Job Description

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Hours: 37 hours per week

Worker Type: Hybrid Worker

Salary: Starting salary is £37,563 (Level one) rising to £40,444 (Level four) per annum (pro-rata for part-time) Plus £5,000 market supplement

Location: Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG

We’ve got an exciting opportunity available for talented individuals to join our workforce. Perhaps this is the opportunity you’ve been looking for? Read on to find out more.

Working for Nottingham City Council has great benefits. As well as competitive pay, great leave entitlement and access to a generous pension scheme, we strive to create an innovative, inclusive and progressive work culture where everyone is supported to do and be their very best.

In return, we are looking for people like you: people who are innovative, driven and committed to serving and improving Nottingham. If you are passionate about making a difference to the lives of those who live and work in our city, we want to hear from you.

• You can read more about the different benefits offered to colleagues working for Nottingham City Council here.

About the Role

Planning enforcement has a direct and visible impact on Nottingham’s neighbourhoods, communities and built environment. We are investing in the service and are looking for an experienced Senior Planning Enforcement Officer who can help us deal confidently and effectively with complex breaches of planning control.

You will take responsibility for a varied caseload of significant enforcement investigations, from the initial assessment of alleged breaches through evidence gathering, negotiation, formal action and, where necessary, prosecution or court proceedings. You will also supervise and support other enforcement officers, providing guidance on difficult cases and helping to ensure that investigations are progressed consistently and proportionately.

You will investigate unauthorised development and changes of use, carry out site inspections, gather and assess evidence and determine the most appropriate and proportionate course of action. You will prepare clear and robust reports, draft and serve statutory notices, instruct Legal Services and represent the Council at appeals, inquiries and court proceedings where required.

The role involves working closely with property owners, developers, agents, councillors, local communities, Legal Services, other Council teams and external organisations. You will be expected to explain complex issues clearly, negotiate practical solutions where possible and take decisive formal action where this is justified.

Alongside your own caseload, you will contribute to service improvement, stronger working practices and the continued development of the Planning Enforcement service.

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced planning enforcement professional who wants to take on greater responsibility and make a visible contribution to Nottingham. The city’s dense and varied urban environment creates challenging enforcement issues involving residential neighbourhoods, commercial premises, heritage assets, regeneration areas and complex changes of use. You will have room to exercise professional judgement, influence outcomes and help shape a modern, effective and proportionate enforcement service.

About You

The ideal candidate will have:

• Substantial experience in planning enforcement or a closely related planning role, including responsibility for complex investigations and formal enforcement action.
• Strong knowledge of planning law, enforcement procedures, statutory notices, evidence gathering and relevant legislation.
• Excellent investigative, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess evidence and determine a proportionate and legally robust course of action.
• The ability to manage a varied personal caseload while supervising and supporting other officers and ensuring that cases are progressed effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear reports and correspondence and negotiate confidently with property owners, developers, councillors, communities and legal professionals.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and remain calm and professional when dealing with difficult or contentious situations.

Experience of using planning enforcement systems and software would be helpful. A degree in Town Planning, Urban Planning or a related discipline, and membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute or another relevant professional body, are desirable rather than essential.

The role requires someone who can combine sound professional judgement with a practical and solutions-focused approach. You should be confident in seeking negotiated solutions where appropriate, but equally prepared to recommend and pursue formal action where this is necessary, proportionate and supported by the evidence.

You can find the job description for this post here.

How to Apply

Please submit:

• An up-to-date CV setting out your qualifications and employment history; and
• A supporting statement explaining how your knowledge, skills and experience match the five ideal-candidate criteria set out above.

Your supporting statement should provide clear and specific examples from your work. Please do not rely on your CV alone, as the CV and supporting statement will be considered together when shortlisting applicants.

At Nottingham City Council we believe that work is what you do, not where you do it. We offer different working arrangements, depending on the role, including hybrid working. Further information on Worker Types and what these mean in terms of how and where you work can be found on the additional information for applicants page.

For informal enquiries, please contact Alex Goddard by email at alexandra.goddard@nottinghamcity.gov.uk .

Closing Date: 14th December 2026

Please note there may be occasions where we close the advert before the closing date, and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Interviews will be held: early January 2027

If you have any technical issues when completing your application, please contact our Employee Service Centre: https://emss.org.uk/support

By applying for this job, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

Thank you for your interest in working for Nottingham City Council. As one of the largest employers in Nottingham we offer a wide range of roles across a range of services. In return for your skill, drive and commitment to serving the people of Nottingham, we can help you to develop an exciting and rewarding career, with access to the following benefits.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:

• 26 days annual leave (rising to 33 days after 5 years’ service) + bank holidays with the ability to buy additional leave annually
• Access to a generous, defined benefit pension scheme offering 17.9%
• Smart Working – to support your work life balance
• Health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres, cinema, shopping and much more!

Nottingham City Council is committed to recruiting a talented workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We are a fair, inclusive and Disability Confident Employer, welcoming applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and abilities. We recruit for diversity and value difference.

If you are a disabled candidate and wish to be considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this within your application. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and employment journey.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military families.

We particularly want to hear from you if you are from Minority Ethnic communities, identify within the LGBTQ+ community, or are disabled. These groups are currently underrepresented in our workforce, and we are committed to better reflecting the communities we serve.

We are supportive of flexible working arrangements wherever possible and encourage candidates to discuss this with us during the recruitment process.