Associate Director Full Time

Penguin Recruitment

Associate Director – Town Planning
Locations: Abingdon, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester (Hybrid Working Available)
Level: Associate / Associate Director
Sector: Town Planning / Infrastructure Planning
Type: Full-Time, Permanent (Part-Time options)

An established multi-disciplinary consultancy is seeking an experienced Associate Director to join its growing national Development & Infrastructure Planning team. With opportunities available across multiple UK offices, this is a pivotal role suited for a commercially minded planner with strong leadership skills and a passion for delivering high-quality planning solutions across a diverse range of projects.

What’s on Offer:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Hybrid working as standard, with flexible arrangements available.
• Access to industry-recognised professional training and leadership development programs.
• A flat and collaborative team structure, fostering innovation and cross-sector learning.
• Opportunity to work on high-profile, nationally significant projects with real impact.

About the Role

Working as part of a collaborative, cross-disciplinary planning team, you will lead the delivery of complex planning applications across a wide spectrum of sectors including residential, commercial, logistics, energy, major infrastructure, data centres, retail, and aviation. You’ll contribute to business development, manage client relationships, and mentor junior planners. This is a fantastic opportunity to influence strategy and project delivery in a firm where planning is central to long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage planning projects of varying scale and complexity.
• Develop and maintain client relationships, identifying and securing new business.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to team development.
• Prepare and review planning applications, Local Plan representations, appeal statements, and EIA documents.
• Provide input into tender submissions and fee proposals.
• Support public inquiries, Local Plan examinations, and major consultations.
• Oversee project resourcing, finances, and compliance with client expectations.

About You:

• MRTPI qualified (or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience.
• Proven experience leading on large-scale planning projects, including infrastructure and energy developments.
• Strong understanding of UK planning policy and legal frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Commercial acumen with a strong client focus.

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV above, and for enquiries please contact Megan Field on (url removed) or call (phone number removed).