About the job

Job summary

Planning is at the heart of delivering the Department’s vision to support people, places and communities. It plays a critical role in bringing forward the new homes the county needs, delivering our environmental objectives from climate change to biodiversity, and facilitating the infrastructure necessary to support economic growth.

The planning system is undergoing significant reform. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act contains an ambitious package of reform to the system so there are better development outcomes, environmental improvements, and greater community engagement. Over the next year, the Department will be taking forward a major implementation programme to deliver these reforms.

The Planning for the Environment and Climate Change Teams sit within the Planning Policy Division, in the Planning Reform and Housing Quality Directorate in the Regeneration Group. 

We are advertising for two post-holders suitable for experienced planners and/or those with an interest in planning and the environment, planning and climate change, the built environment and regeneration. There is one post in the Planning for the Environment Team and one post in the Climate Change Team.

The roles cover policy development and delivery of national planning policy on environmental, and climate change matters including, Climate Change & Net Zero. This involves working significantly with other teams in the Regeneration Group and with other government departments and external stakeholders on many complex and urgent matters. Individuals experience and preferences for policy areas will be considered as part of the application process. Supporting the Team Leader, the role requires close working with other Government Departments to update national planning policy as per the Department’s proposed changes to the planning system and the development of National Development Management Policies for which we are seeking to conduct a further consultation. This is a fast-paced and high-profile area of work with regularly engagement with Ministers and stakeholders. It requires creativity, critical thinking and sound judgement.

Candidates who are unsuccessful but still meet the SEO/SPTO standard could be offered a position in other planning teams.

Job description

• Lead on the development of national planning policy on environment and climate change matters, including considering the development of National Development Management Policies as part of the Department’s proposed changes to the planning system.

• Establishing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders across other Departments, teams across DLUHC, and external stakeholders for mutually beneficial outcomes.

• Contribute to the design and delivery of policy issues within DLUHC and outside (particularly with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), whilst forwarding the interests of DLUHC and our Ministerial team.

• Work with Ministers and Special Advisors through submissions and briefings and other parliamentary business eg. PQs, parliamentary debates and correspondence.

• You may be required to cover wider team priorities as appropriate and you will be expected to contribute to the corporate life of the division.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Strong written and verbal communications skills, including high quality drafting.

• Policy development skills, including being able to think critically about problems and work up solutions with limited direction. You will have the ability to pick up complex policy areas quickly and confidently.

• Strong time-management skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, taking responsibility to hit key milestones and deadlines.

• Strong relationship management skills, and the ability to work across Government departments on complex issues. You must be able to establish and develop productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels.

• Experience of working in a policy role is required, as is having a keen interest in the policy profession.

Desirable Criteria

• Eligibility for RTPI or a related professional qualification

• Experience of planning policy or working towards chartership

• Chartered Town Planner status

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,732, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £10,457 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

We are for everyone  

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process.  

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).   

At application stage you will be asked to upload a CV document. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage.  

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions, for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.   

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.  

When writing your application, remember: 

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)  

At sift, we will be assessing  

Behaviours (Lead Behaviour): Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture

Behaviour: Delivering at Pace

Experience: Based on your experience, please explain how you are suited to this role.

There is a 250 word limit per question.  

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:    

Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace

Experience: Yes

Strengths: Yes 

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements:  

Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace

Experience: Yes

Strengths: Yes 

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign. 

SEO/SPTO Salary

• The salary for this role is SEO £38,732 National £42,208, London or SPTO £41,679 National, £45,813 London.
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges. 
• In order to receive the SPTO pay band, you must be fully qualified and in a qualifying post as agreed by the Finance Head of Profession.  

BENEFITS: 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 
Any move to DLUHC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.   

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Darlington* 
• London
• Manchester 
• Wolverhampton  

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.  

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place from 12th June 2024 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.  

Reserve List  
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

CTC (Counter-terrorism Clearance): 

Important note  
Successful candidates for roles based in our 2 Marsham Street building must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check and the process can take up to 8 weeks to complete. 
 
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the DLUHC Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC). Thank you. 
 
Candidates should also note that with effect from 1st August 2018 the department will also check all applicants who are successful at interview, against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) held by the Cabinet Office. In accordance with the Civil Service Internal Fraud Policy, any applicant who is included on the IFD will be refused employment by DLUHC. Please see the Candidate Pack for further information on the Internal Fraud Database. 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules  

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.