If you’re an experienced and strategic planning professional with strong leadership credentials, this is an opportunity to play a leading role in shaping the future of Salford’s growth and development.

The scale and pace of regeneration across the city means you will be at the forefront of delivering high-quality, sustainable development. You’ll lead a key statutory service, influence planning decisions at scale, and work closely with senior stakeholders across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Why join us in Infrastructure?

Scale of growth and regeneration in Salford.
Opportunity to lead a high-profile planning service at a time of significant change.
Influence at city and Greater Manchester level, including involvement in regional planning networks.
Close collaboration with Building Control, Development and Investment teams.
Strong learning culture with a focus on continuous development.
Dedicated leadership and digital skills development programmes, tools and E-Learning.
Hybrid/flexible working.
Competitive package, including excellent pension.

Your role

You will provide strategic leadership for Planning Development Management and Technical Support teams, ensuring a high-performing, responsive and forward-looking service that supports the city’s growth ambitions.

As part of the Place senior leadership team, you will work closely with internal and external partners to deliver sustainable development and ensure sound decision-making in a complex regulatory environment. We want you to:

Lead and inspire a professional workforce, developing capability and high performance.
Provide strategic direction and leadership for development management services.
Promote the role of planning at a city and Greater Manchester level.
Ensure robust, legally sound planning decisions in line with policy and legislation.
Drive service transformation, innovation and digital enablement.
Manage service budgets, income and financial performance.
Work closely with Planning, Building Control, Development and Investment teams to maximise growth opportunities.
Build strong relationships with elected members, developers, partners and stakeholders.
Oversee governance, performance management and continuous improvement.

Your profile

Degree-level qualification and significant post-qualification experience ideally within a local planning authority.
Extensive experience in planning, development management or a related discipline.
Proven leadership of services, teams or complex programmes.
Strong technical knowledge of planning legislation, policy and regulatory frameworks.
Experience managing budgets, governance and risk
Strong commercial awareness and understanding of development delivery.
Excellent stakeholder management skills, including engagement with senior leaders and elected members.
Strong communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
Experience developing and leading teams to achieve high performance.

Want to know more about Salford?
As an authority we are dedicated to improving the lives of our residents, and as an employer we are passionate about helping individuals to thrive in their work. We are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive culture and are proud of our professional accreditations which champion this.

Find out about our city as a place to live, work & grow, and learn more about the amazing work we are doing. You’ll also find out about the wealth of benefits we have to offer you on our Salford pages!

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Supporting Documents

↗ Head of Development Management