The Planning Casework Branch requires professional town planners with relevant skills and experience to work across three functions related to development management and legislation, depending on the fluctuating levels of casework and ministerial policy demands:

• Policy lead for planning casework procedure – Undertaking research and consultation as part of policy formulation in relation to planning application and infrastructure consent procedures; monitoring the performance of local planning authorities and statutory consultees; promoting culture change and adoption of best practice across authorities.
• Casework – Processing applications for a wide variety of consents submitted to the Welsh Ministers.
• Legislation – Bill team work on future bills taken forward by Planning Directorate and subsequent preparation of the secondary legislation necessary to implement the changes within the wider planning system.

The key responsibilities of the Senior Planning Manager (“SPM”) posts within the Legislation and Casework Family are:

• Managing and shaping with internal and external stakeholders, development management and other casework procedural policy and also the wider planning system policy to inform the content of the Bills.
• The production of draft advice and decision documents relating to planning casework, such as applications for Developments of National Significance, requests to call in planning applications and new casework resulting from the Infrastructure Consent regime.
• SPMs will be overseeing, managing and delivering policy instructions to lawyers and drafters in the Office of the Legislative Counsel. This will include formulating policy positions to questions and issues raised by lawyers and drafters during the drafting process of the Bills.
• Leading and managing the production of the documentation necessary to accompany the Bills for introduction to the Senedd, such as Explanatory Notes, Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment, Statements of Policy Intent, Justice Impact Assessment, Integrated Impact Assessments etc.
• SPMs will be preparing and implementing engagement exercises with external stakeholders during legislation or policy roles.
• SPMs will be supporting and advising Ministers during policy development, Bill preparation and the determination of casework, working closely with relevant Special Advisors and Private Offices.
• SPMs will be implementing a programme of subordinate legislation and making decisions on behalf of the Welsh Ministers in accordance with the new infrastructure consenting regime.
• SPMs will be required to support the Plans and Policy job family within Planning Directorate at times of high demand.

The post provides opportunities to develop planning legislation for many varied aspects of the planning system and will provide the chance to engage with policy development across Government. The role has a major outward facing element, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, the postholder will build a wide knowledge and personal contacts.

An important part of the role is to develop new procedures through the initiation and use of a variety of evidence sources such as research, consultation and stakeholder engagement.

There will be the opportunity to use planning skills and knowledge by processing planning casework, advising senior officials and sometimes ministers on the planning merits of development proposals. Senior Planning Managers are encouraged to take time during their working week to spend on professional development.

Senior Planning Managers are reimbursed for the fees relating to the membership of a relevant professional body, for example the RTPI or ISEP (formerly IEMA).

The post holder will need to be a member of, or eligible to be a member of, the Royal Town Planning Institute; or have at least 5 years experience of dealing with planning or environment related casework

A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.

If following assessment, candidates have the same total score, the merit order will be determined by highest scores in the behaviour ‘Making effective decisions’, then if still tied the ‘Technical’ success profile will be used.

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion (for the sift, Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment / interview.