Local Plans Manager

About Us:

Based in the heart of Warwickshire, the beautiful district of Stratford-on-Avon is, without doubt, one of the most scenic and historical regions in the UK. Stratford-on-Avon District Council's headquarters are located in the heart of William Shakespeare's hometown. In the District, you will find thriving market towns, home to over 135,000 residents and a tourist destination for millions of visitors each year, from across the globe. We are proud to provide public services to residents, businesses and visitors across this magnificent region, making it a great place to live, work and visit.

At the Council, our people are our superpower and by choosing to bring your talents to our organisation, you will be joining a great team where everyone feels that they truly belong, full of dedicated people all working with passion and purpose, across a dynamic portfolio of work providing high-quality services.

Benefits:

As part of our team, you will enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including:

Flexibility:

• A minimum of 25 days of annual leave, plus Bank Holidays.
• Hybrid working arrangements with the flexibility to work from home for up to 60% of your hours (dependent upon the role)
• Flexi-time scheme for a better work-life balance.

Lifestyle:

• Health Cash Plan Scheme for medical and dental expenses.
• Eye test voucher scheme
• Everyone Active Gym Membership discount

Professional Development:

• Training and Development opportunities.
• Payment of one professional subscription fee

Financial Planning:

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme to secure your future.
• Access to free Will writing services.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Salary Sacrifice schemes e.g. Cycle to Work etc.
• Free town centre parking

What to Expect in the Role:

You will lead and manage the Local Plans team, consisting of nine officers, overseeing the delivery of the Council's planning policy function including leading on the preparation of planning policy documents, and working in partnership with key stakeholders in understanding and addressing the planning policy challenges facing the District.

It is an exciting time for planning policy in Stratford-on-Avon District. Not only are we working jointly with Warwick District Council to produce a new South Warwickshire Local Plan, we also work closely with local communities to produce Neighbourhood Development Plans along with a range of other plan-making activities through the development of Development and Supplementary Plans.

There is need for significant levels of residential and economic growth in South Warwickshire and our plan-making activities need to meet these development challenges and its supporting infrastructure, alongside addressing a range of ambitions. Central to this is tackling climate change and increasing biodiversity, improving connectivity and enabling the delivery of well-designed places, and promoting the health and wellbeing of our communities.

If you are interested in working with us to help meet the challenges that the growth and diversity of South Warwickshire brings to preparing the Local Plan and other plan-making documents and activities then this could be the job for you.

As the Local Plans Manager you will lead the team in all aspects of planning policy work across the Council, alongside the dedicated South Warwickshire Local Plan Team Leader. You will have enthusiasm, drive and a proven ability to take planning policy projects forward positively.

To be successful in this post, you will need strong management skills embracing a positive teamworking approach and have initiative and good organisational and communication skills to be able to liaise with a variety of partners and stakeholders on all aspects of plan-making activities.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):

• Overall day-to-day management of the Local Plans Team consisting of nine officers.

• To assist the Policy Manager and the South Warwickshire Local Plan Team Leader in the preparation of the Local Plan and be the Council's lead officer in the preparation of other formal and informal planning policy documents.
• To act as lead officer and have management responsibility in respect of the Council's functions and duties in respect of neighbourhood planning. To develop and maintain a good working knowledge of the neighbourhood planning process and relevant legislation, and thus to provide planning expertise to assist and support local councils in developing Neighbourhood Development Plans.
• To act as project co-ordinator for implementation projects related to local plan proposals and policies, and to be responsible for the monitoring of relevant budgets.
• To lead om preparing advice and responses to policy documents from other local authorities or planning bodies, government departments and other agencies.
• To undertake research, both empirical or from existing sources, to assist in the formulation and or monitoring of policy and to measure the effectiveness of policy against identified objectives.

  What You'll Need (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):

  • Recent experience of development plan preparation.
  • Experience of plan examination hearings
  • Experience of commissioning work from outside consultants.
  • Ability to demonstrate effective outcomes based on working with Elected Members and key stakeholders using a variety of communications skills
  • Strong organisational, management and research skills, including knowledge of project management techniques.
  • Ability to work under pressure and to deliver to agreed deadlines.

  For an informal chat about the role, please contact Jo Bozdoganli, Policy Manager, on or email

  Applications will close at midnight on Wednesday 16th July 2025

  Interviews will be held week beginningMonday 11 th August 2025