Planning Development Manager
Harlow District Council
Temporary, Full Time
£57.00 - £67.00 ph (umbrella)
Location: Harlow
Closing Date: 15th September 2025
Essex County Council are delighted to be supporting Harlow District Council to recruit a temporary Planning Development Manager on a 6-month basis. Please note that this post requires the successful individual to be based on site 2 days per week.
The role:
1. These are exciting times at Harlow as the Council delivers on its ‘Building Harlow’s Future’ plan that will see a once-in-a-generation programme to transform our council, rebuild our town and secure our future
2. Alongside regeneration of the town centre, Harlow is also at the centre of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town which is delivering sustainable, inclusive growth and regeneration in and around the district over the next decade and beyond, which will see over 19,000 new homes, a 50% increase in employment opportunities, a new hospital and a comprehensive Sustainable Transport Corridor network
3. Harlow Council is seeking an experienced interim manager to lead the Development Management team within our Planning service. You will be responsible for a team of Principal, Senior and Planning officers processing planning applications across the district, as well as Planning Enforcement and the admin functions that support the service
4. You will supervise the workload of planning applications across the team and determine cases under delegated powers as well as presenting cases at planning committee. You will also support the improvement of the development management service and support functions
5. You will be a dynamic and organised planning professional with recent local authority experience of managing a planning team dealing with a wide range of applications as well as complex development proposals
6. You will be able to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders and work to tight deadlines, always exercising tact and diplomacy
Key responsibilities:
7. To be responsible for the management, supervision, direction and co-ordination of the development management employees under the direction of the Director of Planning and Garden Town
8. Ensure that the statutory planning development management services are high performing
9. Represent and promote the Council on assigned internal, external bodies, partnerships and agencies
10. To deputise for the Director of Planning and Garden Town
The experience you will bring:
11. Recent experience of managing staff in development management, allocating cases, establishing and monitoring work programmes for the team
12. Experience of working in a Local Authority and comprehensive knowledge of planning legislation and Development Management procedures, dealing with a full range of complex development management issues
13. Detailed understanding of government and council polices, practices and procedures
14. Experience in delivering major planning applications, providing robust pre-application advice and preparing and presenting evidence for appeals
15. Able to form reasoned and balanced judgements. Ability to meet tight deadlines and time manage both own and a team’s work to prioritise conflicting demands
16. Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field