Senior Associate

**Main Purpose of the Job**
- Responsible for delivering the objectives of the company positioning statement to provide clear realistic advice with a personalised service
- Dealing with the full range of planning work, working fully independently
- Developing and managing client relationships, responsible for business

development activity and be achieving self-sufficiency in work generation and generating work for others consistently.

**Main Responsibilities**

**Planning Work**
- Preparing written fee proposals for clients following practice templates and guidelines
- Undertaking planning history and policy research independently and accurately
- Undertaking site visits and preparing written and visual records independently and accurately
- Preparing written site appraisals for clients to provide a clear record of findings and advice
- Providing written and verbal planning advice to clients to provide clear recommendations
- Preparing planning, design & access, heritage, and other related statements for submission
- Preparing written local plan representations for site promotion and representations at examinations
- Submitting and managing appeals by written representations, hearings and inquiries including preparation of appeal statements and representation at site visits, hearings and inquiries as an expert witness
- Dealing directly with clients for all size projects
- Coordinating a team of consultants on all size projects
- Speaking on behalf of clients at Planning Committee meetings
- Regular and clear communication with clients and team at all stages of projects
- Proactive management of client relationships both as part of specific projects and outside of this
- Undertaking all personal, project and financial administrative tasks in line with company requirements
- Preparing, maintaining, and implementing Personal Development Plan

**Business Operations**
- Line management responsibility for junior staff
- Developing junior staff in their professional and personal development through Annual Appraisals and Check-Ins
- Delegating to, and reviewing work of, junior staff
- Supporting and working collaboratively with staff across the business
- Initiating and proactively leading wider business operational improvement initiatives
- **Business Development**_
- Handling new enquiries at an appropriate level with prompt responses and follow up to secure new instructions
- Achieving self-sufficiency in generating own planning work by building a network of contacts, actively developing client relationships, raising the personal profile, achieving recommendations and referrals
- Consistently generating work for others in the team
- Representing the company at networking events
- Initiating, leading and participating in company-wide business development projects
- Preparing, maintaining, and implementing Individual Business Development Plan
- Contributing to Partners’ Annual Strategy Meeting, as required
- Any other tasks commensurate with the post

**Performance Measures**
- Our clients have 9 Competencies to make up their Competency Framework, which supports their goals and represent the behaviours they expect to see their employees display at work:
**Knowledge & Understanding**
- Expertise
- QualityandAccuracy
- Commercial Focus
- **Impact**
- Client Focus
- PlanningandOrganising
- Confidence
- **Personal Effectiveness**
- Working with others
- Motivation and drive
- Self-Awareness and Personal Development
- **Qualifications**
- Chartered Planner/RTPI Member
- Full driving license (exceptions can be considered)

**Knowledge Required**
- Excellent understanding and ability in the full range of planning work
- Excellent commercial understanding of development projects
- Excellent commercial understanding of planning consultancy business

**Experience Required**
- Range of varied and solid planning experience
- Private sector experience essential

**Skills & Aptitudes Required**
- Well organised and able to manage own and other’s time effectively to meet deadlines and budgets even under pressure
- Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to produce own work and review the work of others to ensure high quality and an excellent level of accuracy
- Excellent communicator and encourages and enables others to communicate well
- Treats colleagues with dignity and respect contribute towards and encourage a

supportive and collaborative workplace culture
- Good literacy, numeracy, IT and administrative skills

**Personal Qualities Required**
- Supportive and collaborative
- Self-aware, with a desire for continued personal development
- Self-motivated and driven to achieve
- Willingness to adapt to the business
- Ability to engage with and lead a team