Description
We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.
This full-time, permanent role has a starting salary of £61,784 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.
We are thrilled to be hiring a new Sustainable Drainage and Consenting Team Leader to join our fantastic Sustainable Drainage and Planning Consenting Team. The team is based in Merrow, Guildford but we promote a hybrid approach to working, with a minimum of two days in the office and meeting collaboratively when required. We are proud of our strong focus on development and excellent track record of promoting internally.
Our Offer to You
1. 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays
2. Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
3. A generous local government salary related pension
4. Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
5. Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
6. An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
7. Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
8. Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
9. A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents
About the Role
Are you looking for an opportunity to build your career in flood risk management?
Surrey County Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority for the County of Surrey and is responsible for providing planning advice to Local Planning Authorities on surface water drainage on new major planning applications.
The Sustainable Drainage and Planning Consenting Team is focussed on delivering advice in relation to proposed development, both pre-application enquiries and planning applications, and dealing with ordinary watercourse consents.
This role provides management, leadership and expert technical advice to the Sustainable Drainage and Consenting Team.
Your key responsibilities as a Sustainable Drainage and Consenting Team Leader will include:
Managing a team of eight staff delivering the Lead Local Flood Authority's role as a statutory consultee to the planning system and as regulator of works to ordinary watercourses
10. Providing leadership and management both within the team, but also across Surrey Council's matrix managed Lead Local Flood Authority role
11. Liaising with senior managers at the Local Planning Authorities across Surrey to ensure the team provides appropriate support in development management and planning policy with respect to our consultee role
12. Providing team mentorship and development, technical guidance to junior officers, conducting performance management, and promoting best practice within the team
13. Acting as a strong advocate for inclusion of sustainable surface water drainage in new development and retrofit schemes across the county
14. Promoting our pre-application services and supporting in-house training for wider stakeholders in Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
Your Application
In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with :
15. Proven ability to manage teams, work under pressure, and drive effective performance, including through periods of change
16. Experience in drainage design and SuDS management, across multiple sectors
17. Ability to engage with senior officers, elected Members, developers, local planning authorities, and regulatory bodies, such as the Lead Local Flood Authorities and Environment Agency
18. Strong understanding of Flood and Water Management related legislation and policy e.g. the National Standards for SuDS, the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, the Land Drainage Act 1991, and National Planning Policy Framework
To apply, we request that you submit a CV and answer the following 4 questions:
19. Please describe your experience with local authority SuDS requirements, the planning system and designing for environmental regulations.
20. Please provide an example of where you have successfully promoted Sustainable Drainage. What was the situation, how did you approach the interaction, and how did you measure success?
21. Please tell us about a time you led a team through a significant change or challenging project. What was your role and what was the outcome?
22. Please give an example of when you have managed underperformance or conflict within a team.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 28.04.2026 with interviews planned for the week beginning 04.05.2026.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and to get an insight into working at Surrey.
Contact Us
We look forward to receiving your application,