Planning, Development and Connectivity Team Leader

Job summary

Can you shape and influence transport or planning policy that delivers sustainable outcomes and supports effective decision-making?

Have you developed and implemented transport policy, worked within spatial and/or transport planning systems, and applied your expertise in local plan making or built environment projects?

Are you an experienced built environment professional from the private, local government, or central government sector, with the ambition to achieve (or work towards) RTPI, CIHT, or TPS accreditation?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Join a team at the forefront of shaping places, communities, and transport networks for the future. Working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders, you’ll help deliver solutions that support economic growth, environmental sustainability, and thriving communities. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to high-profile projects, influence positive change, and develop your expertise in a supportive and forward-thinking professional environment.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DfTc

Job description

Are you passionate about shaping places, communities, and transport networks that support sustainable growth? Join a high-performing team at the heart of government, where you'll influence planning policy, drive collaboration across organisations, and help deliver better outcomes for communities, the environment, and the economy. Working on high-profile projects and strategic priorities, you'll play a key role in connecting transport and spatial planning, building strong partnerships, and supporting innovative solutions that enable growth across the country

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Lead on implementing a wide programme of stakeholder engagement and capability building with Local Authorities on the application of the Connectivity Tool alongside development of relevant national policy to embed usage of the tool at a local level.
• Joint lead on the policy contribution to shape the Connectivity Tool rollout, translating user feedback and insights into tangible delivery options, and shaping the future development roadmap.
• Influencing and negotiating emerging planning legislation, policy and guidance across Government, shape future planning reform work in line with departmental and government priorities and drawing on the place intelligence.
• Assisting in the development of policy to deliver freight and logistics infrastructure, unlock land value capture, future of flight innovation, international planning policy, local transport plan guidance, the Manual for Streets, Transport Assessment Guidance (and capability programme), update to Circular 01/2022.
• Oversee DfT engagement with Local Planning Authorities through the development of their Local Plans, advising on transport policies in relation to new development applications and assessing and supporting any actions that may be required to bring forward economic growth and housing development
• Provide support for cross-departmental work on consolidating the DfT planning function, identifying opportunities for positive change and to ensure the planning service is fit-for-purpose and provides appropriate support to the range of DfT family needs and asks of the planning system and wider consenting regimes.
• Shape future planning policy development including working on New Towns policy, development corporations, development of spatial development strategies and the role of Sub-National Transport Bodies.
• Work closely with the Head of Planning to develop and rollout a programme of continuous professional development STEPP network including wider government collaboration to create a shared pool of expert planners ready for deployment as well identifying departmental resource and capability gaps and devising a strategy to fill those gaps.

Flexible resourcing

Colleagues are expected to work with a degree of flexibility, meaning responsibilities may change to support priority delivery.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience developing and influencing policy, with an understanding of legislative processes and how policy translates into effective decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of spatial and/or transport planning systems, with a proven ability to develop and implement sustainable transport solutions within planning frameworks.
• Professional experience within the built environment sector, gained in private, local, or central government settings, with a commitment to professional development and accreditation (RTPI, CIHT or TPS desirable).

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Sponsorship is not offered for this role. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the United Kingdom.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits