Assistant Urban Design Consultant
Permanent, Full Time
Up to £30,678 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office in Chelmsford, a minimum of 1 day per week, with the remaining time allowing for site work and / or remote working if desired.
The Opportunity
Place Services is a multi-disciplinary consultancy within Essex County Council providing environmental and planning services to the Council, local authorities, and other public bodies across the UK. Our purpose is to support the public sector to deliver sustainable development. We do that by enhancing and conserving the natural, historic, and built environment, and achieving well-designed places. The Assistant Urban Design Consultant will assist with the delivery of our Urban Design services.
We offer a dynamic working environment, with a focus on staff welfare and personal development that aims to retain and enhance our talent, and so build a stronger and more effective team.
Place Services is growing to meet the demand for our services, and we are currently recruiting for graduate level Urban Designers to join our multi-disciplinary consultancy team. This role is an excellent opportunity for a qualified Urban Designer who wants to be part of a growing team of high performing professionals working within the public sector on a diverse range of exciting projects.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective delivery of a range of services including development management consultations, undertaking design reviews, developing masterplans, design guides and codes.
Candidates should be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (relevant disciplines could include Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Town Planning and Architecture-based degree) and have relevant demonstrable professional experience.
Accountabilities
The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective delivery of a range of services including development management consultations, undertaking design reviews, developing masterplans, design guides and codes.
Specific accountabilities include:
- Supporting the Urban Design Team by providing technical and graphical support, including preparation of documents, plans, diagrams and GIS mapping.
- Contributing to effective delivery of a range of urban design services including assisting with a case load of development management consultations at all stages of the planning process.
- Supporting the evaluation and preparation of design codes and design briefs, assisting with design reviews, evaluating masterplans, and completing specialists tasks as part of multi-disciplinary projects.
- Writing consultation letter responses on Design matters to Planning Case Officers for pre-application consultations, and consultations for all types of planning applications.
- Assisting the development and delivery of learning and promotional material, training activities and events, and engaging with networks, to enhance the recognition and reputation of Place Services.
- Support the delivery of the Essex Quality Review Panel.
- Assisting bids for low-value opportunities and helping to monitor contractors and volunteers against specifications, indicators and budgets on low value contracts and minor projects.
- Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team, working to create a positive team culture within Place Services.
The Experience You Will Bring
Essential:
- Candidates should be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (relevant disciplines could include Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Town Planning and Architecture-based degree) and have relevant demonstrable professional experience.
- Good written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, publication and presentation.
- Demonstrable knowledge of legislation, planning policy and good practice relating to the built environment, including office and site-based practices and procedures.
- Has and maintains a broad knowledge of the constituent elements of the built environment, with an interest in developing specialist knowledge in one or more periods, topics, or practices.
Desirable:
- Awareness of commercial practices including preparation of bids and tenders.
- Good level of technical experience and knowledge of planning, architecture and urban design including site analysis, researching and preparing evidence base reports.
- Able to effectively prioritise and efficiently deliver work whilst maintaining focus on key projects or activities, within defined timescales.
- Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications and one or more of the following: AutoCAD, GIS, and other specialist software such as Adobe suite (InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop)
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
