Planning Officer (Career Grade)

Location: Romford, United Kingdom (Hybrid); site visits are required across the borough, with occasional evening and weekend work.

Salary: £29,436–£53,172 per year, depending on the career grade.

Company

hirify.global is a local authority overseeing planning, regeneration, housing delivery, and community services across Havering.

What you will do

• Manage a varied caseload of planning applications and appeals.
• Assess development proposals and prepare professional recommendations.
• Provide pre-application planning advice and support sustainable development.
• Undertake site visits and engage with applicants, agents, residents, and other stakeholders.
• Present applications to Planning Committee and defend council decisions at appeal.
• At senior levels, support and mentor junior colleagues, supervise staff, and exercise delegated powers where appropriate.

Requirements

• Planning-related or relevant degree and/or appropriate planning experience.
• Understanding of planning principles and development management appropriate to the level.
• Strong written and verbal communication, analytical, organisational, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality customer service.
• Collaborative approach and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Valid driving licence and access to a vehicle, or suitable alternative arrangements, are required.

Nice to have

• Experience handling larger and more complex planning applications and appeals.
• Experience providing expert planning advice, supervising staff, or exercising delegated powers.

Culture & Benefits

• Structured career progression through Planning Technician, Planning Officer, and Senior Planning Officer levels.
• Ongoing professional development and CPD support.
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• Local Government Pension Scheme and generous annual leave.
• Supportive and collaborative working environment.

Hiring process

• Submit a supporting statement of no more than two A4 pages.
• Recruitment is anonymised; remove personal information from uploaded documents.
• Interview date to be confirmed.