Planning Manager (Invest) - REQ05825

INTERNAL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY VIA MYSELF

NLC15: £64,301 - £70,398 Per Year

Shape the Future of North Lanarkshire

North Lanarkshire Council has an ambitious programme —driving major change, delivering bold regeneration, and creating thriving, resilient communities. Now, we’re looking for an inspiring Planning Manager (Invest NL) to help lead the next chapter.

If you’re passionate about placemaking, energised by sustainable economic growth, and motivated by the chance to make a tangible impact, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss.

Why Choose North Lanarkshire

Invest NL - Be at the Heart of Transformational Growth

Play a central role in the delivery of major new developments—including AI data centres, cutting-edge renewable technology projects, and large-scale economic regeneration initiatives that will shape North Lanarkshire for decades.

Invest NL - Lead, Influence, and Innovate

You’ll guide a talented, multi-disciplinary Invest NL team, bringing your expertise to streamline statutory consents, accelerate investment, and deliver outcomes that truly make a difference.

Invest NL - Work with Purpose

Our vision is an inclusive, thriving North Lanarkshire—where investment is strategic, communities are supported, and opportunities grow. You’ll be part of a team that believes in what we do and is driven by delivering real results for our people and places.

What You’ll Be Doing

As Planning Manager (Invest NL), you’ll take a leading role in:

• Steering a multi-disciplinary team offering bespoke advice to investors and developers
• Coordinating and accelerating statutory consents to enable high-impact projects
• Overseeing delivery of an effective development management service for major planning applications, including council-led developments
• Reviewing and enhancing the end-to-end statutory process to increase efficiency and deliver at pace
• Collaborating across services, agencies, businesses and communities to deliver positive outcomes

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone with:

• A Degree or Diploma in a relevant discipline
• Full RTPI membership (or equivalent)
• Extensive professional Planning experience
• Strong leadership skills, adaptability, and a focus on delivering solutions
• A confident grasp of planning legislation, policy and future developments
• Excellent analytical, organisational and communication abilities

Why You’ll Want To Work With Us

• A flexible hybrid model based at the Civic Centre in Motherwell
• A supportive, forward-thinking team with a genuine passion for place
• Opportunities to shape major projects that deliver real community benefit
• The chance to influence the future direction of planning in North Lanarkshire and the wider region

Ready to make an impact?

For an informal discussion, please contact Lorna Bowden, Planning & Place Manager at bowdenl@northlan.gov.uk.

Working Pattern:

Monday - Thursday: 08:45am - 16:45pm

Friday: 08:45am - 16:15pm

Working here at North Lanarkshire Council

If you’re considering a career with us, you’ll be keen to know what’s in it for you. We have a great package of benefits available, from health and wellbeing to finances and family. This includes 27 days annual leave and 6 public holidays*, and a wide range of benefits available to you, find out more at work well NL. We also have a full package of learning and development through our learning academy LearnNL to help you reach your full potential and further your career.

For more information on local authority careers visit the myjobscotland career hub

North Lanarkshire Council are Happy to Talk Flexible Working, we operate a Smarter Working Policy.

Click here to see our Recruitment Charter.

*For all casual/sessional roles, you will receive 12.1% of your hourly rate for every hour worked in total recompense for annual leave, including public holidays. These rates will be indicated separately on your payslip. You will only be paid for the hours that you work.

North Lanarkshire Council has reached its current allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship and, as a result, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

We are a Disability Confident Leader and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who consider themselves to be disabled, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description.

We have also adopted the Armed Forces Community Covenant to show our support for service personnel, veterans and their families. We offer a guaranteed interview for service leavers, spouses, reservists and veterans, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description.

North Lanarkshire Council is committed to #KeepingThePromise. This means that if you have ever been in care (looked after at home with a social worker, lived with a relative other than your parents, experienced foster, residential or secure care) you are entitled to a guaranteed interview for this post, as long as you meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description. This is one way North Lanarkshire is demonstrating our commitment to supporting Care-Experienced People.

The Plan for North Lanarkshire is to be the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit. The Council recognises that work is an important part of adult life and is critical to our wellbeing and shaping how we live. The Fair Work Convention’s Framework defines Fair Work as work that offers effective voice, fulfilment, opportunity, respect and security. We believe Fair Work can boost creativity, realise untapped potential and increase productivity. To find out more click on the link.

Alternative Application Packs can be requested in other formats for example, Large Print, Braille, and Audio. To request an alternative Application Pack please phone 01698 403151.

The following link contains our Easy Read documents which will help explain the process and what happens during the selection process: Easy Read – My NL

***PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT CVS IN PLACE OF THE APPLICATION FORM. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY YOU MUST ENSURE AN APPLICATION FORM IS SUBMITTED. ANY CV SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DISREGARDED.***