This post is for Internal candidates only.

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About the Growth Directorate

Within Growth, we are shaping Barnet as a place to Live, Work, Study and Visit. Through Barnet’s Growth Strategy we are delivering the housing, connectivity, support for businesses and town centres, and social infrastructure needed to sustain and improve local communities. Our Planning, Housing, Regeneration, Economic Development, and Estates services are a community of talented people solving the real-world problems and challenges that need to be addressed to deliver change and improve lives. We are delivering this all through many strategic partnerships that collectively form one of the largest development programmes in England.

About the role

To contribute towards the implementation of a working culture that is result-orientated, customer-focused and an ethos of ‘right first time’ service delivery.
To undertake all duties with minimal supervision.
To take a lead in providing high quality planning services to applicants, residents and stakeholders, meeting evolving delivery priorities, issues and challenges. To lead on all types of Development Management projects tasks as necessary including pre-applications, applications, appeal work and support for policy work. In particular to deal with the most significant and complex major or complex developments. To lead on appeal work at Hearing, Public Examinations / Inquiries.
To prepare and present written or oral reports and briefings to Members, Cabinet, Planning Committees, Members’ Forum and other bodies, and to attend and lead meetings with Members as necessary, and to support the preparation and management of agendas and meetings as required by the Director of Planning and Building Control or Head of Development Management
To make high quality planning assessments drawn from a spatial policy basis having regard to the Local Plan, Regional Plans and the NPPF.
To liaise with a wide range of public and private bodies in order to provide the planning input to projects securing the redevelopment or improvement of land in the Borough.
To act as mentor, role model and provide support to more junior planning officers and other staff within the wider service.

Please click here to download the Job description for this role. (Right-click and select “Open in new tab” so you can keep the job description open while completing your application)

About you

You will have a Planning or Environmentally based degree, in depth knowledge of the legislative requirements associated with planning having dealt with major and complex planning applications and planning appeals. You will be confident to lead negotiations with stakeholders and communicate clear advice on proposals, have the ability to prepare clear and concise reports, briefings and correspondence and have experience of presenting complex planning applications to Committees or a Public Forum. You will also have experience of mentoring staff and the ability to successfully work under pressure and meet performance targets.

What we offer

31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays
Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents
Work-life balance options may include hybrid working, flexitime, job share, home working, part-time
A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more
Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership
Excellent training and development opportunities
Employee well- being training programs including confidential employee assistance

How to apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Eva on Eva.Quille@Barnet.gov.uk

System notice: Some dates shown on our online application system (such as “Apply Before”) appear in US date format (MM/DD/YYYY) due to Oracle system settings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support your application as a reasonable adjustment, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn, escalated to counter Fraud for further investigation and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.