Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values. Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there, we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide. An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Hackney Council’s Conservation, Urban Design and Sustainability Team - a multidisciplinary team of experts in architecture, urban design, conservation, sustainability, climate change, biodiversity and arboriculture. We are looking for a Principal Conservation and Design Officer who will lead on the delivery of design excellence and the preservation of the borough’s historic environment. Hackney is a vibrant and diverse borough with a dense and complex townscape ranging from large scale Victorian warehouses in Shoreditch to early-19th century planned estates. It has approximately 1300 Statutorily Listed Buildings, 470 Locally Listed Buildings, 3 registered parks and 35 Conservation Areas with an ambitious program of review. We are, therefore, looking for a highly qualified built heritage professional with enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to ensure that new development in the borough is designed to meet the highest design standards and to respect Hackney's historic environment while addressing the climate emergency. Candidates will have a thorough understanding of conservation and urban design principles, policy and practice, excellent negotiation skills and the ability to present ideas and proposals clearly and effectively, with proven experience of providing conservation and design advice to officers, councillors, developers and members of the public. The Principal Conservation and Design Officer will lead on the promotion of conservation best practice within the planning process with an oversight of work streams such as additions to the Local List, conservation area appraisals and designations and pro-actively engaging with Heritage at Risk in the borough. The post holder will also provide advice regarding historic buildings, participate in policy and guidance formulation and negotiate positive design changes as part of the development management process. In particular, the post holder will take a lead on technical responses to listed building consent and planning applications within conservation areas, negotiating with developers and other relevant stakeholders. We are looking for building conservation professionals with an analytical approach to their work who have excellent organisational and communication skills and can influence to a senior level. Extensive knowledge of historic buildings, materials and traditional methods of construction, along with retrofitting techniques, are essential. The position will have supervisory responsibilities; therefore, an understanding of performance management techniques is required. Candidates must have a relevant post-graduate qualification and experience of working in a similar role in a local planning authority context. Eligibility for membership of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation or similar is also essential. As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation. If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values, so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below. We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s. To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application. As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency-based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description. We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice. Closing date for applications: 01 June 2025 (22.59). Interview and assessment date: 12 June & 20 June 2025. We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive. Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce. The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk