Graduate Planner & Projects Officer (Digital)

Lambeth Agency Workers- Click here to apply

Graduate Planner and Projects Officer REF: 2036 

Hybrid Working 

SO1: £39,150 pa rising in annual increments to £40,344 pa inc LW.  

Permanent and Full Time

About Us:

It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were develop for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. 

About the Borough:

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. 

With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.

Lambeth’s Digital Innovation team are recruiting a Graduate Planner & Projects (Digital) Officer.  This is being offered as a 1-year Fixed Term Contract.  This is a newly created role within the team which sits within the Operations and Innovation service (O&I), part of the Economy, Skills and Culture division.  

This is an opportunity to progress your planning career and join a team who have been at the forefront of developing new and exciting ways of working, including innovative digital solutions that will both improve the existing planning application system as well as bring it into the 21st Century.  The role will offer varied tasks both within the digital workstream relating to Development Management functions, but also within the Development Infrastructure team within O&I area, which has been focused on improving the way in which we monitor and deliver non-financial Section 106 obligations. This role would suit someone who is qualified (or working towards qualification) in town planning and who is interested in contributing to the development of digital projects to improve all stages of the planning application process.  

About the team 

The post holder will be required to work in a matrix way across the Digital Innovation, Development Infrastructure and, if where instructed, the Development Management teams.   

The team has led several innovative projects and work collaboratively with partners across the country.  The team have been instrumental in ensuring Lambeth has been at the vanguard of digital innovation, working with other forward-thinking councils in developing pioneering online digital planning services. This has included several high profile and exciting projects including PlanX (a new intuitive tool that helps applicants to submit valid planning applications) , Back Office Planning systems (BOPS) and the Digital Planning Register (DPR) projects. All these projects aim to modernize the current planning system and improve it for users and councils alike. 

About the Role:

We are looking for a talented, dynamic individual who can position themselves at the forefront of developing digital planning solutions. Lambeth is working as part of Open Digital Planning to develop improved systems and processes for householders, developers and planning officers. ODP now involves over 70 partner councils across the country, as such there are likely to be opportunities for you to engage with a wide range of experienced planning officers, technology professionals and digital agencies – building your knowledge, skills and network.  

The postholder will work with the Digital Planning Lead and Head of Operations and Innovation to ensure that Lambeth helps influence, steer and inform the development of digital tools. 

The post holder will gain experience supporting the Development Infrastructure team. This is an opportunity to develop skills in understanding and monitoring planning obligations (Section 106 legal agreements) which deliver on priorities for Lambeth’s communities – from essential highways improvements, investment in local schools to providing new play spaces. They will provide support in the day-to-day work involved in monitoring of non-financial obligations arising from developer contributions.   

The post holder would also have access to opportunities to work on planning casework in the Development Management team. This will involve as validating and assessing planning applications together with carrying out site inspections - across the borough’s varied built environment which includes numerous conservation areas and iconic listed buildings.  

The nature of the job requires someone who is open minded, flexible in their working arrangements and willing to try different approaches, as well as challenge accepted existing thinking.  The postholder should have excellent communication and relationship building skills.   

Experience of working on transformational projects and an understanding of and enthusiasm for digital planning solutions would be beneficial. The postholder will need to demonstrate an ability to learn quickly as the role requires an understanding of relevant policies and procedures, such as procurement, recruitment, digital approaches, agile working, and relevant legislation, including planning legislation, policy, and guidance, the data protection act.   

We especially encourage applications from people from underrepresented groups and while the role is open to all applicants, Lambeth will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from underrepresented groups where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit. 

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below:

Job Description and Person Specification

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Greg Woodford at gwoodford@lambeth.gov.uk 

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 2 March 2024.

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth G