East Suffolk Council, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ or Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1RT £27,711 - £33,366 per annum (career grade) 37 hours per week Permanent Would you like to work with a team helping to shape the future of East Suffolk? We are currently looking for a Planning Technician (Policy and Delivery) to join our Planning Policy and Delivery team. With a population of a quarter of a million people, East Suffolk is a large and diverse district, ranging from the significant port towns of Felixstowe and Lowestoft, to picturesque market towns, to stunning countryside and coastline, with a substantial part of the area falling within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Landscape. The Planning Policy and Delivery team leads on the preparation of the council’s planning policy documents, including Local Plans, planning guidance and monitoring documents. We have an innovative and forward looking team of Technicians, who have driven improvements in our digital ways of working, including how we share our information online and enable the public to interact. Following the creation of a new Lead Technician role, and an internal promotion into the role, we have a vacancy for a Technician to join our team. We are also about to start work on a new East Suffolk Local Plan, making it an exciting time to be joining us. The role provides a varied workload, including designing and finalising documents, undertaking the analysis and presentation of geographic data using Geographical Information Systems, assisting with the running of consultations, maintaining monitoring records, dealing with inquiries from the public, and supporting the internal administration of the team. In addition to working on planning policy projects, the role will also provide support to other teams in the Planning, Building Control and Coastal Management Service, including our Specialist Services team. Our Planning Delivery Dashboard (URL), a finalist in the national Royal Town Planning Institute 2024 awards in the category of Excellence in Digital Planning Practice, is just one example of the types of projects you will get involved in. Reflecting our ambition to improve the way we make our planning information and data available, and the increasing digitisation of the planning system, the role provides an opportunity also for innovation and new ideas, by supporting the Lead Technician in identifying areas for technical and digital improvement. We are looking for someone with excellent IT skills and a customer-focused approach to the provision and communication of information, with an ability to work methodically and accurately in a fast-paced environment. Experience in a Planning related role, whilst desirable, is not essential, and the role will provide excellent opportunities for personal development. If you think you might have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t meet all of the essential requirements, we want to hear from you and look forward to having the opportunity to consider your application. The majority of our teams are working in an agile way, with a mixture of home and office working. If you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements if you were the successful candidate, please contact the recruiting manager listed at the bottom of this advert. In addition to the rural and urban diversity of East Suffolk itself, the district is close to the large urban centres of both Norwich and Ipswich, with rail services providing access to the council’s offices by train. Why work for us? East Suffolk Council is a great place to work and there are lots of benefits our employees can access. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council, take a look at our video and hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work (YouTube). Here are some of the main benefits: Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 25 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays) Local government pension scheme Flexible working arrangements Learning and development tailored to your role A wide variety of staff support networks including access to health and wellbeing initiatives and programmes. Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services. Find more information about what we offer in our benefits brochure (pdf). To find out more: For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Andrea McMillan, Planning Manager (Policy, Delivery and Specialist Services), on (01394) 444567 or email: andrea.mcmillaneastsuffolk.gov.uk Closing date: 1pm, 4 December 2024. Interview date: week commencing, 16 December 2024. How to apply Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification (docx) Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement template (docx). Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification. Please use the template provided (other formats will not be accepted). Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CVs are not accepted. For more information, check out the How to Apply section of our Career Site (URL). East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. We hugely value our staff and know that in order for us to remain successful, it is essential for us to recognise talented employees, developing and retaining them within the organisation. We are therefore committed to investing in our staff and providing first-class support to ensure a positive culture and rewarding careers. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council and to hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work, take a look at our video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vTSWedQksWt0