Principal Urban Designer

We are looking for talented and passionate urban designers to join our award winning Built and Natural Environment Team - a multi disciplinary team of technical officers comprising of Urban Designers, Heritage Specialists, Ecologists, Landscape Designers, Arboriculturist who work within the Greater Cambridge Planning Service, a shared planning service between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

It’s an exciting time to join our team for experienced practitioners, wishing to establish their career in a high-profile growth location, with a proud reputation for the quality of new development that it delivers.
The post holders will play an important role in positively influencing high quality design outcomes, working in one of the UK’s important historic cities and at the centre of one of the fastest growing economies in the Country.

Projects include city extensions Marleigh and Springstead Village, redevelopment of City Centre sites, creation of two new towns at Northstowe and Waterbeach, development of various employment sites on Science and Research Parks and residential schemes in sensitive village locations. The team is pro-active, working closely with our communities, businesses, getting involved in policy formulation (The Greater Cambridge Joint Local Plan), production and implementation of design codes (The National Design Code Pathfinder Pilot) and guidance. You will work on a wide variety of projects including pre-application and application advice on schemes of different complexities, design codes, assisting in the delivery of the Greater Cambridge Design Review Panel, advising on our Strategic Sites, inputting into the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, mentor/manage colleagues where required and help deliver the services that we provide to internal and external clients.

You will have at least 4 years’ experience practicing urban design on complex, small and large scale pre-application/planning applications in a variety of contexts be it urban/rural infill, city/village extensions or new settlements; producing, advising or implementing urban design strategies, masterplans, design codes independently.

However, what matters most is that you have an excellent understanding of urban design issues; solution focused, passionate place-shaper; effective negotiator, with a keen eye for detail and a desire to work collaboratively to positively influence great outcomes!

You will be a great communicator who can provide urban design direction using verbal, written, and drawing skills on a range of projects and be able to balance competing work pressures.
You will need to be able to travel around the Greater Cambridge planning area to visit sites and attend meetings.
You will have a post graduate qualification in Urban Design and a first degree in architecture, landscape or planning.
You should also be eligible for and/or working towards a full membership of a relevant professional body RIBA, RTPI or UDG or equivalent. I

f you have the drive to embrace the exciting challenges of our busy Shared Planning Service, there is no better place to further your career! Until March 2024 we are taking part in a 4‑day working week trial by South Cambridgeshire District Council. A 4‑day week is when full-time staff work one less day per week (4 days instead of 5) but still get paid the same salary. It is not the same as compressed hours, which is working the traditional 37-hour week over 4 longer days. A 4‑day week for a full-time employee at the Shared Planning Service consists of 30 hours.
 

For part time staff, the amount of hours reduced would be calculated via a pro-rata reduction. A helpful way of explaining this arrangement is that staff will need to get 100% of their work done, in 80% of the time, for 100% of their salary, by changing the way we work.
 

The purpose of this trial is to better support the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, while still delivering an excellent service to our residents. Read more about our 4 day week trial. Please state your interest for applying for Permanent or Fixed term (1 year) . Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification which need to be read together.
 

Contact Name: Carley Bartley Contact Email: scdcrecruitment@scambs.gov.uk
Contact Telephone: 01954713000
Organisation Name: South Cambs District Council - Greater Cambridge Shared Planning
 

For more information please contact Trovine Monteiro,Team Leader, Built Environment on phone: 07595247098 email: trovine.monteiro@greatercambridgeplanning.org