Lead Officer – Environment and Place

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic leader to take responsibility for the operational management of the Council’s Environment & Place Service, including specialist functions such as the Local Lead Flood Authority (Flood & Water), ecology, and tree advice services.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Placemaking, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering plans, strategies and projects that transform and strengthen services delivered by the Environment & Place team. You will also ensure the team supports the processing of applications through the provision of expert environmental advice. Through strong partnership working across the Council and with external stakeholders, you will ensure the delivery of a high‑performing, cost‑effective, and resilient service that meets local needs and helps create high‑quality places across North Northamptonshire. You should be proficient in particular on matters of Flood & Water (LLFA).

You will also oversee the support given in providing expert environmental advice in determining applications.

What will you be doing?

The purpose of the role is to provide strategic and operational leadership for the Council’s Environment & Place Service, ensuring statutory duties are met and high‑quality, efficient services are delivered. The role supports the transformation and continuous improvement of Environment & Place functions, provides professional expertise and advice, and works collaboratively across the Council and with partners to deliver sustainable, high‑quality places across North Northamptonshire.

Duties will include:

• Leading the operational delivery of the Council’s Environment & Place Services, ensuring compliance, performance, and value for money.
• Providing leadership across specialist functions including flood and water management (LLFA), ecology, and tree advice services.
• Managing and developing teams, driving service improvement, and delivering transformation and digital change.
• Supporting the Head of Policy & Placemaking, including deputising as required, to deliver strategic plans and high‑quality place‑based outcomes.
• Providing expert professional advice and representing the Council at committees, Public Inquiries/Examinations, and external forums.

About you

For this role you will require:

• A degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject (civil engineering, environment, or science-based subject) or equivalent years’ work experience to allow access to membership of a recognised professional organisation.
• Membership of the professional organisation in which they are trained, or demonstration of eligibility for full membership.
• Extensive knowledge of the environmental specialism in which they are trained i.e. the Local Lead Flood Authority (Flood & Water).
• Knowledge of the English planning system, including legislation, the National Planning Policy Framework and best practice advice.
• Experience of working at a senior level for a Local Planning Authority.
• Demonstration of a track record of projects in an environmental specialism; or supporting and overseeing the work of others to deliver on a range of planning proposals.
• Knowledge and understanding of key operational issues affecting environmental specialisms both nationally and locally.
• Able to travel independently to multiple sites across the Council’s administrative area to undertake site visits, or further away to attend meetings and events on behalf of the Council. For example, the ability to drive with access to own transport.
• Ability to demonstrate awareness/ understanding of equal opportunities and other behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs

Our benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

• Customer-focused
• Respectful
• Efficient
• Supportive
• Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) North Northamptonshire Council.

Armed Forces Community

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).