Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas

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Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas

Summary

We are the public body that looks after England's historic environment. We champion historic places, helping people understand, value, and care for them.

Historic England has a fantastic opportunity for you to join us as our Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas.

This is a full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract based in York, Newcastle, or Manchester, with hybrid working options.

We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive pension scheme with 28.97% employer contributions, 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites, and development opportunities.

To view our full benefits, please follow the link here.

What you will be doing

The Development Advice Teams provide statutory and non-statutory advice to our customers, engaging where we add most value to decision-making as national experts. They work closely with other teams to support communities in caring for historic places and advancing Historic England's objectives.

As part of this team, you will be responsible for delivering advice on proposals affecting the historic environment within your area of competence. Applying the ethos of 'constructive conservation' and Conservation Principles, you will advise owners, local authorities, and others to promote sustainable management of historic assets. You will also contribute to projects like the Historic England Places strategy.

You will provide formal planning and management advice regarding buildings (secular and ecclesiastical) and historic areas, including proposal assessment, decision-making, and delivering advice within agreed timescales and standards. Collaboration with colleagues and regional/national specialists will be essential.

You will conduct pre-application discussions, including Extended Pre-application advice, applying 'constructive conservation' to negotiate sustainable solutions. You will assist local planning authorities in interpreting laws and policies related to heritage assets, influencing decision-makers to safeguard heritage.

Who we are looking for

• Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
• Extensive experience managing change to historic buildings and areas, with knowledge of the planning system
• Thorough knowledge of architectural history and the morphology of historic places in England
• Knowledge of legislation and planning policy in England related to heritage assets
• Strong communication skills, including written and oral
• Negotiation and influencing skills

Please note:

• Regular travel to sites not served by public transport is required.
• Site visits may involve climbing scaffolding and negotiating confined spaces.
• Occasional attendance at community or planning meetings, often in evenings or weekends.

We value diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments for disabilities or neurodiversity. We promote a healthy work-life balance, having recently won the Gold Award from MIND.

We support flexible working arrangements, including job sharing, part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working. For more information, visit our jobs page or contact us.

Why work for Historic England

We are committed to equality and diversity, encouraging applications from all backgrounds, especially from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic candidates and those with disabilities, who are underrepresented in our organization.

We want candidates to showcase their best selves in the recruitment process. For questions, contact .

Note: We use the Applied recruitment platform, which reduces bias and promotes diversity. We do not use CV applications for most roles. You will answer questions to demonstrate your suitability.

Provisional interview dates: Week commencing 27 June 2025.

For the full job description, visit: Job Description PDF