Chief Planning Officer Permanent, Full Time (37 hours per week) Up to £90,117 per annum + LGPS Location: Chelmsford Working Style: Anywhere worker This is a hybrid-working role, with attendance in the Chelmsford office or functional work locations expected to be to 2-3 days per month on average, depending on business need. This is the lead professional role responsible for advising and supporting the Council''s Planning Committee. This a senior county planning leadership position, which requires a good understanding and experience of dealing with infrastructure, minerals and waste planning applications and policy. Please note we intend to invite successful applicants to interview in-person in County Hall, Chelmsford, on Tuesday 11th November 2025. By 2050 Essex will have seen a 20% increase in growth, this is a significant amount of new development, including large scale housing developments, Garden Communities, employment sites and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NIPS). The Chief Planners role is critically important to this growth agenda. This leader will have the ability to work with a wide range of both internal and external partners, to ensure that the interests of ECC, our residents, and the statutory responsibilities are undertaken and upheld, throughout the development and planning process. The role demands a strategic, creative, thinker with strong analytical skills, the able to critically assess performance and negotiate and constructively challeng