Sustainable Places - Planning Specialist - 32315

Are you passionate about contributing to a more sustainable environment? This is your chance to make a meaningful impact.

We’re seeking a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the Environment Agency’s NEA Sustainable Places Team. In this key role, you’ll guide how growth and regeneration happen - ensuring developments safeguard communities, promote biodiversity, and protect our environment.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Provide technical expertise and guidance on development proposals and planning appeals.
• Project manage our input into high-profile developments.
• Influence the preparation and review of Local Plans including relevant policies, evidence base, and infrastructure delivery plans.
• Represent the Environment Agency as an expert-witness at appeals and inquiries.
• Develop relationships with stakeholders and customers, internally and externally, to maintain robust partnerships and influence environmental outcomes.
• Keep up to date on changing legislation/case law/best practice externally.
• Mentor other members of the team on policies, procedures, practices and techniques. We embrace diversity, inclusivity, and belonging.
• Deliver training on policies and procedures within your own team, and across other teams, within the Ea.

The Environment Agency reflects the communities it serves. We don’t just talk about inclusion - we live it. Every new team member is welcomed and given full support, induction, and the equipment they need to thrive.

Incident response is central to our mission.
Everyone who joins us undertakes training and may support incident response, which could attract additional payments. Full training and flexible working arrangements are provided.

Our North East area has some of the most environmentally dynamic regions in the UK, the work you do here will directly impact people, places, and the planet.

The Sustainable Places team is a friendly, collaborative group working across departments to shape local plan strategies and planning applications. We partner internally and externally - with councils, developers, water companies, and Defra - to provide expert environmental advice. By evaluating data and assessments, we influence planning outcomes and internal strategies. This multi-functional role offers a dynamic career path within the Environment Agency, allowing you to make a real impact while growing professionally.

The successful candidate will have a professionally recognised planning qualification, and either be a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) or be eligible for membership. If not Chartered, you will be expected to gain accreditation as soon as practicable.

Proven experience of:

• Dealing with and advising on development issues and / or on complex environmental problems.
• Demonstrable successful influencing.
• Communicating strategic and technical issues to a range of audiences.
• Working with others to deliver environmental benefits.
• Outstanding technical knowledge and experience of dealing with a wide range of planning and related applications.

You’ll be a skilled advisor on planning issues, taking and creating opportunities to achieve sustainable economic prosperity that protects and enhances our environment.

We will encourage you to keep developing your skills and professional knowledge throughout your career.

We encourage you to apply and share your skills and successes in helping us deliver our goals. You might be in the very early stages of your career, experienced in a different sector, looking for a new challenge or returning to work.

This role will be based in our Newcastle office, Tyneside House, with a mix of home and office working.

You will be required to have a Full UK Driving Licence as the role will require some travel to be able to attend team meetings and visit sites.

Interview dates: 10/12/25 & 11/12/25

For any questions please contact: Rachael.farrimond-Wight@environment-agency.gov.uk

Please note that your answers to the capability questions will be used for shortlisting purposes. Your examples do not necessarily have to be work related, please use the best example from any area of your life. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering the questions. Try to utilise the full word count where possible. A link to the capability dictionary, which outlines some of the key things we're looking for in your answers, can be found in the Candidate Pack attached to the advert.”

Description:
Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.

Question:
Give an example of when you have had to influence people and encourage them to follow your way of thinking/working, against their own ways. How did you do this and what were the outcomes?

Description:
Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.

Question:
Give an example where you have had to use outstanding communication skills to deliver subject/opinion/piece of work. How did you do this and what were the outcomes?

Description:
Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.

Question:
Give an example of when you have set high standards and had to drive yourself, and others, to achieve these. Explain how you prioritised the tasks/resources and ensured you achieved timely results.

Description:
Develops and maintains effective working relationships.

Question:
Explain how you have built, and sustained, effective working relationships?

Full UK Driving Licence