Principal / Associate Town Planner

Location/s: Manchester, UK
Recruiter contact: Laura Easdon

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you're surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the division 
Environmental and social considerations are central to Mott MacDonald's Purpose and its offerings across all sectors and territories. Our environment and social business provides essential services and innovative solutions which anticipate our clients' needs across all sectors.

Overview of the role
We are seeking an enthusiastic and capable Principal or Associate Town Planner, who is up to the challenge of growing and developing a team of Town Planners out of our newly located office in the heart of Manchester. You will be responsible for growing our presence within the Manchester market, developing relationships with colleagues across the business, with a particular focus on developing links within your city region.

We are seeking a driven individual to support us in the delivery of a range of major projects. To support and grow our capabilities in providing strategic advice and securing planning approvals across a range of sectors, including rail, defence, energy generation, energy and water infrastructure, climate resilience, education, health, housing, employment, mixed-use regeneration and waste focused schemes.

You will be working alongside the full range of technical disciplines Mott MacDonald offers on some of the largest, most complex and exciting infrastructure and development projects in the UK. These will cover multiple sectors including energy, water, transport and the built and natural environment, for clients including Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), United Utilities, National Highways, National Grid, Environment Agency, NHS, Government Departments such as the Department for Education (DfE) and a range of local authorities.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Working as part of the planning team to deliver a range of planning projects, including working alongside and potentially project managing other disciplines as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Writing and reviewing planning deliverables to a very high standard. This includes high level options appraisals, developing and producing consenting strategies, planning policy preparation, providing clear and accurate consenting advice, preparing and reviewing documents for planning applications, TWAOs, DCOs and other consents
• Responsible for leading the preparation and co-ordination of planning applications, including managing the inputs from more junior members of staff, colleagues from across the business and sub-consultants
• Liaising with Local Planning Authorities / Statutory Consultees as necessary to ensure applications are registered and determined within a timely manner
• Preparing inputs and potentially leading bids for new work
• Supporting more junior members of staff in their chartership and professional development
• Developing and driving the implementation of a growth strategy for the Manchester team, liaising with each of the relevant account leads to align with existing growth strategies for the business

Candidate specification
Essential:

• Degree and/or Masters in Town Planning
• Extensive town planning experience across a range of consenting types, including the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Development Consent Order and Transport and Works Act Order processes
• Chartered Member of the RTPI
• Experience of leading the preparation and submission of planning applications, drafting reports, feasibility studies, masterplans and regeneration strategies
• Experience of working with a range of client bodies including both private sector and public sector
• Previous experience of, and having an active role in the delivery of varied infrastructure, regeneration and environmental projects
• Experience in overseeing, and/or project managing multidisciplinary projects
• Experience of supporting, managing or mentoring more junior members of the team
• Experience of team working to support the delivery of projects
• Experience of financial accountability for projects and delivery of projects within budget

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years' service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.