Development & Conservation Manager - North Herts Council
Essex
Role
Development & Conservation Manager - North Herts Council
North Herts Council
Permanent, Full Time
£56,359 - £65,907 dependent on experience, plus £3,000 car allowance
Location: Letchworth Garden City
Closing Date: 11th November 2026
How to apply: Jobs This role is being advertised on behalf of North Herts Council therefore all applications must be submitted via the North Herts Council website here. Please note any applications submitted via the Working for Essex ‘apply’ button will be advised to reapply via the North Herts Council website here The Role Are you looking for your next step in planning leadership? This is an exciting opportunity to jointly deliver one of the Council's key planning services at a time of significant growth and change. As one of two co-managers, you'll oversee development management, planning enforcement, technical support and specialist functions, delivered by a skilled and experienced team of more than 30 officers. You will help shape high-quality development across North Hertfordshire. This encompasses schemes of all scales across approximately 2,500 applications, pre-apps, enquiries and other works each year. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on professional involvement in some of the district's most complex and high-profile planning matters. Importantly, you'll join an experienced and supportive management team. Our existing manager is moving into flexible retirement, remaining with the service on a part-time basis. This provides a unique opportunity for distribution of responsibilities between the two posts, mentoring, knowledge sharing and support while increasing our overall management capacity. Whether you are already managing a planning service or are an exceptional Principal Planner or Team Leader ready to take the next step, this role offers a superb opportunity. We would particularly like to encourage applications from female leaders and individuals from an ethnic minority background. The Experience you will bring You will be an experienced planning professional with a strong understanding of development management and the ability to lead and inspire people, manage projects and support complex decision-making. You will: Most importantly, you'll bring sound professional judgement, a collaborative leadership style and a desire to help shape and improve a modern planning service. North Hertfordshire is a large rural district with approximately 125,000 residents with four historic towns, Hitchin, Baldock, Royston and Letchworth Garden City. The Council have four priorities: Thriving Communities, Accessible Services, Responsible Growth and Sustainability. The Council Plan sets out our key priorities and themes for the next five years. The North Herts Values define how we as colleagues work with each other, and we strive to be: Adaptable, Inclusive, Learning, Listening, Together. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in our recruitment practices and in our employment policies. We want our employees to feel safe to express themselves and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of talents. We are dedicated to promoting a healthy work/life balance, valuing our employees, and enabling them to make a difference to the local community. At North Herts Council we are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and we guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum requirements for the job. Please note that all our vacancies require you to live and work in the UK, and selection interviews are face to face in our Letchworth offices or other nearby council sites. We are changing To find out more, visit Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation | North Herts Council If you would like an informal chat about the post, you can contact Nigel Smith, Director: Place, nigel.smith@north-herts.gov.uk or on 01462 474847 Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. Hybrid working: Flexibility with homeworking and office-based days Working pattern: This job is open to flexible working patterns and working hour Applications will close at midnight on 11th November 2026 Please note that this vacancy is a senior manager reporting to Director and is designated a Deputy Chief Officer role. Appointment is subject to approval by Cabinet, following the selection process. Please note that we are currently unable to provide sponsorship for employment in the UK. We recommend downloading the job profile document as this will not be available once the vacancy closes. How to apply: Jobs This role is being advertised on behalf of North Herts Council therefore all applications must be submitted via the North Herts Council website here. Please note any applications submitted via the Working for Essex ‘apply’ button will be advised to reapply via the North Herts Council website here
North Herts Council (NHC) is due to be undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) which is one of the biggest changes in local government we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better.
Face to face interviews will be held on 24th-25th November 2026