Associate / Associate Director – Commercial Planning

Location: Manchester or London
Level: Associate / Associate Director
Sector: Commercial Planning

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate / Associate Director to join a leading planning consultancy, working across a strong portfolio of commercial development, regeneration and complex planning projects.

A significant proportion of the role will involve working on a major defence contract, providing planning support to a large defence organisation and advising on the future development of its estate.

You will take a lead role in preparing and managing planning applications across the client’s sites, working closely with the client, consultants and local planning authorities to deliver development proposals.

The Role

As an Associate / Associate Director, you will be responsible for managing planning projects and developing strong relationships with key clients.

A large part of your time will be focused on:

• Preparing, coordinating and managing planning applications across the client’s defence estate.

• Providing strategic planning advice across a number of sites.

• Managing applications from initial feasibility and pre-application discussions through to submission and determination.

• Working closely with architects, engineers, environmental consultants and other technical specialists.

• Liaising with local planning authorities and other key stakeholders.

• Advising clients on planning strategy, constraints and opportunities.

• Managing multiple applications and projects simultaneously.

• Preparing planning statements, reports and other planning documentation.

• Attending client meetings, site meetings and discussions with planning authorities.

• Building and maintaining strong client relationships and becoming a trusted planning adviser.

Alongside the defence contract, there will also be opportunities to work across a wider range of commercial, mixed-use, regeneration and development projects within the wider planning team.

About You

We are looking for an experienced planning professional with a strong background in planning consultancy and development management, ideally with experience managing complex planning applications.

You will ideally have:

• MRTPI qualification or be working towards chartership.

• Significant experience within a planning consultancy, developer or related environment.

• Strong experience managing planning applications from inception through to determination.

• Experience across commercial, mixed-use, regeneration, infrastructure or complex development projects.

• Excellent project management and client-facing skills.

• Strong knowledge of either the London or Manchester planning market.

• The ability to manage multiple stakeholders and technical consultants.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Commercial awareness and the ability to provide clear, practical planning advice.

• A proactive approach to client management and business development.

The Opportunity

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced Planner looking to step into an Associate or Associate Director-level position, with exposure to a major client, complex projects and the opportunity to take ownership of significant planning instructions.

The role would suit someone looking to combine technical planning expertise, project management and client-facing responsibility within a growing consultancy.