Head of Planning Policy & Infrastructure

Lead the charge in delivering planning policy and infrastructure!

Proud, passionate, ambitious - it couldn't be a more exciting time to work for Cotswold District Council. We're searching for the very best people to join us!

It's all change for Cotswold District Council. We're bringing back in-house a number of services that were previously outsourced, to help us take the council in an exciting new direction shaped around the needs of our residents, businesses, and communities. We're busy creating a council that's proactive and responsive in a fast-changing environment.

We're looking for people who share our vision and ambition, who are innovative and creative in how we deliver services, have tenacity and a 'can do' attitude, and, most importantly, agree with us that silos are only for grain!

The Cotswolds is recognised as a fantastic place to live, visit, and do business. Cirencester was recently voted the best place to live in the South West. We've got cutting edge green aviation businesses located at Kemble Airport and internationally recognised food safety business Campden BRI in the north Cotswolds. But we know we can go further.

We seek an experienced and forward-thinking individual to join us as our Head of Planning Policy & Infrastructure to help realise our vision for sustainable development across the district. In this pivotal role, you'll focus primarily on the Local Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charging regime, while leading a talented team, and engaging with our communities on complex planning matters. Your expertise will be key in shaping our district's future. As a qualified planning professional, you'll provide clear leadership to the forward planning service and effectively manage staff, resources, and workloads to align with our strategic planning goals.

Engagement is at the heart of this role. You will effectively communicate with local communities, businesses, and interest groups, addressing contentious issues such as housing allocations and infrastructure needs with transparency and integrity. By applying strategic and innovative thinking, you'll deliver pragmatic solutions in response to legal challenges and government policy changes, ensuring compliance with the evolving planning landscape.

We're looking for a proven leader with a strong background in strategic planning and policy development, ideally within the public sector. Your exceptional project management skills will be vital in delivering complex projects on time and within budget. If you're motivated by the challenge of playing a key role in shaping a sustainable and modern planning service within a vibrant community, we want to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Helen Anderson ().

Closing date: Midnight on Friday 8th November 2024.

Cotswold District Council is an accredited member of the Disability Confident scheme. As part of this, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. If you would like to apply against this scheme, please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email to .

Recruitment Timeline:Please note, Tile Hill are supporting the process up to the longlist meeting only. The remainder of the process will be managed in house directly by Cotswold District Council.

• Closing Date: Midnight on Friday 8th November 2024
• Longlisting meeting (no candidate involvement): Wednesday 13th November 2024
• Final interviews: Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd November 2024

To apply:
To apply, please submit an up-to-date copy of your CV (four sides of A4 maximum), along with a supporting statement detailing your experience, and achievements and addressing the key criteria for the role set out on this site and using examples to demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Documents should be uploaded via our website, please include and upload the below information in two documents only. If you experience any issues whilst applying, please contact .

Applications should include:

• Full contact details;
• Names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees (we will ask your permission before contacting referees);
• Notification of any dates when you are not available for an interview.

At Tile Hill, we are committed to inclusion and accessibility. We champion and support all individuals to ensure everyone feels valued, listened to and motivated to get the very best out of each recruitment process and that processes are designed to meet the needs of individuals. If you have any specific requests and would like a confidential discussion with the Tile Hill team, then please email .