Job title: Group Manager (Area Planning) (Development Management) 
Salary: Dir 45% £62,475.84 - £68,506.49
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent 
Location: Leeds City Centre/ Hybrid working

 Leeds is made up of around 850,000 people - from a diverse range of backgrounds, speaking over 175 different languages.  A city with a unique geography - a vibrant urban centre surrounded by towns, villages and more rural areas, each with their own distinct history and character. We are one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees and we seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

 Leeds is also one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing cities, with a planning agenda that sits at the heart of its future.  Planning plays a central role in delivering the Leeds Ambitions, supporting inclusive growth, climate resilience and the creation of high-quality places for communities. The role is more than about overseeing Development Management for part of the city; it presents an excellent opportunity to shape how the service operates as we embark on an improvement review.  

About you

As an Area Group Manager you will bring to the role:

• Management experience in an equivalent service or organisation.
• Strong leadership, resilience, and interpersonal awareness.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience in monitoring performance and setting objectives.
• Experience in managing competing priorities and risks.
• Sound senior experience of working within a Planning environment, preferably with extensive experience of Development Management
• Experience managing change and driving service improvements. 

About the Role

 The role involves leading on the full range Development Management and Enforcement activity in an area of the city. This is a senior, outward-facing leadership role, but at its core it is about planning expertise and influence. You will liaise closely with colleagues in all areas of the Council, other authorities, public bodies and private organisations to deliver high quality outcomes for Members, developers and the citizens of Leeds.   You will line-manage team leaders in Development Management and Enforcement, providing appropriate direction, support and guidance, and will act as lead officer at the relevant area Plans Panel (Committee) where significant applications are presented. Key aspects of the role will be driving maintaining quality and consistency of performance across your teams, as well as identifying and contributing towards improvements and efficiencies across Development Management.   

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
• A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.

 How to apply

Please complete the online application form
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Jonathan Carr, Head of Development Management. Call 0113 3789480 or email [email protected]  

Job Description

Job Purpose 

Working as part of the senior leadership team, you will live and model values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country. Your role will be key to ensuring the council is more enterprising and efficient.

You will provide effective leadership and management, working in partnership with others, to meet the needs of the city’s residents, elected members, the council’s staff and broader stakeholders. You will ensure the delivery of all relevant strategic outcomes and objectives.

 Principal Accountabilities

• To lead a service area and manage a defined service area or key programme of work in order to deliver Value for Money services to customers in line with Council priorities.
  
  
• To use strong people management skills in order to motivate, develop and performance manage staff within your service area to drive service improvements.

• To be responsible for the development and delivery of a service plan area and to contribute to the delivery of Council priorities. 

• Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of your service delivery, community engagement and human resource areas, focussing on equality of outcome.

• Actively support continuous improvement initiatives through contributing to cross Council projects, collaborative working with partners and supporting Directorate Management Teams.

• Within a small service area or number of areas, to take responsibility for maintaining effective communications with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with Council good practice and with regard to implementing e-government objectives.

• To work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government.

• Working as a team for Leeds by developing and maintaining good working relationships with internal and external customers, other stakeholders and partners to achieve excellent outcomes for the citizens of Leeds.
• To be accountable for the safety of staff, service users and contractors in accordance with Legislation and the Council Health and Safety Policy.

• To provide appropriate advice relating to the work of the Directorate to Members and council officers so as to manage risk and support them in their respective roles.

• To be actively involved in preparing, managing and controlling budgets and take responsibility where appropriate for assigned budgets.

• As a senior manager in the Council to work flexibly as required to meet Directorate and Corporate priorities.

• As a leader in the organisation with key people management responsibilities to undertake duties in relation to people management policies such as Investigating Officer and Hearing Officer.

• To deputise as appropriate for the Chief Planning Officer and the relevant Head of Service, and contribute as part of the relevant management team to the strategic and operational development of the service.

 

Specific Responsibilities: 

Group Manager - Development Management 

·       To be responsible for the delivery of planning services within an area of the City ensuring the delivery of excellent customer care and the delivery of services to consistently high standards.

• Be personally involved in casework of a complex, high profile or politically sensitive nature, including contact with elected Members.

• Act as the Council’s expert witness at major Public Inquiries and represent the Council at public meetings and in other public forums.

• Be the lead officer for one of the Plans Panels, including as principal advisor to the Chair and principal point of contact for other Panel Members.

• Be a principal point of contact within the service for advising and guiding on planning proposals and related technical matters and have responsibility for the review of applications in contentious cases and /or where requested by a Member, before decisions are taken.

• Accountable for delivering the service within the approved budget and for obtaining value for money

• Work co-operatively with other teams in Planning and Sustainable Development, in the City Development Directorate and corporately to effectively respond to cross cutting issues within the Council as defined by the Chief Planning Officer and the relevant Head of Service.

 

Specific Responsibilities:

 

Group Manager - Strategic Planning

 

To manage the functions of the service relating to forward planning and development plan activities, local planning, economic policy and data and review. In particular to ensure that the Council fulfils its statutory responsibilities as local planning authority in relation to:

 

• The preparation, administration, monitoring and review of development plans and implementation of development plan policy including the provision of supplementary planning documents.

• Preparation and advice on neighbourhood plans and collection, analysis and dissemination of planning and related spatial data including the Land and Property Gazetteer.

• Interpret, comment upon, contribute to the development of and provide advice on national and regional planning and economic policy.

• Produce evidence and represent the Council at Public Inquiries.

• Accountable for delivering the service within the approved budget and for obtaining value for money.

• Work co-operatively with other teams in Planning and Sustainable Development, in the City Development Directorate and corporately to effectively respond to cross cutting issues within the Council as defined by the Chief Planning Officer and the relevant Head of Service.

• Ensure consistent and high quality advice is provided to elected Members at Development Plans Panel and Executive Board meetings.  

Specific Responsibilities: 

Group Manager, Environment and Resources, Planning & Sustainable Development 

• To lead and manage the Environment and Resources and ensuring that all relevant services are managed and delivered to the performance standards set within the Directorate.
  
  
• Implement and manage the Council’s Contaminated Land Inspection Strategy, maintain the Contaminated Land Register, and secure the effective remediation of any land found to be statutorily contaminated, as required.

• To provide specialist landscape, urban design, conservation, landscape, ecological and aboricultural advice to colleagues within, and partners / stakeholders of the Directorate.

• To represent the Council at appeals, inquiries, and at other bodies, as required.

• To prepare and maintain a Buildings at Risk Register and seek conservation of buildings on the list.

• To designate and review Conservation Areas and provide advice on management.

• To ensure that sustainable design and conservation is incorporated within development across the city.

• Accountable for delivering the service within the approved budget and for obtaining value for money.

• Work co-operatively with other teams in Planning and Sustainable Development, in the City Development Directorate and corporately to effectively respond to cross cutting issues within the Council as defined by the Chief Planning Officer and the relevant Head of Service.

• Ensure consistent and high quality advice is provided to Elected Members at Plan Panel meetings and/or Development Plans Panel and Executive Board meetings as appropriate.  

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

•  Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities. 
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade. 
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity. 
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.