Deputy Chief Planner

Do you want to play a leading role in shaping the future of Scotland’s places, communities and economy? 

The Scottish Government is recruiting a Deputy Chief Planner to lead and inspire a skilled cohort of planning and policy officials committed to strengthening and streamlining planning in Scotland. 

This is a high profile leadership role at the heart of government, with responsibility for helping to ensure Scotland’s planning system supports sustainable growth, investment, infrastructure delivery and vibrant communities across the country.

Experience, energy, commitment and professional confidence will be essential to drive forward a wide-ranging work programme, at pace. 

As well as delivering planning improvement, you will also work across Scottish Government portfolios to provide timely and accurate professional planning advice to inform a wide range of policies and initiatives, including energy, housing, economic development and investment, better regulation, built and natural environment, marine planning, and infrastructure. 

This is a unique opportunity to help shape Scotland’s future through national leadership, collaboration and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Acting as Deputy Chief Planner and Head of Division, lead delivery of Ministers’ statutory responsibilities for the operation of the planning system.
• Implementing and operationalising reforms to Scotland’s planning services to help make Scotland the most attractive part of the UK to invest.
• Overseeing a range of statutory planning and consenting decisions, providing high-quality professional advice to ministers to allow sound and timely decisions which minimises the risk of legal challenge.
• Providing strategic and professional support to the Director and Chief Planner in her capacity as head of profession within the Scottish Government as well as working with other built environment professional networks to maximise the impact of planning across portfolios and championing the profession within government.
• Strategic engagement including with members of the High-Level Group in Planning, Heads of Planning Scotland, chairs, CEOs and other senior members of key stakeholder bodies to ensure that the planning system and all sectors involved collaborate effectively to enable and facilitate development delivery to support growing the economy. 
• Working flexibly to respond to queries and priorities as they arise. Whilst the directorate maintains a strong business plan, much of the work can also be reactive, requiring the post holder to work at pace and have a solutions focus.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Professional Skills/Experience:

• In-depth knowledge of the Scottish Planning System, NPF4 and the Planning Acts and how these relate to wider strategies and policies.
• A degree in Town and Country Planning (or equivalent) and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Significant experience as a practising town planner and /or in the planning profession

Behaviours:

Level 5 

• Leadership (Level 5)
• Working Together (Level 5)
• Seeing The Big Picture (Level 5)
• Making Effective Decisions (Level 5)
• Delivering At Pace (Level 5)