Graduate/ Assistant Planner

As a Graduate/Assistant Planner within the Consultancy team of Be First, you will have a central role in delivering Be First's consultancy services. Working on a range of public and private sector projects, you will work alongside multi-disciplinary project teams providing planning consultancy services for development schemes from inception to completion.
You need to have a keen interest in town planning, good organisation, be solutions led
and a team player who works effectively with others.

Job Salary

£28,000 - £33,000 up to 10% pension contribution and 30 days annual leave

Closing Date

March 9, 2026

Job Description

• Undertaking accurate planning policy and legislation research to identify and apply relevant policies to a project or site.
• Assisting senior team members in providing planning consultancy services and planning strategy advice to public, private and third-party sector clients.
• Assisting with pre-application consultations, and co-ordinating and managing the preparation of planning applications.
• Inputting into public consultation strategies, including the identification of key stakeholders and how best to engage them.
• Assisting the team to manage project budgets.

Person Specification

• Engaging and driven personality wanting to join a highly successful and ambitious team.
• Teachable attitude and suitable technical abilities and awareness of national, regional and local development issues and trends.
• Understands and can apply relevant technical and procedural planning advice.
• Proactive in providing clear, commercial planning advice and co-ordinating planning applications to support senior team members.
• Clearly communicates with the wider Be First teams, clients, the public, subconsultants and a range of public and private bodies.
• Diligent and accurate in research with excellent professional writing skills.
• A critical thinker with excellent verbal communication skills.
• Capable of leading smaller scale projects with senior oversight and supporting the team in submission of larger applications.
• Demonstrates accurate comprehension in new situations with a grasp of essential details.
• A motivated, self-starter with a willingness to learn.
• A team player, who is collaborative and works effectively with others.
• Displays tact and diplomacy when managing difficult situations.
• Completed a RTPI recognised degree or is working towards chartership through the associate route.

Experience working in planning, ideally in planning consultancy is also beneficial but not necessary.