Planning Obligations Principal Planner

Description – Internal / External

Job title –Planning Obligations Principal Planner
Salary – £57,000
Location – Palestra/ Endeavour Square and working from home(50 per cent of time currently split between the office and home over a 2-week period – the team attend the Endeavour Square office in-person on a Tuesday).Contract Type – Permanent (TfL)
Band - 3 

TfL’s London Plan and Planning Obligations team

Come join our dynamic team of professionals at the forefront of planning in London working to deliver the London Plan and, in particular, transport services and infrastructure via developer contributions. Delivering Good Growth is a key plank of how we deliver the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

As London continues to grow into a city of 10 million people, we need your help to deliver the transport infrastructure required to support one of Europe’s largest cities. The team works closely with colleagues in TfL, City Hall and in local planning authorities across London to deliver transport infrastructure required to support growth.

About the role

As a Planning Obligations Principal Planner, you will be responsible for the management of planning obligations - ensuring that developers fairly contribute to transport mitigations arising from proposed development.

You will be responsible for advising on planning obligation policy, the management and monitoring of planning obligations to support London's growth (including supporting the development of systems to do this) and supporting relevant teams at TfL to spend planning obligations in line with legal agreements.

You will work directly with others in the Spatial Planning team, delivery businesses across TfL, local authorities, and developers with the aim of securing appropriate contributions for transport and/or advising on the delivery of improvements within the terms of a legal agreement. This role directly manages a portfolio of projects and funding. It also provides an opportunity to lead and support colleagues in the submission of bids for third party funding (such as for borough CIL) to deliver projects such as step free access at rail stations.

You will also work with colleagues in TfL to establish innovative ways to deliver transport infrastructure using planning obligations combined with other forms of funding.

You will build and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders, representing TfL on important working groups, at meetings, seminars, and events. You will provide expert advice on your specific area of focus, and lead on drafting briefings, reports and presentations to influence and support decisions around the development of planning obligations policy, monitoring and delivery.

You will also lead on co-ordinating policy responses to planning reforms, local plans, infrastructure delivery plans and planning obligations supplementary planning documents.

Key accountabilities

• Lead in overseeing the monitoring of complex section 106 agreements on larger developments and growth areas across London to ensure the timely receipt of funds. This would entail engaging directly with boroughs and supporting development management teams in TfL with their work with boroughs.
• Working with delivery teams across TfL (such as buses or cycle hire) to ensure that projects are delivered in accordance with legal agreements.
• Lead our directorate, Spatial Planning in providing guidance on the negotiation/securing of transport mitigation via section 106 planning obligations. This includes developing planning obligation policy, as well as establishing best practice for legal agreements to enable flexible delivery of enhanced infrastructure or services over multi-year planning periods.
• Develop, produce, and manage the timely and accurate reporting to meet planning obligation programme objectives, as directed by the manager and ensure compliance with the relevant statutory requirements (section 106 and CIL).
• Build and manage relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the smooth running of the relevant planning obligations to meet business objectives, including with relevant borough officers regarding section 106 agreements and payments.
• Undertake system and process reviews, working with internal and external stakeholders to identify opportunities/risks; share knowledge and best practice; realise benefits and identify lessons learned to improve delivery, secure value for money and enhance TfL's reputation.
• Prepare reports to senior managers and Directors as required, including the annual report to TfL’s Finance Committee on third party funding.
• Support TfL colleagues on bids for third party funding (such as borough CIL and carbon offset monies) to deliver against transport objectives as set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and London Plan
• Lead in preparing responses to local authority consultations pertaining to developer contributions (such as planning obligation SPDs, Local Plans and Infrastructure Delivery Plans) on behalf of TfL.

Knowledge

• Excellent understanding of planning obligations and related legislation and policy, including planning reform
• Good understanding of the legal issues and processes associated with planning obligations, particularly in London.
• Knowledge and experience of facilitating the delivery of projects utilising developer contributions, in line with the requirements set out in legal agreements.
• Strong understanding of key town planning and transport planning challenges facing London
• Strong understanding of planning and transport legislation in London, local government, and funding mechanisms
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of project and programme management methodologies and best practice.
• Degree or equivalent qualification relevant to post and/or professional membership / qualification of a recognised professional institution (e.g., RTPI) or equivalent experience (essential).
• General understanding of transport assessment processes

Skills

• Ability to influence and advise key senior decision makers internally and externally.
• Proactive analysis of complex data and able to identify, prioritise and resolve planning and reporting issues.
• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills, and able to deliver a high level of service that meets customer and stakeholder expectations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to summarise and explain complex and technical issues to senior management and non-technical internal and external colleagues.
• Work under pressure in a complex political environment, managing conflicting priorities to achieve tight deadlines.
• Ability to innovate to overcome obstacles and gain results.
• Excellent planning and organising skills with strong attention to detail and a focus on accuracy in reporting financial information.

Experience

• Experience of assessing and influencing planning policy documents.
• Excellent knowledge of planning policy and emerging best practice, particularly of planning obligations in London.
• Very good standard of verbal and written communication, including producing high quality reports and presentations.
• Experience of being responsible and accountable for managing a programme of work within a large, complex organisation, with multiple interfaces and for delivering projects involving multiple parties to time, budget, scope, and quality.
• Experience of building effective working relationships with developers, local planning authorities and planners.
• Experience of participation in high level meetings, presenting, negotiating, and influencing on planning obligation issues.
• Experience of submitting bids for third party funding.
• Experience of dealing with major planning applications and responding to planning policy consultations

 

Application Process  
  
• Please apply using your CV and PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV.
 

The closing date for applications is 19TH October @ 23:59 
 

Benefits

In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow.  Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:   

• Final salary pension scheme 
• Free travel for you on the TfL network  
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket 
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays 
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow 
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)  
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme 
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers  
• Discounted Eurostar travel

 
Eligibility – Internal employees

Probation:  
In line with our Resourcing Policy (Feb 2014), internal employees are required to complete their probationary period before applying for internal TfL positions. Please ensure you have successfully completed your probation before applying for this role, otherwise your application may be withdrawn.  
 
Formal warnings:  
Internal employees with any current formal warnings are not eligible to apply for internal TfL vacancies until expiry of the warning. Ineligible applications may be withdrawn. Details of what is defined as a current formal warning can be found on Platform: https://transportforlondon.sharepoint.com/sites/Instructions-and-guidance-people-performance-and-rewards/SitePages/Applying-for-a-vacancy-with-a-formal-warning.aspx 
 
NPL Applications 
 
Applications to internally advertised roles can only be accepted from temporary workers who are on PAYE terms via agency, or PAYE via Umbrella Companies. Temporary workers who are paid through their own limited companies are not covered by the Agency Worker Regulations and are ineligible to apply.  

Equality, diversity and inclusion 
  
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.