Head of Development Management & Major Projects

Job Description

Job Title	Head of Development Management & Major Projects
Directorate	City Development
Service Area	Planning and Building Control
Grade
Competency Level	4
Salary	Agency day rate
Job Type	Hybrid
Location	City Wide
Disclosure and barring service (DBS)	Not Required
Job Evaluation Ref No

 

Job Purpose

To lead and manage the Development Management and Enforcement functions to provide a modern, customer focussed and business friendly Planning service.

Directly Responsible For:

Development Management and Enforcement Team Leaders

Directly Responsible To:

Director of Planning and Building Control

Main Areas of Responsibility:

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with physical development and regeneration partners across the City, regionally and nationally.
• Develop and maintain a clear understanding of the needs, concerns and expectations of local communities and ensure these are fairly represented in the Planning process.
• Implement relevant core Regeneration and Planning strategies and associated policies.
• Effectively manage the development management service including setting objectives and managing performance. 
• Effectively manage, support and promote the development of Council policy and joint strategic plans. 
• Provide strong performance management of the Planning Service by owning and developing service planning, robust financial and budget management and performance measurement ensuring that continuous improvement, value for money and best value are delivered.
• Assess staff performance and set appropriate target levels of service. Create a positive learning and working environment through delegation and mentoring. Initiate and develop strong working relationships, both internally and externally. 
• Build and maintain effective networks in order to seek out new ideas and innovations to improve service delivery
• Deal with conflicting demands to establish corporate priorities. 
• Assess staff performance and set appropriate target levels of service. 
• Create a positive learning and working environment through delegation, mentoring and coaching of staff and through the identification of training and development needs.
• Attend committee meetings, other member bodies and such external working groups as required.
• Represent the Planning Service at local and regional events as required for learning and sharing opportunities.
• To oversee the delivery of major development projects of strategic importance to the City. This key role will work across traditional boundaries within the planning profession and involve the areas of development control, planning policy design and implementation.
• To oversee strategic/regionally important planning applications (and associated detailed applications) from submission through negotiation and determination, to implementation and delivery.
• To co-ordinate, manage and lead the statutory Development Management function across the Planning and Enforcement Teams.
• To monitor and manage the Development Management / Enforcement work programme including the management and reporting of collection and expenditure of Section 106 monetary contributions.
• To develop and implement systems and procedures to ensure that all services are carried out in a timely, accurate and efficient manner, leading to the achievement of the City Development s Portfolio s Business Plan, Planning Service and Government performance targets.
• Responding to development enquiries from within and outside the Council, including the provision of advice to the Senior Managers in respect of the Council s land holdings.
• To take lead responsibility for the Development Management function at the Planning Committee and other appropriate meetings of the City Council including the preparation of information, editorial responsibility for reports and liaison with Committee Services.
• To ensure co-ordination and liaison with staff in the Building Control team.
• To ensure that Development Management makes a positive contribution to the strategic Local Plan including the preparation of land use allocations and development management policies based on sound evidence.
• To lead to ensure that the key processes for local development document production are undertaken, including statutory, regulatory and technical requirements; continuous community involvement in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement and Sustainability and other appraisals and assessments; negotiation with outside agencies and dealing with elected members.
• To lead on implementing, monitoring and reviewing statutory development management policies/case law, planning strategies and proposals in relation to the Local Plan and other non-statutory guidance and to advise on further work as appropriate.
• To undertake or assist in undertaking city-wide and area based planning policy preparation and implementation.
• To champion social value and ensure it is an integral part of service provision and procurement ensuring wider social, economic and environmental benefits for the council, residents and communities.
• Being fully accountable for managing the council s resources well and complying with statutory requirements. This includes managing time, avoiding unnecessary waste, reuse and recycle resources to reduce personal impact.
• Embed the Local Plan s vision and strategic priorities in planning decision making to help maximise development opportunities.
• To have a good understanding of contract management
• To liaise with other local authorities, Combined Authority and organisations over development plans and strategic planning policy issues ensuring that the City Council complies with the duty to cooperate. 
• Representing the Council and Director of Planning & Building Control in committee meetings, other member bodies and such external working groups as required.
• Promote and implement business excellence throughout the service. 
• Developing and helping to maintain information systems to support plan, strategy and policy development work. 
• To monitor, review and ensure a balanced and cost-effective discharge of the Service s functions by organising and continuously developing working practices.
• Contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan.
• Delivering and promoting excellent customer service, externally and internally. 
• Contribute to sustainable development in all duties undertaken.
• Business continuity, emergency planning and risk management, ensuring health and safety and duty of care responsibilities are met.
• Participation in the tactical / out of hours rota.
• Commitment to managing people well and in line with the Council s People Plan.
• Completion of the relevant leadership development programme.

