Assistant Urban Design Consultant

About the role

Assistant Urban Design Consultant

Permanent, Full Time

£26,927 to £31,678 per annum

Location: East of England

Closing Date: 20th July 2025

This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Chelmsford 1 day per week, with the remaining time for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation’s needs.

The Role

Place Services is growing to meet the demand for our services, and we are currently recruiting for graduate level Urban Designers to join our multi-disciplinary consultancy team. This role is an excellent opportunity for a qualified Urban Designer who wants to be part of a growing team of high performing professionals working within the public sector on a diverse range of exciting projects.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective delivery of a range of services including development management consultations, undertaking design reviews, developing masterplans, design guides and codes.

Candidates should be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (relevant disciplines could include Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Town Planning and Architecture-based degree) and have relevant demonstrable professional experience.

To find out more about us please visit our website: www.placeservices.co.uk

For an informal discussion about the position please call Peter Dawson on 03330136861 or 07748623787.

The Opportunity

Place Services is a multi-disciplinary consultancy within Essex County Council providing environmental and planning services to the Council, local authorities, and other public bodies across the UK. Our purpose is to support the public sector to deliver sustainable development. We do that by enhancing and conserving the natural, historic, and built environment, and achieving well-designed places. The Assistant Urban Design Consultant will assist with the delivery of our Urban Design services.

We offer a dynamic working environment, with a focus on staff welfare and personal development that aims to retain and enhance our talent, and so build a stronger and more effective team.

Accountabilities

Specific accountabilities include:

Supporting the Urban Design Team by providing technical and graphical support, including preparation of documents, plans, diagrams and GIS mapping.
Contributing to effective delivery of a range of urban design services including assisting with a case load of development management consultations at all stages of the planning process.
Supporting the evaluation and preparation of design codes and design briefs, assisting with design reviews, evaluating masterplans, and completing specialists tasks as part of multi-disciplinary projects.
Writing consultation letter responses on Design matters to Planning Case Officers for pre-application consultations, and consultations for all types of planning applications.
Assisting the development and delivery of learning and promotional material, training activities and events, and engaging with networks, to enhance the recognition and reputation of Place Services.
Support the delivery of the Essex Quality Review Panel.
Assisting bids for low-value opportunities and helping to monitor contractors and volunteers against specifications, indicators and budgets on low value contracts and minor projects.
Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team, working to create a positive team culture within Place Services.

The Experience You Will Bring

Essential:

Candidates should be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (relevant disciplines could include Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Town Planning and Architecture-based degree) and have relevant demonstrable professional experience.
Good written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, publication and presentation.
Demonstrable knowledge of legislation, planning policy and good practice relating to the built environment, including office and site-based practices and procedures.
Has and maintains a broad knowledge of the constituent elements of the built environment, with an interest in developing specialist knowledge in one or more periods, topics, or practices.
Awareness of commercial practices including preparation of bids and tenders.

Desirable:

Good level of technical experience and knowledge of planning, architecture and urban design including site analysis, researching and preparing evidence base reports.
Able to effectively prioritise and efficiently deliver work whilst maintaining focus on key projects or activities, within defined timescales.
Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications and one or more of the following: AutoCAD, GIS, and other specialist software such as Adobe suite (InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop)
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

To read more about us please visit: Economy, Investment and Public Health

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website: insert link here:

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email jamielea.wallis@essex.gov.uk

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