About Us

Job Title: Senior Development Viability Officer  

Salary Range: Linked Grade PO2 -PO4   £38,133 to £52,632 Depending on Skills and Experience

Full Time Permanent , 36 hours per week

Location: Home working and Offices based in Wandsworth and Richmond

Are you passionate about securing affordable housing to meet the need of local residents?

Do you have an excellent understanding of planning policy and affordable housing economic viability?

Could you bring knowledge about planning and viability together to develop opportunities to deliver affordable housing through planning?

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

Do you want to join a positive and ambitious team?

If you answered yes, we want to hear from you.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Spatial Planning service for a new permanent Senior Development Viability Officer. You will be part of a new viability arm of the Spatial Planning Team and lead on viability matters relating to development coming forward in both Richmond and  Wandsworth Boroughs, maximising opportunities for affordable housing delivery, particularly social rent, through the realm of planning. Both Councils have big ambitions to deliver genuinely affordable housing for local residents and there has never been a more challenging – or rewarding – time to work for both Richmond and Wandsworth. 

The delivery of affordable housing is a key priority for both Councils, with current and emerging policies seeking affordable housing contributions from all new residential development.

About the role:

 Working to the Principal Development Viability Officer, you will manage key planning aspects related to affordable housing, including securing financial contributions, and will act as a key link between the Planning service, the Council’s appointed external viability advisor and the Council’s Housing department. 

You will actively support the implementation and review of Local Plan policies and guidance on affordable housing and will also support the Council’s statutory planning functions by providing expert advice to case officers on planning applications in relation to affordable housing and in understanding viability matters. 

In addition, you will also provide the expert advice from Spatial Planning for enabling affordable housing on development sites in each borough, brokering between different departments and external viability consultants. 

You will also have the opportunity to coach and facilitate the acquisition of skills and knowledge in others, and this includes providing training and building in-house capacity within the Planning service on affordable housing, delivery and viability matters.  

You will need to bring an excellent understanding of national, regional and local planning policy and associated legislative requirements and policy guidance. You will take a proactive approach to relevant changes in these, recommending revised procedures and practices and actioning the implementation of those revisions, with a particular focus on affordable housing and viability matters.

We welcome applications from planners and/or surveyors who have knowledge and background in planning and/or viability respectively, including from the public and/or private sector. 

Who are we
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 small team of planning professionals in providing definitive and professional advice, including on planning applications and in negotiations on affordable housing and viability matters.

Create and apply the Councils’ affordable housing planning policy and guidance and deliver successful planning outcomes. 

Lead on specialist evidence for the Local Plan and in respect of planning appeals on affordable housing and viability matters. 

Build and develop strong working relationships inside the Planning service as well as with external partners.

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. 

How to apply?

Please register and submit your CV and a supporting statement, addressing how you meet the requirements of this role. If you are having difficulty in applying online, please contact the Recruitment Team at recruitment@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline 

Closing Date:  Sunday 10th November 2024 (23:59)

Shortlisting – W/C 11th November 2024

Interviews – TBC 

 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