Appeal Planning Officer
Planning Inspectorate
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 20th October 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy. Appeal Planning Officers (APOs) form an established part of the decision-making resource within The Planning Inspectorate. They make recommendations on less complex appeal casework to a Planning Inspector who issues the final decision. The APOs deliver regular, high-quality recommendations in a timely manner to enable experienced Inspectors to make robust appeal decisions.
We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services.
For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please see the information pack attached. You can also view our careers page at Civil Service Careers
Job description
You will need to be self-motivated, enthusiastic, willing to learn and comfortable interacting with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. You will demonstrate integrity and apply The Planning Inspectorate’s core values of openness, fairness, impartiality and customer focus.
You will also need to be comfortable working from home, as well as travelling across the country to carry out planning appeals casework (notably to London and the Southeast of England).
You do not need to be a town planner but will need to have at least one year of experience in a profession relevant to the work of The Planning Inspectorate.
There is probably no such thing as a typical week for an APO but for a trained full-time APO, the working week might look something like this:
Monday
Read all the written evidence for each appeal. This is provided by the appellant, the local planning authority and any interested local residents and/or groups. What are the main issues that you will need to consider? What additional factors are important for the appellant, the Council and any neighbours? What will you need to look at on site?
Plan your route between the sites. Will you drive, fly, use public transport, walk or cycle?
Tuesday
Travel to the sites to put the written evidence into context. You may be visiting somebody's back garden to consider proposals for an extension or walking up and down a high street to consider the position of an advertisement.
Sometimes you will meet the appellant, their representative and/or someone from the local planning authority. Make sure you see everything you need to. Take careful notes and photographs of what you see so these can be discussed with the Inspector who will read your recommendation. Enjoy getting to see a different part of the country. Find somewhere decent to get lunch (if you haven't packed one) and to take a comfort break.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
With the benefit of your site visit notes, and the evidence you have already reviewed, write your recommendations. You manager will be an experienced Planning Inspector and you may wish to discuss any issues or queries you have with them. Once completed, send your recommendations to be considered by a Planning Inspector. Complete any administration and catch up on professional and organisational updates. Spend some time looking ahead at your forthcoming cases and visits to identify any potential problems, chat with your manager and make arrangements for travel. Book hotels and hire cars if needed.
Saturday and Sunday
Take the days off! Turn off all your IT kit and hide your smartphone.
For full information on the role and assessment process please refer to the candidate pack attached.
Person specification
- Experience of working in land use planning or a related discipline.
- Experience of making (or contributing to the making of) regular decisions and/or recommendations involving the analysis of large amounts of information.
- Ability to write clearly, accurately and concisely in order to make logical, well-reasoned, evidence-based recommendations.
- Effective interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact confidently with a wide range of people.
- The ability to work independently, using your initiative to address day-to-day difficulties and to seek answers to questions.
- Self-disciplined and self-motivated in order to produce high-quality work within expected timescales.
- A commitment to and enthusiasm for learning, with a desire to develop new skills and acquire new experiences.
- Comfortable and confident using IT on a daily basis.
- A willingness and ability to travel across England (notably to and within London and to the South East) with some nights away from home.
- Be comfortable interacting with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating at all times integrity and impartiality and applying The Planning Inspectorate’s core values of openness, fairness, impartiality and customer focus.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Developing Self and Others
Benefits
- Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years. In addition to the normal bank holidays there is 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday..
- Generous family friendly policies.
- Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 10 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.
For full information see our Benefits information pack.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application
Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires you to detail your experience in the following 3 areas:
- Experience of working in land use planning or a related discipline.
- Experience of making (or contributing to the making of) regular decisions and/or recommendations involving the analysis of large amounts of information.
- Effective interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact confidently with a wide range of people.
A willingness and ability to travel extensively and frequently across England (notably to and within London and the South East) with some nights away from home.
All shortlisted candidates will be sent a written exercise to complete and those who are successful in this will be invited for interview.
Q&A Session
We will be holding a Question and Answer session on 14 October 2024 at 12:30. This provides you the opportunity to speak to an APO, and their managers, about their experiences of working at the Planning Inspectorate. To take up this opportunity please contact us at: PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
If you cannot make those dates, we will be happy to share a copy of the Q&A session recording, please email the pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk to request a copy.
Interview
If you are shortlisted, you will:
- Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role.
- Be asked to discuss your written assessment at interview.
- Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength, and experience questions.
Candidates who are successful at shortlist stage will be sent full assessment requirements with their interview invitations.
Other Information
Shortlist Date: w/c 21 October 2024.
Interview Date: 28 November – 4 December 2024.
Interviews are currently being completed remotely using Microsoft Teams. We would like to reassure candidates that the virtual interview will not be recorded (or retained) within the Planning Inspectorate, other than usual interview protocol and in line with the Civil Service jobs Privacy notice.
We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and the criteria we will be assessing you against as detailed in the Person Specification.
The Planning Inspectorate is committed to finding the right person for the job. We recruit using Success Profiles. We consider the criteria you must demonstrate to be successful for the role and by doing this, we are pushing up performance, diversifying our workforce and creating an inclusive culture.
ID and Documents
If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.
We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to do a ‘right to work’ check using identity document validation technology (IDVT) through the services of an Identity Service Provider (IDSP), Civil Service Jobs. If we are unable to confirm your right to work and through the IDVT we will need to do a manual right to work check using original documents with you in person.
Visa Sponsorship
The Planning Inspectorate cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates, we do not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.
Disability Confident Interview scheme
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.
To be considered for an interview under the scheme you must:
- have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010;
- provide evidence in your application that you meet the minimum criteria in the job description; and
- meet all of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential.
While we will endeavour to provide you with all the appropriate information, you are the expert on your specific requirements so if you require any adjustments, you should consider the information provided about the assessment process in the candidate pack and then:
- complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. The earlier and more clearly you tell us what you need and why you need it, the more likely we are to be able to accommodate you in a timely fashion.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Edwina Symmons
- Email : pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response, you receive you should then contact, Head of HR, via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).
If you are still not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission. https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/
