Assistant Director of Planning
Up to £75,851 per annum
Are you ready to shape the future of a dynamic region with exciting projects and ambitious goals?
South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council are seeking a visionary, creative and driven individual to join our award-winning joint senior leadership team as Assistant Director of Planning. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in driving forward our joint planning ambitions, shared with Plymouth City Council, and make a lasting impact on our shared communities.
As Assistant Director of Planning, you will oversee and direct the councils’ joint planning team. You have the opportunity to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence, and further develop our strategic planning initiatives, aligning our shared goals and driving sustainable growth. Whilst you will lead a varied team of technical experts across the full spectrum of planning services, you’ll have an early focus on the development management team to ensure they have the skills, resources, policies and capabilities in place to deliver sustainable planning outcomes for communities in alignment with our council plan.
This exciting role offers you the chance to spearhead the plans for all our key projects, including a multi-million-pound freeport and our ambitious capital delivery programme. You will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure cohesive and effective planning and delivery, with our communities at the heart of everything we do.
As Assistant Director, you will shape and influence our future planning policies, ensuring they align to our new council plan and priorities. Not only this, but you’ll shape the policies to support our ambitious plans for economic development, environmental sustainability, and community wellbeing, whilst always ensuring high standards of service delivery, efficiency, and regulatory compliance across all planning activities.
About you
To succeed, you must have proven planning experience in a senior management role, alongside a strong track record of delivering successful, large-scale planning projects. Exceptional leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate our fantastic teams, is essential. Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, coupled with stakeholder engagement skills, will be key. A deep understanding of planning policies, regulations, and best practices, along with a commitment to sustainable development and community-focused planning, will set you apart.
Why join us?
As part of an award-winning joint senior management team, you will work on ground-breaking initiatives. We are proud of our workforce, which is known for excellence and innovation, and you will play an active role in the development of teams in this context. Part of this will be your ongoing professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment, all while making a real difference to the residents of South Hams and West Devon.
If you’re ready to take on this exciting challenge and contribute to the success of South West Devon, we want to hear from you.
Important Documents
Key Contacts
For a confidential discussion about this role, please contact the following consultants at our recruitment partner, Tile Hill, who will be happy to answer any questions that are not covered here: