Associate Town Planner / Associate Director of Town Planning Location: Altrincham Penguin Recruitment is pleased to be partnering with a forward-thinking, people-focused planning consultancy renowned for delivering tailored planning strategies throughout the full development lifecycle. This award-winning team values more than just compliance - they build meaningful relationships, engage in open dialogue, and collaborate closely with clients, local authorities, and consultant teams to unlock development potential and achieve results that are both commercially sound and socially valuable. The Role We are seeking an experienced Associate Town Planner or Associate Director of Town Planning to join the expanding Altrincham-based team. In this role, you will: Lead and manage a varied portfolio of planning projects across residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. Provide strategic planning advice and guidance to clients at all project stages, from initial feasibility and pre-application through to planning consent and implementation. Build and maintain strong client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor and lead contact. Collaborate closely with local authorities, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary consultant teams to drive projects forward. Mentor and support junior team members, contributing to their professional growth. Contribute to business development activities, including preparing proposals and presenting at client meetings. Ensure all work is delivered efficiently, creatively, and with commercial awareness to maximize value for clients.Candidate Profile Proven experience in a client-facing planning role, ideally within a consultancy or developer environment. Strong technical knowledge of UK planning policy and legislation. Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Demonstrated ability to lead projects and teams independently. Commercially minded with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving. A passion for sustainable and socially responsible development.Interested? Contact Josh Jones by email (url removed) or call (phone number removed)