Job Title: Senior Planning Consultant
Location: Birmingham (Agile Working)
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Professional Services

The Role

An award-winning, market-leading specialist consultancy is seeking a Senior Planning Consultant to join its expanding Professional Services Team due to sustained growth.

Based in Birmingham, the role operates under an Agile Working Policy, requiring attendance at the Birmingham office as business needs dictate, alongside flexibility to work outside traditional office hours when required.

Reporting to a Principal Planning Consultant, you will play a key role in delivering specialist planning services to planning professionals, developers, local planning authorities, applicants, and members of the public. A significant aspect of the role involves providing expert advice via a national online planning platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing online and remote planning advice on general and complex planning matters
• Supporting the wider Planning Services Team by responding to planning queries
• Preparing for and contributing to customer meetings through policy and planning history research
• Producing high-quality written summaries, planning consultancy reports, and recommendations
• Completing delegated and committee planning application reports in line with KPIs, including:
• Household extensions
• Lawful Development Certificates
• Prior Notifications
• Advertisement Consents
• Changes of Use
• Preparing planning application documentation and supporting submissions, including site visits where required
• Communicating and negotiating effectively with applicants, agents, and stakeholders
• Providing post-decision and post-refusal advice
• Using internal systems to record application progress, site visits, and evaluations
• Maintaining customer enquiry databases in line with performance targets
• Attending monthly team meetings and weekly one-to-one case conferences
• Undertaking peer and management quality reviews of planning reports
• Supporting team members through technical guidance, performance monitoring, and case reviews
• Contributing planning expertise to business development activities
• Maintaining a “right first time” approach, ensuring high standards of quality, productivity, and efficiency
• Meeting daily, weekly, and monthly production targets
• Undertaking additional duties appropriate to the role and grade

What We’re Looking For

• A relevant BA degree or equivalent RTPI-accredited planning qualification
• Minimum 2 years’ experience within a Local Planning Authority, private consultancy, or a combination of both
• Strong technical planning knowledge with the ability to assess proposals against local, regional, and national policy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence advising professionals and the public
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and work to strict deadlines in a production-led environment
• High attention to detail with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and quality
• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills
• Commitment to continuing professional development and staying up to date with planning policy changes

Desirable:

• Experience providing guidance or leadership within a planning team
• Eligibility for RTPI membership
• Full UK driving licence

Why Apply?

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional leave
• Pension scheme, life assurance, and employee assistance programme
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Genuine flexibility through an Agile Working approach
• Strong emphasis on training, development, and career progression
• Supportive, inclusive, and people-focused working culture

Interested?

The hiring manager is looking to meet with suitable candidates ASAP so if you meet the above criteria, please contact Josh Jones on 01792 362 010 or josh.jones@penguinrecruitment.co.uk