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Supervision and Management Responsibility:

• Ensuring activities are planned to include meaningful one to one conversations, quality annual appraisals and regular workforce planning and development.
• Manages performance and behavioural issues effectively.
• Completion of the relevant leadership development programme.
• Manage, motivate and develop staff within the service maximising their personal development and facilitating the achievements of the individual s targets and the Portfolio s business and service aims and objectives. 

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[If no supervisory or line manager responsibility, please delete the above and state this]

Budget and Financial Responsibility:

• Management of their own functional cost centre budget.
• Being fully accountable for managing the council s resources well and complying with statutory requirements. This includes managing time, avoiding unnecessary waste, reuse and recycle resources to reduce personal impact.
• Management of their own functional cost centre budgets, this includes the trading account, non-trading account and dangerous structures.
• Monitor financial performance and deliver within budget.
• Monitor financial performance, deliver within budget and seek savings and efficiencies by exploring opportunities to draw funding where appropriate.
• Set, monitor, and remain within budget whilst challenging the team to deliver increased efficiencies.
• Explores different options for funding and income generation.
• Include details of the value of budget/financial responsibility and what this budget should be use for.

Social Value Responsibility:

•  Drive for social value through all activities, ensuring wider social, economic           and environmental benefits for the council, residents and communities.

Physical Demands of the Job:

• [Please include details of any demands including working in adverse weather conditions, manual handling or loads and or/people, standing or sitting for long periods of time or operating machinery. If there are none, please state this.]

Corporate Responsibility:

• Contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan. 
• Delivering and promoting excellent customer service, externally and internally. 
• Commitment to customer excellence by dealing with customer feedback, including complaints, and learning from feedback in the drive for continuous improvement.
• Making the council a great place to work, living the council s values, actively engaging in regular communications including team meetings, undertaking training as required and being responsible for managing own performance. 
• Develop the City Council s commitment to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.
• To ensure that all work functions are undertaken in accordance with health and safety legislation, codes of practice and the City Council s safety plan.

Competency Framework:

We operate a competency framework, a set of core behaviours which define how we are expected to approach our work, how we perform in certain situations and how we treat each other. Each competency details the standards of behaviours and skills required by all staff and this in turn supports delivery of our aim and our council plans linking them together with our values.

The post holder will be required to demonstrate the ability to perform at the following competency level 4.

The competency framework can be found here. 

This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility. You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties and changing priorities of the organisation. 

Person Specification

Assessment methods used: I = Interview, P = Presentation, A = Application, E = Exercise, T = Test, AC = Assessment Centre

Qualification and training

Essential

• A degree/diploma or equivalent experience in Town Planning.  The resultant qualification must be RTPI recognized (A,I)
• Further training in management, urban design, heritage, local planning or other skills allied to Development Management (A,I)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of managing a Development Management Team within an urban authority (A,I,P)
• Experience in the wider management of the planning function (A,I,P)
• Demonstrable experience of dealing with large scale development proposals, appeals and enforcement (A,I)
• Delivery of service excellence and quality outcomes (A,I)
• Demonstrate experience of creating quality environments (AI,)
• Significant experience of complex planning issues in a large urban area (AI,)

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Desirable

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Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Excellent report writing skills (A,I)
• Excellent Presentation Skills (A,I,P)

Desirable

• The ability to manage, motivate and lead a team of staff
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven and confident negotiation skills
• Comprehensive knowledge of all support processes in relation to development management
• Excellent ICT skills
• Self-motivated with the ability to work with a minimum of supervision and be well organised

Commitment

Desirable

• An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council

Other

Desirable

• A positive pro-active approach to development management in an urban authority
• Possess a full driving licence