Planning Advisor - Grade 3 - 34500

Planning Advisor - Grade 3 - 34500
1
East Midlands
Kettering , Lincoln
Staff Grade 3
Permanent
Operational Delivery
Full Time, Part Time/Job Share, Compressed Hours
£29,751

14/06/2026, 23:55 hours

PC03 Partnerships & Customers, Grade 3

Basic Check

We are looking for an entry grade Planning Advisor to join the Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire Sustainable Places Team.

We are committed to supporting personal and professional development. For the successful candidate there will be an opportunity to discuss undertaking further learning, such as an apprenticeship or a Masters degree in planning, depending on individual interests and career goals. This is not a requirement of the role, but we actively encourage colleagues to develop their skills and expertise.

As a planning advisor, you will play a vital role in supporting the Environment Agency’s interaction with the Town & Country Planning process, helping the team to manage planning consultations from Local Planning Authorities and developers across the area, contributing to environmental outcomes.

Your work will involve:

  • Providing technical and administrative support to help the team work efficiently and deliver high-quality outcomes
  • Supporting responses to lower risk statutory planning consultations and pre-planning enquiries 

  • Working with internal teams to gather timely and high-quality advice to help influence planning decisions

  • Embracing new ways of working to improve efficiency and customer service

  • Supporting the administration of our chargeable advice service

  • Helping to provide a clear and positive planning service to our customers

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don't just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment.

Everyone that joins the Environment Agency is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties when the need to respond arises. Having an incident role is an essential part of working for the Environment Agency and an active way to support communities and prevent harm to the environment. 

You’ll join the Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire Sustainable Places team. We respond to statutory planning application consultations from the local planning authorities and other planning decision-makers. We feed into place making through planning policy, offering advice on development plans such as local plans. We also provide discretionary advice to planners, developers, and communities to support decision making and deliver better environmental outcomes.

We are a dispersed team based across our Kettering and Lincoln offices.

Expected skills and experience include:  

  • A willingness to learn new things and take on new information quickly.  
  • Strong customer service, communication and relationship building skills, both written and verbal.  
  • Excellent time management and organisational skills and the ability to positively respond to changing and competing priorities within set timescales.  
  • Self-motivated and able to work both independently and as part of a team.   
  • A positive and enthusiastic attitude, with a drive to identify and try new ways of working.  

Desirable  

  • An understanding of environmental issues
  • An understanding of the UK town and country planning system  
  • Ability to influence others and contribute to discussions
  • Ability to consider information and support decision making where there are competing factors  

You’ll have a range of development opportunities and full training will be provided.

Working arrangements will be hybrid, with office attendance required at least once a week at your base location in Lincoln or Kettering. Some additional travel will be needed for off site meetings and team days; for example, the team meets three times a year in Peterborough for face to face sessions.

We support flexible working hours and practices to help you maintain a good work life balance, and we encourage ongoing learning and professional development.

Please read the Candidate Information Pack for further details. For queries, contact keri.dunigan@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Applications are assessed blind using competency answers. Interviews will be held via MS Teams week commencing 29 June 2026.

If successful, you will have an incident management objective, with training provided.

Achieves Results
Sets and delivers high work standards; demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

Feedback is generally not available at sift stage

QUESTION HERE:
Describe a time when you had to manage several tasks at once. How did you organise and prioritise your work, and what was the outcome?
Communicates Effectively
Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

QUESTION HERE:
Describe a situation where you explained something complex to someone with little or no prior knowledge. What approach did you take to make sure they understood, and what was the result?
Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

QUESTION HERE:
Describe a situation where you had to choose between different options. What factors did you consider, how did you decide what to do, and what was the outcome?
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the  Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

This Vacancy is closed to applications.