Senior Town Planner

About us

We're more than just a water company. We're dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment, sustainability, and the communities we serve. By joining us, you'll work with the latest technologies, driving forward-thinking projects that enhance and protect national infrastructure, making a real difference to the communities we serve.

With nearly 10,000 colleagues, we're looking for more brilliant people who are passionate about sustainability, eager to innovate, and ready to turn challenges into opportunities for a better future.

About the role

Are you a talented Senior Town Planner ready to shape the future of essential infrastructure while making a lasting impact on communities and the environment? At Severn Trent, you'll have the opportunity to work on some of the most diverse, complex and rewarding projects in the industry, helping to deliver the infrastructure that millions of customers rely on every day.

We're looking for an experienced planner to join our Land and Planning team and play a central role in securing the consents needed to deliver innovative infrastructure projects across our region. From protecting rivers and supporting biodiversity to enabling major capital investment and driving sustainability ambitions, your work will directly influence how we deliver for our customers and the environment.

Operating within our expert client team, you'll work alongside a trusted network of specialist planning consultants who prepare and submit planning applications on our behalf. As a Senior Town Planner, you'll provide strategic direction, technical expertise and commercial oversight to ensure planning and environmental consents are secured efficiently, on time and within budget.

Reporting to the Town Planning Manager, you'll be part of a team of planners and land professionals, collaborating with engineers, ecologists, land agents, legal specialists and project teams across the business.

Typical planning activities

• Ensuring we get maximum value from our permitted development rights
• Improvements and extensions to existing operational sites
• New Operational sites – small to big and often in sensitive locations
• Strategic pipelines and associated above ground infrastructure
• Network improvements including new assets to reduce spills to river and enhance environmental performance

Additional opportunities

• Renewable energy projects and Net Zero initiatives
• New accommodation requirements on and off the estate e.g. new depots and offices
• Planning inputs to disposals of land and property
• Supporting surveyors with Compulsory Purchase
• Influencing National legislation and Guidance
• Projects in National Parks, World Heritage Sites, Green Belt and Conservation areas
• Heritage projects across the operational and non-operational estate
• Support and inputs to project communications and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Responding to third party applications that impact our operations or assets
• Tender processes and assessment of supplier performance
• Land and Planning standards, policies and procedures

Key responsibilities

You'll collaborate with engineers, planning consultants, land agents, ecologists, legal teams and external stakeholders to help deliver major operational and non-operational projects. From small scale projects to nationally significant infrastructure schemes, development in sensitive locations, renewable energy projects or Biodiversity Net Gain initiatives, you'll help ensure projects are planned and delivered successfully while balancing environmental, regulatory and community considerations.

You will help project teams navigate the EIA regulations and release/screen out projects for delivery on time and with proportionate levels of assessment. You will be expected to identify project risks and advise project teams on best courses of action and mitigation.

This varied role offers the opportunity to work across a broad range of planning matters, from developing planning strategies and securing consents to advising on legislation, project risks and planning policy. If you're looking for a role where your expertise will be valued, your influence will be visible and your projects will make a genuine difference to communities, customers and the environment, then we look forward to hearing from you.

What we're looking for

You'll bring strong technical expertise in town planning and Environmental Impact Assessment, together with the ability to apply that knowledge across a broad and challenging portfolio of projects. You'll be confident navigating complex planning issues, balancing competing priorities and providing practical, commercially focused advice that supports successful project outcomes.

We're looking for someone who thrives on collaboration and enjoys building strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. You'll be an effective communicator, comfortable influencing decision-makers, managing competing interests and providing clear recommendations in often complex situations.

Essential qualifications and experience:

• Qualification in Town Planning
• Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
• Minimum of five years of experience in a consultancy, local authority or client-side organisation/developer that regularly engages the planning system

Personal qualities:

• Someone who enjoys solving problems, managing uncertainty and helping projects move forward
• Proven ability to assess risk, develop pragmatic solutions and guide teams through challenges to achieve successful outcomes
• Ability to influence, build trust and drive progress
• Character, positivity, and a caring attitude
• Someone who gets involved, wants to be part of something bigger, and makes a difference because they care

Benefits

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/sell up to 5 days per year)
• Annual bonus scheme (of up to £2,250 per annum based on company performance)
• Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
• Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
• Dedicated training and development with our 'Academy'
• Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
• Family friendly policies and two volunteering days per year

How to apply

Have an updated CV ready and spare five minutes to apply. We'll let you know the outcome after the closing date, so keep an eye on your phone and emails.