Senior Planning Technician

Job Description

6 months contract with a Local Authority

Job Title: Senior Planning Technician

Job Purpose

To provide comprehensive technical, financial, administrative and customer-focused support across the Planning Service, ensuring the efficient management of complaints, Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests, financial administration, information governance, and service improvement activities.

The postholder will play a key role in supporting planning operations by coordinating complaint investigations, managing information requests, maintaining accurate records, undertaking financial monitoring and reporting, and supporting the delivery of high-quality customer services. The role will also contribute to service improvement initiatives, commercial activities, and the development of effective processes that enhance the customer experience and support statutory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Complaints and Customer Service

• Manage the end-to-end administration of Planning Service complaints, including logging, acknowledgment, monitoring, tracking deadlines, and coordinating responses.
  
• Quality assure complaint responses to ensure consistency, accuracy, and compliance with service standards.
  
• Coordinate responses to Member, MP, Ombudsman, and other escalated enquiries.
  
• Monitor complaint trends and provide performance reports and recommendations for service improvements.
  
• Ensure improvement actions arising from complaints and customer feedback are implemented and monitored.
  
• Communicate effectively with residents, applicants, planning professionals, elected Members, and other stakeholders.
  

Freedom of Information and Information Governance

• Coordinate and respond to FOI, EIR, GDPR and related information requests.
  
• Liaise with officers and departments to gather information within statutory timescales.
  
• Maintain audit trails and records relating to information requests.
  
• Undertake document review and redaction of sensitive and confidential information in accordance with legislation and Council policies.
  
• Monitor performance against statutory response deadlines and produce regular management reports.
  

Financial Administration

• Support financial administration across the Planning Service.
  
• Monitor income and expenditure, including cost recovery activities.
  
• Raise purchase orders and process invoices in accordance with financial procedures.
  
• Undertake debt recovery and payment monitoring activities.
  
• Complete reconciliations and produce financial management information reports.
  
• Support compliance with audit requirements and financial controls.
  
• Supervise and coach colleagues undertaking financial administration tasks.
  

Planning Service Support

• Maintain and update planning records and management information systems.
  
• Provide technical and administrative support to planning casework and operational processes.
  
• Assist with validation and consultation activities relating to planning applications where required.
  
• Support chargeable planning services and ensure associated income is accurately recorded and reported.
  
• Manage updates to Planning Service webpages and customer-facing information.
  
• Contribute to service improvement projects, digital transformation, self-service development, and commercial initiatives.
  

Training and Team Support

• Provide coaching and on-the-job training to Planning Technicians, apprentices, junior officers, and new team members.
  
• Support colleagues through knowledge sharing and the development of best practices.
  
• Work flexibly across the Planning Service to meet changing service demands and priorities.
  
• Participate in appraisal, performance management, and continuous professional development activities.
  

Compliance and Performance

• Ensure compliance with planning legislation, information governance requirements, Council policies, financial regulations, and customer service standards.
  
• Maintain accurate and confidential records.
  
• Monitor and report on service performance indicators.
  
• Contribute to achieving departmental targets and objectives.
  

Essential Experience

• Experience in administrative, technical, customer service, or business support roles.
  
• Experience managing complaints, enquiries, or customer correspondence.
  
• Experience of working with databases, record management systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
  
• Experience producing reports, performance data, or management information.
  
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information.
  
• Experience of financial administration, including purchase orders, invoicing, reconciliations, or income monitoring.
  
• Experience communicating with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally.
  

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within a Planning, Local Government, Regulatory, or Public Sector environment.
  
• Experience managing FOI, EIR, GDPR, or information governance requests.
  
• Experience undertaking document redaction and information disclosure processes.
  
• Experience supporting planning application processes.
  
• Experience supervising, coaching, or mentoring colleagues.
  
• Experience working with financial management systems and debt recovery processes.
  
• Experience contributing to service improvement or process review projects.
  

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to A-Level standard or equivalent qualification and/or relevant work experience.
  
• GCSE (or equivalent) Grade 4/C or above in English and Mathematics.
  

Desirable

• Business Administration, Customer Service, Information Governance, Finance, Planning, or Local Government qualification.
  
• ILM, NVQ, AAT, or equivalent professional qualification.
  
• Freedom of Information, GDPR, Data Protection, or Information Governance training.
  
• Planning-related qualification or experience working towards one.
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
  
• Strong customer service and communication skills.
  
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet competing deadlines.
  
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  
• Ability to interpret legislation, policies, procedures, and technical information.
  
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
  
• Strong numerical and financial administration skills.
  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook, and database systems.
  
• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially.
  
• Ability to produce professional reports and written correspondence.
  
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
  

Additional Information

• Location: 1 Catford Road, Catford, London, Greater London, SE6 4RU, United Kingdom
  
• Hours: 35 hours per week
  
• Working Pattern: Two days per week in the office and three days remote working following successful completion of training.
  
• Pay Rate: £28.87 per hour (Limited Company/Umbrella)
  
• The successful candidate will be expected to work flexibly across the Planning Service to support operational requirements and service priorities.
  
• The role involves regular interaction with members of the public, planning applicants, developers, elected members, solicitors, consultants, external organisations, and internal stakeholders.
  
• Ongoing professional development and participation in performance management and appraisal processes will be required.
  
• All duties must be carried out in accordance with Council policies, procedures, financial regulations, information governance requirements, and health and safety standards.
  
• Payment Schedule: Bi-weekly
  
• Start Date: Immediate start available
  
• Closing Date: Applications closing soon – early applications are encouraged
  

Requirements
• Manage and respond to incoming email enquiries received through Customer Finance generic mailboxes. • Answer incoming telephone calls relating to Adult Social Care invoices, care charges, homecare, and residential care queries. • Provide clear, accurate, and professional advice regarding customer finance matters. • Assist service users, families, carers, and representatives in understanding charging policies and procedures.