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United Kingdom
Department for Education Hiring for Regional Planning Lead Job at Remote , UK Full Time
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Details
Reference number
247039
Salary
£62,540
£65,783 if home location is inside M25
Job grade
Grade 6
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
DFE – Operations and Infrastructure Group
Type of role
Planning
Property
Property
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
2
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
Remote working (anywhere in the UK)
About the job
Job summary
We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.
Equality and Diversity – Department for Education
The DfE Planning Team sits within the Capital Directorate and plays a key role in supporting the delivery of centrally funded new schools, the rebuilding of the existing School and Further Education college estate, and all other capital funded education programmes across England. The team operates on a regional basis and the successful candidates will be responsible for advising on all planning aspects of all school and college projects in a region. The role primarily involves providing initial and on-going advice on strategic and site-specific planning issues; ensuring that planning advice is available through the life of a project; that suitable planning strategies are in place to ensure the timely delivery of planning permissions; and that planning risk is appropriately assessed.
We require two experienced and self-motivated planning professionals to join our team, they will work closely with a multi-disciplinary team of legal, commercial, technical and project delivery experts to ensure the programme objectives are met. The regions of responsibility will be confirmed subject to the location of the preferred candidates and the resourcing requirements across the team.
Job description
Day to day the role will require the successful candidates to:
- Advise on all planning related matters across a geographical region;
- Identify and pro-actively resolve planning problems as they arise to minimise impact on programme delivery and provide challenge and an escalation route to the Head of Planning and senior management;
- Appoint and manage external planning and/or legal professionals (including agreement of scope, fees and on-going liaison) to provide input on projects as required;
- Engage with contractors to monitor progress and performance on the delivery of implementable planning permissions;
- Provide planning advice within Ministerial and other formal submissions in relation to DfE’s decision making processes, including planning risk assessments and Accounting Officer papers etc.
- Work with property (DfE/LocatED), legal, commercial and technical colleagues to ensure that wider programme and departmental objectives are met;
- Identify / implement planning process improvements that could deliver better day-to-day working practices;
- Track the planning status of all projects in the region and ensure accurate reporting and timely completion of commissions to support programme analysis;
- Develop and maintain constructive working relationships with local planning authorities in the region (and other key stakeholders) and work with DfE Forward Planning colleagues on local plan representations to support the allocation of sites for schools and other initiatives to support the delivery of schools.
Person specification
As part of the role, the successful candidates will each have responsibility for at least 50 live projects at any point in time. The role requires effective prioritisation of work and balancing of competing demands. The successful candidates will work closely with other members of the Operational and Forward Planning Team, and with Project Directors, Project Managers, Property Agents, Technical Advisors, Lawyers, and Commercial Procurement colleagues to support the delivery of schools and colleges, and to disseminate good practice.
Along with other team members you will be home based but expected to travel on occasion to DfE or stakeholder offices for meetings, and to school/development locations for site visits. Travel costs will be reimbursed.
Essential Criteria
The successful candidates will be skilled town planners, with a proven track record of resolving complex planning challenges on sites with multiple constraints in a variety of settings. You will demonstrate the capability and enthusiasm for working independently whilst maintaining a high-performance output against tight deadlines.
You will need to be a qualified Town Planner (MRTPI) with at least 5 years post qualification experience, be that in local authorities, central government and associated bodies, or the private sector. You will have established a reputation as a trusted advisor, with a proven track record of managing and delivering complex projects and securing planning solutions, be it on behalf of applicants, the determining authority, and/or other statutory parties and stakeholders.
Qualifications
We expect candidates to be existing full members of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), or to have the specific qualifications and experience to be eligible for full membership at the time of appointment.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- The ability to apply your planning knowledge to education settings.
Benefits
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Application
The CV will be used to assess the qualifications and experience in relation to the criteria/role requirements as detailed in the job description.
The behaviours forming part of this assessment process are ‘Delivering at Pace’, ‘Making Effective Decisions’, and ‘Communicating and Influencing’.
If we receive high volumes of applications, then we shall sift only on the behaviour of ‘Delivering at Pace’.
Interview
The interview will involve a discussion around the three behaviours addressed in the application, along with your technical skill.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Sifting will be done in the week following the application deadline. Interviews are expected to be held in the first half of December, either in person at our London Office or virtually via MS Teams.
Other Information
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
For this role the department would not consider sponsoring a Certificate of Sponsorship/visa. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Department of Education via [email protected] soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Further information on nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Name :
Michael Lea, Head of Planning
Email :
Telephone :
07775404054
Recruitment team :
Email :
Further information
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages
