Careers

ABOUT PLANNING AND DESIGN GROUP

Planning and Design Group (P&DG) are a Town Planning and Urban Design Consultancy involved within the construction and development industry across the UK.  We continue to have a considerable increase in workload across multiple clients, sectors, and geographic spread. We have been in business since 2012 with aspirations of further growth, our business has evolved significantly over the last few years, and we are now looking for additional members of the team to help take us into the next stage.

Our head office is in the NG15 area of Nottinghamshire with other offices in Oxford and London.  Due to our high workloads, we sometimes struggle in promoting our success, skills, professional team, and overall brand.  As part of our continued planned growth, we are recruiting experienced Senior Planners and a Marketing Executive. The positions will be based in Nottinghamshire, but will involve the promotion of the business across all offices.

Our team has a diverse range of skills and expertise in town planning, heritage, urban design, masterplanning, Environmental Impact Assessments, education, and public consultation, amongst many others.  Our projects cover the entire range of planning and development for both public and private sector clients across the UK with higher concentrations of projects around the Midlands, Oxford, and London.

Our wide client base offers team members the chance to be challenged with varied workloads, regular new professional experiences, on the job training and personal development.  We have a high level of staff retention through positive teamwork, flexible and rewarding working practices and continued opportunity for progression. We are an equal opportunities employer.

AVAILABLE POSITIONS: ASSOCIATE, SENIOR / PRINCIPAL PLANNER

LOCATION:  HEAD OFFICE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Associate to help strengthen the P&DG planning team and be a more experienced lead on more complex planning proposals. Lends support and reviewing capacity to the wider team including in their mentoring and development and lead a group of employees on major projects. They also contribute towards business development and wider company objectives.

• Project management of planning applications
• Submission of planning applications
• Business development and attendance at networking events
• Line managerial responsibilities of planners from Graduate to Principal levels
• Negotiation with developers, planning officers, and other professionals
• Community and political engagement
• S106 and legal agreement negotiations
• Client and third-party correspondence
• Supporting professional development including those of other staff
• Completion of professional reports accompanying planning applications
• Management of more complex application processes including EIA and Local Plan Examinations
• Management of appeal processes, written representations and hearings
• Preparation of fee proposals and tender bids
• Research of latest case law
• Public speaking and presentation skills
• Community engagement
• Creative report writing
• Commercial awareness
• Negotiation of complex agreements
• Business development and networking
• Continual emphasis on professional development
• An up to date understanding of planning policy and legislation
• Ability work individually on own initiative
• Team worker
• Problem solver finding solution to often complex planning issues
• Ability to work under pressure to meet client expectations
• Budgeting, financial management and billing of projects
• IT Literate
• An understanding of skills in other sectors within the built/natural environments
• Urban design and masterplanning skills
• Other professional qualifications may be desirable

Principal Planner to act as a brand ambassador responsible for developing new client relationships and provide a more experienced lead on complex planning proposals, contributing towards business development and wider company objectives. For example, this includes independent preparation, submission and management of planning applications and appeals, lending support to the wider team and the mentoring and development of junior members.

• Managing your own caseload with an emphasis on large-scale residential schemes
• Preparation, submission and management of planning applications and appeals, including preparing reports and plans relating to a variety of projects
• Site reviews
• Site promotion
• Land identification/strategic land
• Attendance and presentation at appeal hearings and examination in public
• Delivering a high quality of work
• Working with other professionals, such as architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, construction managers and surveyors
• Objectively analysing and evaluating other peoples’ evidence
• Liaising with the public and councillors, attending public meetings about planning issues
• Attendance and presentation at appeal hearings and examination in public
• Supporting team members with advice, sharing workloads and working on same projects
• Providing ad-hoc advice to clients
• Managing budgets and invoicing
• Keep up to date with legislation
• Negotiate with planners and other professionals to secure best outcomes
• Delivering a high quality of work
• Comprehensive skills in IT systems
• Having attention to details
• Being able to work as an individual or with a team
• Having good report writing skills
• Being able to analyse complex data
• Having good negotiation skills
• Being able to deal with stressful circumstances
• Having good time management skills
• Being able to work with people from different backgrounds
• Being organised

Senior Planner to act as a brand ambassador responsible for developing new client relationships and provide a more experienced lead on complex planning proposals, contributing towards business development and wider company objectives. For example, this includes independent preparation, submission and management of planning applications and appeals, lending support to the wider team and the mentoring and development of junior members.

• Attendance and presentation at appeal hearings and examination in public
• S106 negotiations
• Networking and business development
• Fee budgets and budget management
• Securing client repeat business and some self-generated new projects/client leads, partial generation of some workload
• Practice promotion and marketing
• Presentations to secure new projects
• Mentoring and support of more junior team members

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

• Essential interpersonal skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Good understanding of IT and Microsoft Office
• Good report writing skills
• Ability to analyse complex data
• Good negotiating skills
• Excellent time management, prioritising work effectively
• Strong organisational skills
• Ability to work under pressure, plan and meet deadlines
• Resourcefulness
• Methodical and disciplined
• Energetic and enthusiastic
• Ability to work as part of a team or on their own
• Good at building relationships
• Strong attention to detail including problem solving skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Professional and friendly
• Ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Strong attention to detail including problem solving skills
• Professional and friendly

ADDITIONAL SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

• Associate – 10 years’ minimum professional experience working for a private consultancy or equivalent
• Principal Planner – 5 – 7 years’ minimum professional experience working for a private consultancy or equivalent
• Senior Planner – 3 – 5 years’ minimum professional experience working in the public or private sector
• Hold a valid UK Driving Licence
• Urban Design and masterplanning understanding would be beneficial
• Whilst not necessary, the potential to bring along new clients or contacts may be useful

REMUNERATION

• Competitive market rate of pay
• Potential flexibility in core work hours
• Flexibility in working locations
• Minimum of 23 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Birthday Leave
• Health Insurance
• Company Pension Scheme
• Payment of one professional membership, others considered on merit
• Discretionary leave days over the Christmas & New Year Period
• Potential performance bonus
• We also enjoy a high level of staff retention through being a dynamic close-knit and friendly team with a flexible caring attitude

HOW TO APPLY

• Please submit a covering letter and CV to careers@panddg.co.uk 
• To arrange an informal discussion with Richard Hall please e-mail jayne.horne@panddg.co.uk
• In addition to the requested covering letter and CV, we will also accept a modest amount of additional material to support your application, for example previous work that is in the public realm. All material will be deleted post recruitment process

NEW POSITION: MARKETING EXECUTIVE

LOCATION:  HEAD OFFICE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The main purpose of this newly created Marketing Executive role is to work closely with the Managing Director, the Office Manager, and members of the wider professional team to push forward our business and marketing plan, support the team in following up leads and opportunities, create regular updates and engaging content for our company’s website, newsletters, and social media. In addition, you will be involved with marketing events and activities along with some support around projects such as planning consultation.  Other activities could include preparing and updating staff CV’s, bid document support, preparing case studies, flyers, brochures, and assistance with presentation preparation.  With growing experience of the business this role could allow somebody to develop a role further in wider Business Development.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

• Social media, Communications, Marketing Degree or equivalent
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of social media platforms
• Good understanding of relevant IT/Graphic Design
• Computer literate, being fully competent in the use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint to prepare presentations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail and Proofreading
• Work as part of team
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, and resourceful
• Inquisitive and have a willingness to learn
• Proactive and have a ‘can do’ attitude
• Can adapt to a range of situations
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Analytical skills and Idea presentation
• SEO and PPC
• Strong Customer-Service skills
• Reliable, diligent and self-aware
• Be an advocate for delivering exemplary client care
• Full clean driving licence

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage company social media channels, including LinkedIn, Twitter (now known as X), and other relevant platforms creating content that promotes the business, increases our presence, and engages client interest
• Regular website updates and links to social media
• Create dynamic social media posts using project images and video (as applicable)
• Optimise content using keywords, follow search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC)
• Work as part of a team to develop social media promotions
• Analyse and report client information and demographics and success of existing social media projects
• Propose new ideas and concepts for social media content
• Work with team members and marketing to coordinate promotional documents with social media strategy including research, public consultation events
• Create and distribute e-newsletters to subscribers
• Manage social media communications including website
• Use timelines and scheduled content to create a consistent stream of new content for our clients while analysing, managing, and altering schedules where necessary to optimise visits
• Undertake any reasonable request from management and team
• Support the Office Manager as required

ADDITIONAL SKILLS & CAPABILITIES

• Previous experience in social media/marketing preferred but not essential
• Knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, InDesign would be useful

REMUNERATION

• Competitive market rate of pay
• Potential flexibility in core work hours
• Flexibility in working locations
• Minimum of 22 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Birthday Leave
• Health Insurance
• Company Pension Scheme
• Payment of one professional membership, others considered on merit
• Discretionary leave days over the Christmas & New Year Period
• Potential performance bonus
• We also enjoy a high level of staff retention through being a dynamic close-knit and friendly team with a flexible caring attitude

HOW TO APPLY

• Please submit a covering letter and CV to careers@panddg.co.uk 
• To arrange an informal discussion with Richard Hall please e-mail jayne.horne@panddg.co.uk
• In addition to the requested covering letter and CV, we will also accept a modest amount of additional material to support your application, for example previous work that is in the public realm. All material will be deleted post recruitment process