still have the support of colleagues who will be available via telephone and videocall.

How can you apply?

If you are interested in a Director position at DLP then please send us your current CV to careers@dlpconsultants.co.uk and our HR team will be in touch.