Senior Planning Officer (Development Management)

About the role

North Northamptonshire Council is a product of local government reorganisation which took place across Northamptonshire in 2021. We have brought together the four former district and borough and county Local Planning Authority planning functions and working through a transformation programme to create a single high-performing planning service for North Northamptonshire.

North Northamptonshire is a high-growth area offering an exciting opportunity for professional development. We are working on preparing a new Local Plan to provide a spatial vision for the whole area. We are delivering sustainable urban extensions in differing phases of development, a wealth of large commercial and industrial development proposals and everything in between. This is a role that can offer a breadth of opportunities to build knowledge and experience, in a job that is both challenging and rewarding.

What will you be doing?

In this dynamic role you will play a vital part in supporting the effective delivery of North Northamptonshire’s planning functions. You will be at the forefront of providing customer service, engaging with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including members of the public, applicants and councillors, ensuring every interaction reflects our commitment to the future of our area.

You will be joining us at an exciting time as we implement our new team structure, come together in new headquarter offices, and roll-out new planning software and ways of working. You will then be part of our continuing transformation and improvement journey, influencing the service.

You will be responsible for a case load of planning applications, including some of the more significant application. You will be carrying out site inspections, research, consultations and assessment of the case. Making appropriate recommendations in accordance with the policies of the Council. As required, this will include the preparation of Committee reports on planning and other applications, and the presentation of these reports at the Planning Committee. 

Our Senior Planning Officer roles have inclusive job descriptions designed to provide the flexibility so that you can take on a wide variety of planning tasks, including planning policy and planning enforcement. Whilst your principal responsibilities will be focused on either delivering the work programme in Planning Policy, or supporting the timely determination of planning applications in the Development Management team, we will support you to gain a breadth of experience. For example, through our ‘Development Team’ approach we will offer opportunities for all officers to be involved in largescale and high-profile developments.

About you

You will hold a relevant degree and qualifications or have the appropriate experience that would allow you to be eligible for chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (or equivalent). 

You will be able to demonstrate relevant experience of being responsible for a variety of planning applications. 

Able to deliver good customer service and perform under pressure 

Able to travel across multiple sites, undertake site visits, and attend meetings as required.

Provisional Interview dates: 20 and 21 May 2026

Our benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council

Armed Forces Community 

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)