Senior Planning Officer; Development Management Council

Overview

We are passionate about planning positively for Rutland’s sustainable development and are seeking an experienced Senior Planning Officer to join our Development Management team at a pivotal time. With major applications on the horizon and a renewed focus on service excellence, this is an exciting opportunity to lead on a mix of application types, mentor junior officers, and help shape the future of our built environment
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To be successful you will need to be:

• qualified in planning and with membership or eligibility of membership for the RTPI
• Confident, motivated and committed
• Strong IT skills, including familiarity with planning systems and GIS tools
• Detail orientated with a commitment to excellent customer service
• Have sound knowledge of planning legislation, strong report-writing and communication skills, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving
• Experience in managing appeals, committee presentations, and stakeholder engagement is highly desirable

As a senior member of the team, you’ll play a key role to:

• Deliver high-quality planning decisions
• Drive continuous improvement, and support the professional development of colleagues
• Manage a varied caseload, including strategic sites, heritage assets, and sensitive rural developments, while
• Provide clear, robust advice to applicants, stakeholders, and elected members

Join us in delivering a responsive, resilient planning service that supports Rutland’s communities and environment.

Senior Planning Officer interviews will be held week commencing 20 April 2026. Exact date to be confirmed. Please be advised this could be subject to change, in which case we will give appropriate notice.

We will be reviewing applications on a regular basis and inviting those who meet our essential person specification criteria to interview. If you’re interested in this role, we strongly encourage you to apply without delay.

Rutland Council is committed to Flexible Working and understands the benefits of supporting employees to manage their work and life balance, whilst meeting the needs of the service.

We are committed to supporting and empowering our staff to be the best workers that they can be and Rutland Council is the place you want to be. Our benefits go beyond the salary – being part of a great team, excellent Local Government Pension, generous annual leave, opportunities to learn and develop your career, and a demonstrable commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff.

Whilst the base for this post is Oakham, Rutland, the Local Authority offers a hybrid working practice. As well as working from home, we feel it is important that you have the opportunity to spend time in the workplace with your colleagues to help you learn, develop and engage.

Find out more about working with us:

For queries about this role please contact Justin Johnson, Development Manager at

If you are experiencing problems or have any queries about the application process, please call or email

Please be aware that in the event of a high volume of applications, we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.

All recruitment correspondence, including interview details, will be sent out via email from the Jobs Go Public site. If you require documentation/correspondence in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team.

Rutland County Council is committed to Equality and Diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Everyone at Rutland County Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults and for ensuring that they are protected from harm.