Senior Design Officer - REQ001571

Job title: Senior Design Officer

Salary: PO2 £38,626 - £41,511

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8BB. Hybrid working available.

Leeds is the UK’s fastest growing city and is the main economic driver of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with a £70 billion economy and a combined population of 3 million.

This brings exciting opportunities through new development and investment, to re-shape places, including dense urban areas like the city centre, inner suburban areas like Beeston with its Victorian terraces, large towns such as Morley and Wetherby, and villages such as Gildersome, Harewood and Bramham.

As a Senior Design Officer, you will be working closely with Development Management officers, developers and other consultees to help deliver on a wide range of planning application schemes. This could include:

High density city centre dwellings.
Infrastructure delivery such as the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, Mass Rapid Transit, Park & Ride schemes and smaller highway schemes.
Large commercial schemes including retail, warehousing, and newer forms of development needs such as data storage.
Small housing schemes, including self-build and Modern Methods of Reconstruction.
New build within Conservation Areas, and dealing with design and placemaking affecting all Heritage Assets.
Shaping the spaces and places between buildings and areas with an eye on improved connections, green and blue infrastructure, habitat networks, and impacting on peoples wellbeing and opportunity.

There are several exciting projects ongoing in the Leeds District which will be key to unlocking further economic, social and environmental benefits and this includes:

A Transformational Regeneration programme agreed with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, featuring six neighbourhood growth areas across the City Centre where over 20,000 new homes will be built,
A new national poetry centre in a listed church.
British Library development at Temple Works, a Grade I listed building.
A new Mass Rapid Transit system, being delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and local authorities, which will travel through the Innovation Zone.
Further expansion of the District Heating Network.
The City Council is also preparing an extensive update to its Local Plan with planning policies that will frame and help implement sustainable development across the District.

About the role

This role will provide architectural, urban design and landscape architecture advice to help inform planning applications from external developers, and to help shape and steer Council schemes including those for council housing and highway infrastructure. You will work closely with a range of other internal consultee specialisms including heritage, landscaping, biodiversity and of course planning policy colleagues. You will need to interact with a wide range of stakeholders including professional architects, developers, the public and Elected Members, however most of the work will be alongside Development Management officers.

There is also opportunity to be involved in project work which can range from the design of small place enhancements up to the redevelopment of Leeds City Station. Project work will require you to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, reflecting high quality design and placemaking that respects the needs of other Council officers.

About you

You will have a relevant professional qualification (e.g. ARB registered Architect, MA in Urban Design) and will have experience of working in an urban design role, ideally a minimum of 5 years' experience, and it would be helpful to have some knowledge of the UK Town Planning system.

You will need to demonstrate through examples of your own work and experiences that you can negotiate, attend and lead meetings and produce high quality outcomes.

You will need to be able to use digital software programmes with a working knowledge of AutoCAD and of the design programmes in the Adobe suite being particularly relevant.

You must be able to give examples of how you can problem-solve and how these skills then help achieve high-quality, workable design solutions.

The role will require you to have knowledge and understanding of national design guidance and policies and how these then filter down to local design policies and guidance documents, and you will need to understand how these can be applied to produce optimum design outcomes for development schemes.

You will also need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of project management and ability to work to tight timescales.

You will need to demonstrate good personal management skills, motivation and the ability to adapt to a changing work environment.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
Opportunity to work flexibly and in a hybrid format, subject to service requirements
Continuing professional development opportunities
A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form. We cannot accept CV’s or informal approaches.

Please read our guidance for further advice, check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact John Stonard john.stonard@leeds.gov.uk or telephone 0113 336 8297.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

To work as a member of the Design Team to achieve the highest standards of design within the built environment in accordance with the Council’s policies, for the benefit of the community.

Responsibilities

To undertake the delivery of specified elements of the Team’s Work Programme, Service Plan and Council Plan in relation to a defined activity or small range of activities, in order to meet targets and achieve improvements.

Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement areas, focussing on equality of outcome.

Actively support continuous improvement initiatives through contributing to cross Council projects and supporting Service Management Team

Within a small service area or number of areas, to take responsibility for maintaining effective communications with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with Council good practice and with regard to implementing e-government objectives

To work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways that support open, responsive and accountable government.

To develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external customers and other stakeholders to achieve corporate objectives and to maintain a position of service provider of first choice.

Provide specialist design and urban design advice to colleagues within City Development and wider Council, including representing the Council at Appeals/Inquiries, with particular emphasis on high quality urban design and sustainable design principles.

Assist with the preparation of Urban Design Strategies, planning and development briefs and other site-specific design guidance.

Assist with the preparation of Design Codes, Guides and other initiatives including the Council-wide projects, programmes and related regeneration initiatives.

Advise and negotiate with members of the public, developers and their agents.

To abide by the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in the duties of the post and as an employee of the Council.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Degree level qualification in architecture, urban design, planning or a related design discipline.

Experience of working in urban design or related design discipline such as landscape architecture.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Able to work flexibly and travel throughout Leeds City Council boundaries and move location within the service working at different sites /areas depending on need.
Able to organise and prioritise work effectively as part of a team, demonstrating organisational and time management skills prioritising own and colleagues work to meet conflicting deadlines.
Able to make recommendation on budget management and financial planning.
Able to accurately enter and retrieve data and information from digital and manual systems preparing and presenting reports and data to a wide range of audiences in an accurate and timely manner.
Able to communicate effectively sensitive and complex information with a wide range of people including internal and external partners and customers
Able to use initiative to develop solutions to issues and problems
Able to design and implement complex strategies.
Able to innovate and propose new systems and policies to improve delivery of service and outcomes.
Able to demonstrate leadership skills.
Familiarity with the character and context of Leeds.
Understand governance and compliance in local government.
Understand legislative context as it applies to historic environment local and national planning policy.
In depth knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, policies with ability to interpret and apply them consistently.
Knowledge of Information Governance issues related to urban design. ensuring paper and electronic information are treated appropriately and comply with legal and regulatory obligations, in accordance with requirements of GDPR
Understand responsibilities in terms of Health and Safety, security, confidentiality and data protection
Experience of working to strict deadlines.
Experience in the use of information technology e.g. word, spreadsheet, database, internet etc.
Experience of working as part of a team, developing constructive working relationships with services
Experience of using initiative to make decisions and develop solutions to issues and problems
Experience of working in an operational/customer service environment.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Able to communicate ideas using a variety of methods.
Membership of relevant professional body.
Valid driving licence.
Knowledge of Information Governance issues related to urban design matters.
Knowledge of project management and associated tools and software systems.
Experience of working and making decisions under own initiative.

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