Planning Technical Support Officer
£25–£30 per hour | 3-Month Rolling Contract | Flexible Working | Local Authority
We are looking for an experienced Planning Technical Support Officer to join a busy local authority planning service on an initial 3-month rolling contract, with flexible working available.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planning professional who has strong knowledge of planning administration, application validation and local authority planning processes and is confident managing a varied workload in a fast-paced environment.
About the Role
You will provide technical and administrative support across the planning and tree services function, helping to ensure applications, enquiries and associated processes are managed efficiently and in line with national and local requirements.
You will work closely with planning officers, service managers, colleagues, applicants and members of the public, providing advice and guidance throughout the application process.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical and administrative support across the planning service.
- Manage the end-to-end administration of planning applications and enquiries.
- Validate a range of planning applications and supporting documentation.
- Review drawings and plans to ensure they meet relevant national and local requirements.
- Administer the planning portal and associated planning processes.
- Process Land Charges, planning appeals, press notices and committee documentation.
- Coordinate Planning Committee meetings and ensure papers and supporting information are prepared within strict deadlines.
- Respond to enquiries from applicants, agents, members of the public and internal colleagues.
- Manage shared mailboxes and ensure enquiries are dealt with within agreed timescales.
- Provide advice on planning procedures, policies, legislation and regulatory requirements.
- Process payments for chargeable services and reconcile transactions.
- Support FOI/EIR requests and ensure information is handled appropriately.
- Undertake accurate data entry, correspondence and document management, including GDPR-compliant redaction.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes and contribute to service improvements.
- Manage competing priorities effectively while maintaining a high level of accuracy and customer service.
About You
The successful candidate will ideally have:
- Previous experience in a planning administration or technical support role, preferably within a local authority.
- Strong understanding of the planning application process.
- Experience validating planning applications and reviewing plans/drawings.
- Knowledge of national and local planning policies, procedures and legislation.
- Excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills.
- Experience dealing with members of the public, applicants and professional stakeholders.
- Good IT skills and experience using planning systems and Microsoft Office.
- An understanding of GDPR and data protection requirements.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.
The Opportunity
£25–£30 per hour
3-month rolling contract
Flexible working arrangement
Local Government / Planning
Immediate start available
This is an opportunity to join a busy and established planning service, using your existing experience to make an immediate contribution while benefiting from a flexible working arrangement and ongoing contract potential.
If you have experience within planning administration and are available for a new contract opportunity, apply today for immediate consideration.