Technical Support Officer (Planning)

Our client is seeking Planning Technical Support Officers with validation experience to specifically target and reduce a backlog of planning applications. Suitable applicants should have experience in validating and registering major applications. Planning Officers with validation experience are also considered.

Job Description

You will be part of the Business Support team, responsible for providing administrative and technical support for the entire Planning Services, including Development Management, Planning Policy, Heritage, Landscape, Tree Teams, and Compliance.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Produce officers' reports and decision notices, compile committee agendas, including PowerPoint presentations, and process public speaking requests from residents and stakeholders.
• Gather information from databases and files for basic queries, including solicitor enquiries.
• Ensure all general correspondence is distributed appropriately and efficiently to the correct teams.
• Scan and index current and historic applications to maintain the planning website.
• Process pre-application enquiries and complaints.
• Provide basic administrative support, including day-to-day tasks, specific projects, record management, document preparation, and consultation tasks.
• Book rooms and provide other support for organising public events and meetings.
• Record and process daily payments and refunds.
• Register planning compliance investigations within target times.
• Place purchase orders internally and externally.
• Collect information to respond to Freedom of Information requests and complaints.
• Support the validation and registration of planning applications, including printing and distributing correspondence.
• Participate in the ongoing change agenda of the Council and Government, adapting and updating processes accordingly.
• Exhibit behaviour for delivering a high-quality, professional public service.
• Carry out additional tasks as required, relevant to the role.

Team members at the higher grade will have additional responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support for day-to-day tasks, specific projects, record management, document preparation, and consultation tasks.
• Provide information for complex legal queries.
• Log all received applications, perform comprehensive technical and financial checks for validation, produce necessary consultations, and register applications within deadlines.
• Administer the appeals process.
• Collect information for complex Freedom of Information requests and complaints.

Team members at the higher grade will have further additional responsibilities:

• Provide technical administrative support for database management, day-to-day tasks, specific projects, record management, document preparation, and consultation tasks, including the Local Plan.
• Validate and register more complex applications, including those under a Planning Performance Agreement.
• Handle basic registration and administration of the Community Infrastructure Levy.
• Supervise and mentor other Business Support Team Officers when required.
• Produce weekly management reports and press notices as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Education

• Evidence of completed education and training relevant to administrative duties.

Experience

• Capable of delivering administrative, clerical or technical support
• Experience in working in a frontline service to the public

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to use IT software packages to record data across a range of activities in an office environment
• Knowledge of the administrative, clerical, and technical support needs of a Planning Service
• Broad understanding of Government guidance and procedures relevant to Planning Compliance, Trees and Heritage services
• Good written and oral communication
• Able to understand plans and technical drawings sufficiently to carry out the duties of the post
• Evidence of delivering excellent customer care, including dealing with difficult customers in a calm, polite but assertive manner
• Ability to work with minimum supervision under pressure to meet deadlines/targets in changing circumstances

Special Requirements

• Energy, drive, and commitment to personal development
• A flexible and adaptable person, able to meet varied workload and respond to changing work pressures
• Active engagement with team members to discuss processes and procedures and improve efficiency

If you have the necessary skills and experience, apply now!