Chief Planning Officer

Salary: £94,000 to £106,500

A Leader in Thurrock

We want leaders who understand how to make change happen, who recognise and value political leadership, and who want to help shape and achieve the best future for Thurrock. A collaboration between a high-performing managerial leadership team working in partnership with Elected Members is our formula for success.  

  • We’re seeking a talented Chief Planning Officer to lead our planning function, and in doing so, help the council to capitalise on the immense potential in the borough. Thurrock’s planning function is key to delivering large-scale infrastructure projects, transforming our high streets, ensuring housing provision meets need and supporting key partners such as the Port of Tilbury and the Freeport. Central to this all is landing our local plan, a key programme of activity you will arrive to. This is a hugely exciting opportunity to shape the economic, social and physical landscape of both Thurrock and to transform the lives of residents in doing so.

  • As an experienced and resilient planning officer, you’ll bring the leadership skills we need to deliver our local plan, unlocking the economic and social landscape of the Borough. Through the creation of a high performing planning team, you will lead a team that is responsible for a wide range of impactful programmes. This will involve developing trusted relationships with members, developing new partnerships with external stakeholders and understanding how to deliver on what we’ve committed to.

    We’re open to candidates from a range of backgrounds, especially those with experience of developing local plans from either the public or private sector. You’ll need to understand the governance required to bring transformative change in local government and how to work as part of a wider directorate that is transforming Thurrock as a place.

  • Closing date for applications
    Sunday 31st December

    Preliminary Interviews
    w/c 15th January

    Final Panels
    29th/30th and 31st January

We will work as One Council, and these roles are pivotal to shaping the future of our Council. We are seeking ambitious and innovative individuals who are naturally collaborative and purposeful in how they nurture change and that respect the process of change and the importance of communication along the way.

For further insights into the position, we encourage you to connect with Maud Hollis or Clare Connor from our trusted recruitment partner, Tile Hill. 

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