Principal Planning Policy Officer
Career graded: Band 11 to 12 - £42,839 to £50,269 per year depending on experience
37 hours per week, permanent
Purpose of the Job
A superb opportunity has become available in our Local Plans team, ideal for an enthusiastic Principal Planning Policy Officer wishing to work in an authority that is about to submit their Local Plan Update for examination.
You will have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of plan-making, working in partnership and developing effective relationships with people from neighbouring authorities and external agencies. We support our staff to progress through the career graded structure. If you have the skills and experience to bring to our Local Plans Team we would love to hear from you.
The postholder will form part of an existing highly motivated and enthusiastic Local Plans Team, who are expecting to submit the local plan partial update for examination this year. You will be able to focus on specific areas of plan-making, whilst getting a superb overall view of the wider issues relation to planning policy across the team. This role will also offer the opportunity to shape planning policy in support of the Council’s newly launched Inward Investment Strategy. You will also have the opportunity to lead a small team of planning officers alongside your own projects, liaise with colleagues across the Council and other neighbouring authorities in strategic conversations, to deliver a successful update to our Local Plan, ensure its ongoing delivery and commence a new Local Plan after its adoption.
About you
We are ideally seeking both an experienced and motivated planning professional, with a wide range of well-developed planning and managerial skills and knowledge, and a track record in delivery. Experience in developing and defending at examination economic policies (retail and employment) is desirable. Experience in viability work is also desirable. Applicants should be willing to work as part of a team, embrace new ways of working and be committed to securing quality sustainable growth.
About us
Melton Mowbray is renowned as the Rural Capital of Food and has strong ambitions for sustainable growth. If you are committed to shaping our environment, making it climate change resilient, and delivering sustainable growth at an ambitious rural Local Planning Authority we would be pleased to hear from you.
Working for Melton Borough Council provides an excellent range of benefits and family friendly working policies. These include flexi-time with no core hours, agile working arrangements which enables multi-site and home working, generous leave entitlement, a full week off at Christmas, Local Authority Pension Scheme and a clear commitment to your continued professional development.
We look forward to hearing from you if you are looking for the chance to work for a forward thinking Council and make a real difference to the people of Melton and surrounding area.
You can find out more about this role by viewing the full job description and personal specification below
We guarantee an interview to anyone who is a reservist, veteran or has a disability and meets the criteria for the role
To apply please click on the apply button which will take you to the Melton Borough Council vacancies page.
If you would like to find out more and have an informal chat, please do not to hesitate to get in touch with:
Sarah Legge – Assistant Director for Planning
Mobile Number: 07771 733262
via email: slegge@melton.gov.uk
or
Jorge Fiz Alonso – Local Plans Manager
Telephone: 01664 502 463
via email: jfizalonso@melton.gov.uk
Closing date: 12 Noon, 18 November 2025.
Interview date: To be confirmed
Additional support document Principal Planning Policy Officer
