Principal Planning Officer

Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working style: On-Site
Closing date: 11:59pm, 26 November 2026
Interview Method: Face to Face

You must already have a valid right to work in the UK documentation, as we cannot offer visa sponsorship for this role. 

The Planning Service plays a vital role in shaping Manchester's growth and ensuring development supports the city's ambitions for residents, businesses and communities. As a Principal Planning Officer within the Areas team, you will make a significant contribution to this work by leading key aspects of service delivery while helping to deliver high-quality planning outcomes across the city. This role manages the delivery of the development management service within the Areas Team in Manchester alongside the other Principal Planning Officer in the team.  The Area Team covers outer Manchester from Heaton Park in the north through a number of regeneration town centres, including Wythenshawe, regeneration areas through to  Manchester Airport in the south. The workload is diverse and challenging; but it is central to the delivery of high-quality developments and a high-quality development management service. The role would be key to the delivery of the Project 500 housing initiative.

This is a varied and influential role combining strategic leadership, service improvement and operational planning work. You will provide leadership to the team, ensuring the effective delivery of the development management service. You will also take a lead role in driving continuous improvement, performance management and customer service excellence.

Alongside these responsibilities, you will manage complex major planning applications, appeals and enquiries, providing expert professional advice and supporting the effective management of the wider team. The role involves working closely with planning colleagues, councillors, committees, developers/agents/investors, residents, community groups and a range of internal and external partners to achieve the best outcomes for Manchester.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planning professional who wants to take the next step to management and influence service delivery, support organisational improvement and help shape the future development of the city.

For queries about the role, please contact the hiring manager, Jennifer Connor, at [email protected] to arrange a convenient time to discuss the role. This route is for vacancy-related enquiries only and should not be used to submit applications.

Pre-employment Checks

If you are successful, your appointment will be subject to completing the relevant pre-employment checks. These checks will be carried out as part of our recruitment process and may include:

• Qualification verification: Planning Degree or equivalent
• Professional registration: Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute or significant experience
• Satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks where applicable. 

We're looking for an experienced and motivated planning professional who can combine strong technical planning expertise with effective leadership and a commitment to delivering excellent customer-focused services. You will be confident working with a wide range of stakeholders, managing competing priorities and leading service improvement activities while supporting the development of colleagues.

We'll use the following essential criteria to decide which candidates to invite to assessment. Use your personal statement to provide evidence of how you meet each one, supported by relevant examples:

1. Experience of managing and developing professional teams within a planning or related regulatory environment, including performance management and service improvement.
2. Demonstrable experience of leading on complex planning applications, appeals or related casework, providing sound professional advice and achieving positive outcomes.
3. Experience of managing performance to improve service delivery and the customer experience.
4. Proven ability to build effective relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders, including elected members, developers, agents, residents and partner organisations.