SUSTAINABLE PLACES - PLANNING ADVISOR - 31501

Sustainable Places - Planning Advisor - 31501
Number of jobs available
1
Region
North West
City/Town
Penrith , Preston
Building/Site

DEFRA GRP EA GHYLL MOUNT, CA11 9BP, DEFRA GRP EA LUTRA HOUSE, PR5 8BX

Grade
Staff Grade 3
Post Type
Permanent
Role Type
Operational Delivery
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time/Job Share
Salary Minimum
£28,607
Closing Date:
10/08/2025, 23:55 hours
Job description attachment 1
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Candidate pack
Candidate Pack - 31501.docx – 2042KB Opens in a new window
Converted File Candidate Pack - 31501.docx.pdf – 718KB Opens in a new window
Security checks level
Basic Check
Job description
Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone?
Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you! We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share.
We are looking for an entry grade Planning Advisor to join the Cumbria and Lancashire Area’s Sustainable Places team. You will be on the frontline engaging with Local Planning Authorities, developers and consultants to ensure that the large amounts of growth and regeneration planned over the next 15 years are delivered in a way which protects and enhances the environment for future generations.
In Cumbria and Lancashire, we have some of the biggest environmental challenges: multiple main rivers, a large coastline, and the Lake District. We need a highly motivated and enthusiastic person to help us take on these challenges and deliver positive outcomes for the environment.
You will provide technical and administrative support to the Sustainable Places team to ensure we maximise results and work efficiently. This will involve planning application data screening and management, working with various internal functions to enable us to effectively influence planning application consultations, and assisting with the delivery of pre-planning advice. You will need excellent communication and customer service skills and good organisational skills are essential. You must also be able to meet deadlines under the pressures associated with making timely planning decisions to secure local and national economic growth.
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident.
The team
The team are friendly and hardworking, which is part of a cross cutting department that works in partnership with internal & external stakeholders to deliver EA2025 goals. We use a place based approach to influence local plan strategies and planning applications. We work with technical teams to evaluate environmental data, evidence and assessments associated with planning consultations.
We work across Cumbria and Lancashire, in our offices in Preston (Lutra House) and Penrith (Ghyll Mount).
Experience/skills required

Essential

• Able to lead and provide administrative and technical support and advice to the wider team
• Excellent IT skills, specifically Microsoft Excel
• Good team working skills and ability to prioritise work to deliver team goals
• Pro-active attitude and good problem solving skills
• Understanding of the importance of great customer service
• Numeracy skills, good attention to detail, and ability to consistently deliver tasks to a high standard
• Energy with a willingness to learn and develop
• A desire to achieve the best environmental outcomes and a flexible approach to move with our changing ways of working

Desirable

• Knowledge of Geographical Information Services (GIS) and good understanding of environmental issues and opportunities
• Interest in gaining membership of a relevant professional organisation - we provide ongoing training and this role offers career progression opportunities. We encourage staff to gain relevant professional membership such as RTPI, CIWEM, CGeog etc.

Contact and additional information
We would love to inspire you to apply – please get in touch with Jane Tuck by email at jane.tuck@environment-agency.gov.uk
This role is office based but involves visiting sites or locations, and therefore a full UK driving licence is required.
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate. Please see the candidate pack for more on how you will support with this.
Please note we do not assess CVs. Answers to these competency questions will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your responses.
We recommend reading our ‘How to apply’ page (environmentagencycareers.co.uk) before you start.
Competence 1
Focuses on Customers and Partners
Description
Please provide an example of a time you have helped deliver excellent customer service.
Competence 2
Communicates Effectively
Description
Tell us about a time when you have conveyed a complex or difficult issue to a person with little understanding of the subject matter.
Competence 3
Manages Self
Description
How do you manage your workloads when you have competing deadlines? Please describe an example of a time you have done this.
Role specific license requirements
full UK driving licence