Job summary
Do you want to play a leading role in shaping the future of Scotland’s places, communities and economy?
The Scottish Government is recruiting a Deputy Chief Planner to lead and inspire a skilled cohort of planning and policy officials committed to strengthening and streamlining planning in Scotland.
This is a high profile leadership role at the heart of government, with responsibility for helping to ensure Scotland’s planning system supports sustainable growth, investment, infrastructure delivery and vibrant communities across the country.
Experience, energy, commitment and professional confidence will be essential to drive forward a wide-ranging work programme, at pace.
As well as delivering planning improvement, you will also work across Scottish Government portfolios to provide timely and accurate professional planning advice to inform a wide range of policies and initiatives, including energy, housing, economic development and investment, better regulation, built and natural environment, marine planning, and infrastructure.
This is a unique opportunity to help shape Scotland’s future through national leadership, collaboration and delivery.
Job details
- Acting as Deputy Chief Planner and Head of Division, lead delivery of Ministers’ statutory responsibilities for the operation of the planning system.
- Implementing and operationalising reforms to Scotland’s planning services to help make Scotland the most attractive part of the UK to invest.
- Overseeing a range of statutory planning and consenting decisions, providing high-quality professional advice to ministers to allow sound and timely decisions which minimises the risk of legal challenge.
- Providing strategic and professional support to the Director and Chief Planner in her capacity as head of profession within the Scottish Government as well as working with other built environment professional networks to maximise the impact of planning across portfolios and championing the profession within government.
- Strategic engagement including with members of the High-Level Group in Planning, Heads of Planning Scotland, chairs, CEOs and other senior members of key stakeholder bodies to ensure that the planning system and all sectors involved collaborate effectively to enable and facilitate development delivery to support growing the economy.
- Working flexibly to respond to queries and priorities as they arise. Whilst the directorate maintains a strong business plan, much of the work can also be reactive, requiring the post holder to work at pace and have a solutions focus.
Person specification
Success Profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.
Professional Skills/Experience:
- In-depth knowledge of the Scottish Planning System, NPF4 and the Planning Acts and how these relate to wider strategies and policies.
- A degree in Town and Country Planning (or equivalent) and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
- Significant experience as a practising town planner and /or in the planning profession
Behaviours:
- Leadership (Level 5)
- Working Together (Level 5)
- Seeing The Big Picture (Level 5)
- Making Effective Decisions (Level 5)
- Delivering At Pace (Level 5)
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £93,667, Scottish Government contributes £27,135 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Additional benefits include:
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
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. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
How to apply
Apply online, submitting a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 500 words) demonstrating how you meet the skills and experience outlined in the Success Profile above. Behavioural competencies will be assessed at interview.
Please include your Membership number for the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) within your supporting statement. Applications received without a RTPI membership number will be automatically sifted out, as this is an essential requirement for the role.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples 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, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview, psychometric assessment and staff panel.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 3rd August, with interviews being held between the 20-24th of August in our Victoria Quay office, however this may be subject to change.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
About us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Working pattern & location
Our standard hours are 37 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. Our main office for this role is based in Victoria Quay. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
Security checks
Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).
You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
In addition to the standard pre-employment checks, this vacancy will also require all candidates to obtain National Security Vetting (NSV) at Security Check (SC) clearance level. This type of check normally includes meeting a minimum UK residency period, which for SC level is 5 years.
Further information about NSV checks can be found on the UK Government website National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK
If you have any questions about this, please contact our recruitment team.
Equality statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
Please see our landing page for further information on the role - Deputy Chief Planner - Scottish Government Jobs
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
