Associate Director

Location: Dorset, Wareham

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a highly regarded and established planning consultancy on the South Coast in their search for an Associate Director. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced Associate seeking a fresh challenge or a Senior Planner ready to progress into an Associate Director role within a supportive and well-respected practice.

The business has built an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality planning advice and successfully guiding development projects from inception through to delivery on the ground. If you became a planner to make a genuine impact, this Associate Director position offers the platform, autonomy and variety to do just that.

As an Associate Director, you will be a Chartered Town Planner with substantive experience gained in the public and/or private sector (consultancy or client-side). Your responsibilities will include:

• Understanding the needs and motivations of clients including housebuilders, land promoters, and national, regional and local developers.
• Developing and maintaining long-lasting relationships with clients and allied professionals.
• Demonstrating technical excellence and applying planning expertise to set and deliver effective strategies.
• Preparing high-quality written advice, reports, and planning appraisals.
• Undertaking due diligence and research, preparing and submitting planning applications and appeals.
• Liaising and negotiating with local authority officers throughout the determination process.
• Participating in community engagement and consultation events.
• Managing projects efficiently while working on your own initiative within a collaborative team environment.
• Supporting, mentoring and inspiring planners, assistant planners and graduate planners.

The successful Associate Director will demonstrate:

• A minimum of seven years' post-qualification experience (flexibility for the right candidate).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A solutions-focused mindset and enthusiasm for problem-solving.
• Good IT literacy, including MS Office and web-based systems.
• A willingness to learn and adapt as planning policy, legislation and best practice evolve.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a car.

Interested?

The hiring manager is looking to meet with suitable candidates as soon as possible. If you meet the criteria above, please contact Josh Jones at Penguin Recruitment on or email .