Lead Director - Planning - Birmingham

Employer: Our client - a national, multi-disciplinary planning & development consultancy

Location: Birmingham (city centre) Hybrid

Shape the West Midlands growth story.

Our client is seeking a commercially minded Lead Planning Director to head up and grow their Birmingham planning presence. You'll lead strategy, win and deliver complex schemes, and knit together a first-rate, in-house team spanning transport, heritage & townscape, design, EIA/socio-economics, engagement and sustainability-giving clients a genuinely integrated offer from vision to permission.

Why this is different

True multi-disciplinary muscle: Work shoulder-to-shoulder with specialists across engagement, transport, heritage/townscape, design and impact management-accelerating problem-solving and outcomes.

Innovation built-in: Tap an internal futures/innovation team using tech, data and new ways of working to de-risk projects and sharpen strategy.

Digital-first consultation & insight: Access stakeholder engagement experts and virtual site experiences (drone + 360 ) to inform decisions and bring schemes to life for clients and authorities.

Central Birmingham base: Lead from a prime city-centre location with excellent client access and regional reach.

Lead & grow the Birmingham planning team: set strategy, drive performance, mentor senior/junior talent.

Own key client relationships and originate new work across residential, mixed-use, commercial, logistics, energy and regeneration.

Direct major applications and appeals: from EIA/socio-economic case to transport/heritage inputs, marshalling a multi-disciplinary team.

Shape consultation & narratives alongside the in-house engagement specialists to secure positive outcomes.

Represent the business regionally: thought leadership, panels and partnerships across the West Midlands growth agenda.

What you'll bring

MRTPI (or equivalent) with substantial post-chartership experience.

Proven leadership of teams and portfolios, ideally with West Midlands market credibility.

Commercial track record: winning, scoping and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder schemes.

Excellent communicator: able to align technical, commercial and political considerations into clear strategies.

A collaborative style that gets the best from diverse in-house specialists.

What's on offer

Senior leadership package (excellent base + bonus + benefits), tailored to experience.

Autonomy and headroom to build a team and shape the region's pipeline.

Cutting-edge tools & support via the internal futures/innovation unit and digital engagement capabilities.

Flexible, people-centred culture with national project reach and clear progression.

If your profile aligns, we'll be in touch to arrange next steps at a convenient time.