About Us

Job Title: Principal Planning and Sustainability Officer   

Salary Range: PO6  £48,600 to £58,893 Depending on Skills and Experience

2 year Fixed-Term Appointment 

Location: Home working and Offices based in Wandsworth and Richmond

Are you looking for working arrangements that enhance your work-life balance? 

Do you want to join a positive and ambitious team? 

Do you have an excellent understanding of sustainability and climate resilience matters? 

If so, we’d love to hear from you! 

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Spatial Planning service for a Principal Planning Sustainability Officer to be based within the Spatial Planning and Design Team leading on climate change and sustainability.[CC1] 

There has never been a more challenging – or rewarding – time to work for Richmond and Wandsworth.  

About the role 

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils have ambitious strategies to make both boroughs net zero carbon by 2043. The Principal Planning Sustainability Officer is a new role – you will have an opportunity to shape this role to help in our approach towards sustainability and in our journey to Net Zero. 

You will be required to facilitate compliance with climate change policies in the Local Plans (Richmond and Wandsworth) and ensure the delivery of net-zero development across both boroughs. This role will also involve upskilling and knowledge transfer amongst the wider planning team and more corporately to support the development of robust sustainability knowledge within the team and beyond. 

You will challenge sustainability assessments as appropriate and apply your technical knowledge to ensure optimum carbon savings can be delivered on developments as they come forward.

You will be expected to take a lead role on sustainability in the Spatial Planning and Design team, whilst also liaising closely with the corporate sustainability team on sustainability and climate resilience matters to ensure a collaborative and joined up approach to achieving net-zero. 

You will also have the opportunity to coach and supervise junior planning officers to help them acquire the skills and knowledge so that they can become self-reliant in dealing with technical and people issues.  

The role is based within the Richmond and Wandsworth Better Service Partnership and will involve working on the evaluation of planning applications, providing advice and support to Councillors on sustainability matters and Leading on workstreams related to sustainability in planning. 

Who we are 

We are part of the Place Division and the Spatial Planning Service under the wider Chief Executive Directorate. We are positive and ambitious – when you join us, you’ll apply the same approach.  

You will 

Take a key role in a progressive team of planning professionals in providing definitive and professional advice for the two Councils. 

Bring an excellent understanding of technical sustainability knowledge and associated legislative requirements and policy guidance to support development management, conservation and urban design, and planning policy Officers working in the climate change policy area and working closely with external sustainability consultants and the internal climate and sustainability team. 

Create and apply sustainability policy, guidance and strategy and deliver successful planning and corporate sustainability outcomes.  

Help to deliver a high quality, robust and transparent Spatial Planning service. 

Ensure decision making within tight time frames and that the Spatial Planning service is recognised as delivering an excellent planning service for all of our customers.  

Indicative Recruitment Timeline 

Closing Date:  Sunday 27^th October 2024 (23:59)

Shortlisting – W/C 28^th October 2024

Interviews – W/C  4^th November 2024 

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. 

 We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. 

  We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

 We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils