PLANNING OFFICER

Grade:7

Salary:£24,967 - £30,376 per annum

Status:Permanent

Hours:37 hours per week

CLOSING DATE: Wednesday 10 June 2015

SELECTION EVENT DATE: To be confirmed

Job Title: Planning Officer
Name:
Reports To: / Principal Programme Delivery & Planning Manager
Department/Location: / Projects & Planning Team/ Broad Street West
Date: / April 2015
Job Purpose:
Provide professional guidance, support and policy advice in the development of strategies to integrate public transport into the wider Sheffield City Region (SCR) transport, environmental, economic and spatial planning activities. Liaise and negotiate with private developers to secure funding for public transport interventions through legal agreements and planning conditions and produce evidence to support local, regional, national and European funding streams and lead on projects where applicable.
Organisational Chart:

HR will insert the chart from using ORG PLUS

Dimensions:
Context:One of two Planning Officers responsible for providing professional
guidance, support and policy advice in the development of strategies
to integrate public transport into the wider SCR transport,
environmental, economic and spatial planning activities.
You will also liaise and negotiate with private developers to secure
funding for public transport interventions through legal agreements
and planning conditions and produce evidence to support local,
regional, national and European funding streams and lead on projects
where applicable.
Staff:One of two Planning Officers located within the Projects & Planning Team.
Budget:The team has small annual consultancy budget.
General Responsibilities:
  • SYPTE’s aim is to provide the best Public Transport system possible. The objective is the pursuit of excellence in meeting the needs of all potential passengers.
  • SYPTE is fully committed to the active promotion of equal opportunities in its capacity as an employer. It is the individual responsibility of every employee to seek to ensure the practical application of this policy.
  • Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, all employees are required both to take care of their own health and safety and that of other employees and to co-operate with their employers in complying with their statutory duties.
  • SYPTE and its Managers are fully committed to the learning and development of employees.

Responsibilities/Key Accountabilities:
  1. Assist in the development of and contribute to the Public Transport Action Plan; and SCR Transport Strategy and other related strategies and plans on behalf of SYPTE in order to deliver the public transport elements that contribute to the long term vision for South Yorkshire and the wider City Region.
  1. Actively contribute to the development of SCR Local Authority Local Plans, master-plans and economic strategies, shaping planning policy to ensure the integration of land use with public transport and the Local Authority and transport strategy principles.
  1. Actively support and where appropriate lead negotiations with Development Management and private sector developers to maximise SYPTE funds for the delivery of necessary public transport improvements across South Yorkshire, in a way that is sustainable in the longer terms.
  1. Produce timely and accurate written responses, using knowledge of planning and transport law to persuade and influence planning decisions to secure funding to deliver infrastructure and meet the strategic vision of the SCR.
  1. Assist and contribute to the prioritisation of SCR significant schemes, ensuring that all public transport modes, initiatives and scenarios have been explored to deliver SYPTE’s strategic objectives, and that these integrate with non-public transport mode such as private vehicle, walking and cycling etc..
  1. Assist with input into European or global initiatives in line with SCR Combined Authority/ Transport Committee policy and SYPTE’s objectives as determined to delivery public transport infrastructure improvements across South Yorkshire.
  1. Support and where appropriate lead engagement with the SCR Executive’s and Local Economic Partnership (LEP) and other regional bodies to ensure SYPTE’s business objectives are aligned to external action plans and strategies and that public Transport objectives are properly considered within their strategy development. Providing the interface between SYPTE and these bodies to attract funding to deliver the public transport schemes.
  1. Produce evidence and documentation, and lead as required, on national, regional and local funding bids to maximise funding available to deliver SYPTE schemes.
  1. Assist and contribute to the production of Implementation Plans (including the Public Transport Action Plan) to help shape the delivery of the SCR Transport Strategy.
  1. Produce, in conjunction with SYPTE colleagues especially Management Board member, public transport related strategic engagement and consultation responses ensuring that there is consistency and alignment in terms of local and regional policy and strategy issues across SYPTE and SCR partners.
  1. Provide professional guidance, support and policy advice and negotiate with partners to facilitate the development and delivery of SYPTE’s and partners shared goal to reduce the environment impact of public transport, working with both internal and external agencies to ensure organisational efficiency and resilience against climate change.
  1. Act as the key liaison point for the development and management of transportation studies, including the work of consultants, in order to identify solutions to network and environmental challenges.
  1. Produce project briefs and business cases for implementation by SYPTE Projects Team in order to deliver business plan objectives.
  1. Participate in or lead as appropriate internal project teams to carry out work in support of the team’s responsibilities.
  1. Provide policy guidance and support to external parties in order that objectives in line with the business plan can be achieved.
  1. Any other duties commensurate with the post that the Principal Programme Delivery & PlanningManager may require.

Planning and Organisation:
  • Assist in establishing clear objectives and targets that contribute to the overall objectives of the Projects & Planning Team.
  • Manage the timely flow of data and advice between SYPTE and SCRCA in particular, and also wider partners.
  • Produce, maintain and manage reports and reporting processes to inform internal and external stakeholders and customers.
  • Pro-actively analyse and act on new and changing market opportunities. Specify information required to successfully carry out the Planning role.
  • Contribute to team working and liaise with others to continually improve cross-functional efficiency.
  • Identify ways of improving team and organisation efficiency through the effective use resources.
  • Plan and organise your own workload to ensure delivery of all tasks and objectives set.
  • Assist in developing the skills in relation to environmental and planning activity of colleagues and new starters.

Decision Making and Use of Judgement:
  • Regularly advise Management Board and colleagues of policy, planning and environmental issues that impact upon the organisation and current and/or future public transport operations.
  • Use personal judgement and initiative to make effective and timely decisions.
  • Actively participate in section and team decision making.
  • Actively participate in organisational decision making through membership of formal and informal groups and committees.

Essential Internal and External Relationships:
  • Work collaboratively with other team member and other employees within SYPTE.
  • Provide the operational service links between the SCRCA and SYPTE as per the agreed Service Level Agreement.
  • Deal professionally with internal and external customers and partners including the Districts, Transport Operators, infrastructure owners and authorities, National, Regional and Local Government organisations, respecting various needs for confidentiality and diplomacy.
  • Negotiate and liaise with parties, private developers, contractors and transport operators, to ensure a sustainable best value/level of service for SYPTE and its customers.

Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours and Experience Required:
Knowledge:
  • A degree, transport qualification or equivalent professional attainment – Essential
  • Educated to A-level standard in a relevant subject or equivalent (including GSCE English & Maths (A to C) or equivalent) - Essential
  • Good knowledge of transport planning methods, modelling principles and mapping – Essential
  • Knowledge of planning law, planning practice and local planning policy - Desirable
  • Knowledge of environmental issues and carbon calculation techniques - Desirable
  • Awareness of policy climate in which SYPTE operates – Desirable
  • Knowledge of Project Management techniques – Desirable
  • Professional sector knowledge – Uses theories and models to develop solutions – Essential

Skills:
All requirements are essential unless stated otherwise in the Person Specification will be assessed at interview:
  • Administration skills – Prioritises and co-ordinates activities
  • Analytical and numeric skills – Interprets data to reach conclusions
  • Computer literacy skills – Uses computer technology to support performance
  • Financial and commercial awareness – Understands the financial implications of actions taken
  • Literacy skills – Builds and understands the story/rationale within documents
  • Project management skills – Understands the dependencies within a project

Behavioural Competencies:
All requirements are essentialunless stated and will be assessed at interview
Living our Values:
  • Customer & Stakeholder Driven – Works to exceed expectations
  • Team Working – Encourages and supports others
  • Integrity & Respect – Models and promotes organisational values
  • Achieving & Challenging –Seeks to exceed and deliver more
Delivering With & Through Others:
  • Building & Managing Relationships – Develops key relationships
  • Influencing & Persuasion – Influences directly and indirectly
  • Flexible & Adaptable – Applies procedures flexibly
Delivering Our Objectives:
  • Embracing Change – Creates a sense of urgency around change
  • Developing Self & Others – Encourages the development of others
  • Research with External Focus – Commissions/carries out research
Determining Our Agenda:
  • Initiative – Reacts rapidly
  • Strategic Focus & Critical Reflection – Takes time to analyse and reviews solutions
  • Decision Making – Identifies options and proposals

Experience:
  • Proven experience in a relevant transport planning/policy role – Essential
  • Experience in policy or strategy development and application - Essential
  • Experience of working in a time pressured negotiation environment Desirable

Post Holder: / Line Manager:
Agreed by: / Agreed by:
Date: / Date:
ACCEPTED AND REGISTERED IN HUMAN RESOURCES:
Agreed by:
Date:

SOUTH YORKSHIRE PASSENGER TRANSPORT EXECUTIVE

EMPLOYEE SPECIFICATION

POST TITLE:Planning Officer

DEPARTMENT:Projects and Planning Team - Strategy

Essential / Desirable / How Identified
Knowledge: / Educated to degree level or equivalent professional attainment / Application form
Educated to ‘A’ Level or equivalent in a relevant subject / Application form
Transport planning methods, modelling principles and mapping / Application form/ selection process
Planning law, planning practice and local planning policy / Application form
Knowledge of environmental issues and carbon calculation techniques / Interview
Policy climate in which SYPTE operates / Interview
Project management techniques / Selection process
Professional sector knowledge – uses theories and models to develop solutions / Application form/Interview
Experience: / Proven experience in relevant planning/policy role / Application form / Selection process
Experience in policy or strategy development and application / Application form / Selection process
Experience of working in a time pressured negotiating environment / Interview
Skills: / Administration skills – Prioritises and co-ordinates activities / Interview
Analytical and numeric skills – Interprets data to reach conclusions / Interview
Computer literacy skills – Uses computer technology to support performance / Selection process
Financial and commercial awareness – Understands the financial implications of actions taken / Interview
Literacy skills – Builds and understands the story/rationale within documents / Application form/ Selection process
Project management skills – Understands the dependencies within a project / Interview
Behaviours: / All behavioural competencies will be assessed at the interview stage