As a Planning Apprentice you will be given the opportunity to work in all areas of the Development Management process. You will assess planning applications including but not restricted to certificates of lawful development, adverts, licenses, conditions, householders and prior notification, taking in to account local and national planning policies.  The post holder will be expected to carry out site visits and manage a large workload meeting challenging targets.  

This post holder will be required to undertake formal training in planning in the form of a 5-year apprenticeship at the South Bank University.

What you will be doing:

• Process planning applications.

• Provide advice in person, on the telephone and in writing to all clients and other users of the service including applicants, agents, members and the general public.

• Manage a large and varied caseload of applications, meeting local and statutory deadlines

• Carry out a broad range of work to assist service delivery including printing, scanning, inputting and preparing presentations.

• Assist the planning unit when necessary to carry out a broad range of development management work including validating applications, processing appeals, trees, enforcement, planning policy and project work.

• Assist the planning unit when necessary to register and administer prior notification applications.

• Assist the planning unit in the organisation and running of planning committees.

• Provide excellent customer service to all clients and to help build good relationships with them through the production of high quality work and by acting in a professional manner.

• Identify potential opportunities to improve service provision and efficiency.

• Deal with customer contact and respond to complaints, logging on the appropriate system.

What we’re looking for:

• A Level, 8 GCSE’s or equivalent level of education

• Proven interest in planning and the built environment, through work experience, studies, knowledge

• Willing to undertake additional studies to gain planning qualifications alongside working.  This will be in the form of a 5-year apprenticeship.  This is a big commitment so please only apply if you are willing to commit to this.

• Driving licence.

About Local Government Services

At Government Services, we’re transforming the way governments and local councils serve the public. We’re using technology, innovation and domain knowledge to improve services and deliver savings. Our teams are answering 30,000 emergency service calls every day and our Ultra Low Emissions Zone is helping Londoners breath cleaner air. Join us and discover better as you keep the country running smoothly.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive basic Salary

• 23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave

• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice

• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more

• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology

• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform

You’ll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere in Capita. You’ll be joining a network of 63,000 experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple disciplines and sectors. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and we’ll provide the support you need to do just that. Our purpose is to create a better outcome for you.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact Charlotte Barnett @ charlotte.barnett@capita.co.uk

All interviews, assessments and background checks will continue to take place online, to completely remove the need for face-to-face contact. All Capita colleagues who can work from home should do so; and where it is not possible for colleagues to work remotely, we have taken important steps to protect those working from Capita’s offices. Social distancing, enhanced hygiene and safety measures are already in place at all Capita locations that are open to protect our colleagues and manage the risk of COVID-19. The welfare of our people is of paramount importance to us, and we’re doing everything we can to keep our colleagues and customers safe during this time.

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we’ll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.