Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is one of the world’s leading multi-disciplinary consultancy firms offering unparalleled opportunities for talented individuals in search of a rewarding career.
We are looking for an experienced and self-motivated Principal Strategic Planner to join our successful and progressive national planning team to strengthen our skills base and help us deliver a varied range of projects and studies. The successful candidate will combine an excellent track record in planning with experience in providing advice to our growing markets in the development, transportation, energy, aviation and water sectors. You will join our progressive national planning team to help us deliver our expanding strategic planning workload for a wide range of clients in the public and private sectors. You will play a key role in the further development of our growing national and international business.
The successful candidate will be part of our national Planning and Environment team based in London, Birmingham, Epsom, Bristol, Warrington and Leeds. We work directly with Atkins SNCLavalin’s multi-disciplinary teams and businesses in the UK, and across the world, on a variety of major infrastructure and development projects. Our team is one of the UK’s leading planning consultancies, at the forefront of thought-leadership in planning and delivery of infrastructure and development and the use of digital data to support our work. We provide strategic planning advice in the UK to central government and its agencies, local enterprise partnerships, local authorities, combined authorities and the private sector. In the UK we provide planning support to central government (MHCLG. DfT), and its agencies, Highways England, Homes England, Greater London Authority/Transport for London, HS2, Network Rail, Transport for the North, West of England Combined Authority and many local enterprise partnerships, local authorities and utility companies. We also work with colleagues leading international development work for funding institutions and government bodies.
We recognise the importance and benefits of helping our employees balance work and home life and we offer flexible working arrangements. We operate flexibly across the UK so, although ideally you would be based in London or Epsom, you could work in and with colleagues from any of our hub office locations. There may be opportunities to work out of other UK offices or client offices, where the need arises, to meet the demands of fluctuating workloads.
Responsibilities:
Manage and undertake strategic planning research, evidence base and policy development including for example: local plan support and evidence, city and regional plans (primarily in the UK), assess development potential, support the case for funding bids, infrastructure and delivery studies
Prepare and implement planning strategies to deliver projects and development proposals
Deliver high quality advice, reports and presentations based on sound and robust quantitative and qualitative analyses
Deliver evidence base studies to support policy development and planning and masterplanning projects capable of withstanding scrutiny at examination
Lead and support strategic planning advice to external and internal clients on planning consents and development delivery strategies for development and infrastructure projects.
Manage project inputs from other technical disciplines within Atkins and external consultants.
Identify, develop and purse new business and marketing opportunities including leading or supporting on tender responses.
Develop client network and collaborate with colleagues across Atkins and Faithful +Gould to win work including through formal tenders and bids.
Develop and maintain relationships to ensure we position ourselves well within the market and assemble technically excellent project teams
Manage client communication, reporting and stakeholder engagement
Financial management of projects
Provide mentoring and support to junior staff to help the team develop its national capabilities.
You as an individual
You must be self-motivated, enthusiastic, determined, resilient with an ability to inspire and be able to demonstrate that you can:
Manage individual projects and multiple assignments on time and in budget
Work under pressure, with excellent time management skills and success in meeting tight deadlines
Work well with the confidence to input effectively as a discipline lead as part of multi-disciplinary teams across a range of projects
Deliver reports and other outputs with multiple inputs to a high standard of presentation and accuracy
Demonstrate strong verbal communication skills and your aptitude to rationally explain, explore and discuss planning issues to clients and to internal and external audiences
Flexibly apply your knowledge and experience to managing and delivering a wide variety of strategic planning studies and projects.
Requirements:
A relevant planning degree and full RTPI membership (or related / equivalent qualifications / professional membership)
Ideally experience of working both in consultancy and the public sector focused primarily on strategic urban and infrastructure planning, policy development, evidence base research and consenting work in the UK.
Proven experience in the management and delivery of multi-disciplinary projects; capability to work alongside and co-ordinate a range of technical specialists.
Proven experience of building successful relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Proven ability to influence and respond to emerging national, regional and local policy and legislation and regulation
A need to demonstrate commercial awareness and proven ability to manage budgets.
Able to check and review complex documents and summarise and present the key issues concisely, in a way which is understandable to non-specialists.
Experienced in meeting clients and managing their needs in a confident, professional manner.
Strong report writing, verbal and presentation skills, and the aptitude to rationally explain, explore and discuss planning issues.
Excellent time management skills - able to prioritise and work effectively under pressure, with proven success in meeting tight deadlines.
Flexible, adaptable and prepared to take on new challenges and work from other Atkins or client office locations.
Personal qualities required include being self-motivated, enthusiastic, determined and resilient and with an ability to inspire.
What we offer
Atkins recognise that there are many well qualified people who are looking to further their career, but who cannot commit to full time employment. We support flexible working arrangements and are interested to discuss how we can accommodate individual requirements.
Training
Atkins develops individuals through a portfolio of training and development activities designed to help you make the best of your abilities and talents. These are reviewed with individuals through an annual appraisal process. We actively support staff in achieving corporate membership of relevant institutions.
Rewards and Benefits
Please refer to our website for details of our full benefits package https://www.yourrewardatkins.com/
This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview.
If applying for this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.
ATKINS, part of the SNC Lavalin Group, is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability.
