Location

City of Westminster, London, SW1P 4DR

About the job Job description

Are you experienced in planning and passionate about working on high profile projects? 

Are you confident in providing guidance to others and have a natural ability to summarise complex technical information? 

If so we would love to hear from you. 

We are seeking a Senior Planning Manager to work in our Transport and Works Act Orders Unit. 

Based in London, the Transport and Works Act Orders Unit within Department for Transport deals with applications submitted to the Secretary of State under both the Transport and Works Act 1992 and the Planning Act 2008. The work of the team is pivotal to the delivery of railway, tramway, strategic road and major harbour projects that are central to the Government’s policies for economic growth and sustainable development. 

This role is central to the delivery of the team’s core consenting. You will support the team leader by managing a portfolio of cases, developing familiarity with the issues raised by each one and ensuring that they are progressed expeditiously and in line with legal requirements. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual with planning experience, looking for their next challenge. You will have the opportunity to work in an exciting role which will see you dealing with high profile projects of national significance and having a direct impact on people’s daily lives. 

Role responsibilities 

As our Senior Planning Manager, some of your key responsibilities will include: 

•working closely with both the wider team and lawyers to deliver robust planning decisions and supporting documentation 
•assessing the merits of applications for TWA Orders and Development Consent Orders (DCOs) under the Planning Act against planning, transport and environmental policies, to ensure that they are legally acceptable, drafting formal decision letters, checking Statutory Instruments 
•assessing the representations made about transport projects and evaluate reports from the Planning Inspectorate to make recommendations to Ministers about the proposed decisions 
•resolving complex planning and/or legal issues, seeking input from others both within the Department and across government as necessary 
•providing scheme promoters, members of the public and other stakeholders with clear, accurate and appropriate advice about the consenting processes which the team operates 
•driving forward and managing the process for TWA and DCO’s applications to ensure decisions are issued as efficiently as possible 

About you 

You will be analytical in your approach to your work to deliver strategic analysis and clear advice on a range of planning matters. 

You are confident in working collaboratively and independently to compile, assimilate, distil, interpret and present a strong evidence base to inform coherent decision making. 

You are insightful and can communicate the background and reasoning behind a decision. 

You will have the ability to write in a clear and concise way, summarising complex technical information so that it is understandable to a variety of audiences. 

We are committed to encouraging and enabling our staff to develop in and above their role and will support you in undertaking further learning and development opportunities. 

About us 

We are part of the Department for Transport (DfT). DfT is a great place to work, and our ‘one team’ approach really makes a difference. We value our staff and that’s why we’re committed to nurturing an inclusive environment across the Department. 

You’ll be part of an innovative organisation that invests in all our people, ensuring we have the diverse skills to deliver transport that moves Britain ahead now and into the future. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport. 

DfT has been recognised for its leadership on workplace gender equality by being included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2017. 

DfT’s inclusion is recognition of our commitment to make the Department a great place to work through our culture of equality and inclusivity and the great strides we’ve made to raise the number of women in senior positions.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

Benefits Pensions

Civil Service pension schemes may be available for successful candidates.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass basic security checks.

Nationality statement

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules.

If you're applying for a role requiring security clearance please be aware that foreign or dual nationality is not an automatic bar. However certain posts may have restrictions which could affect those who do not have sole British nationality or who have personal connections with certain countries outside the UK.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV/Personal Statement to provide evidence of your:  

•ability to compile, assimilate, distil, interpret and present a strong evidence base from a wide range of types of evidence and opinions to form a sound and compelling base to inform coherent decision making 
•understand and apply open policy-making approaches, techniques and requirements 
•experience in drafting clearly and concisely for a range of audiences 
•planning knowledge and experience 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment could include: 

• an interview 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. For further information on Success Profiles please click here 

Your interview may consist of a range of question types. These may include questions about: 
• what energises and motivates you 
• how you would manage situations relevant to the role 
• your previous experience 
• your professional skills and knowledge 

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Apply and further information Contact point for applicants

For further information please contact [email protected]

Sift/interview dates and location

The sift is due to take place 29/07/201 

Interviews will be held 08/08/2019 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a security check may be carried out. 

Further information

We have adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel. 

We may hold a merit list for up to twelve months. During this time, if a similar role is identified and you have been placed on the merit list you may be considered for the post. Within the merit list period, your application form and selection information may be shared across the department and its agencies. 

Reasonable adjustment 
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 
Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs 

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact 

Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected] 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: 
Click here to visit Civil Service Commission. 

Any move to the Department for Transport (DfT) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.