Partner - Planning & Development

Partner – Planning and Development Consultancy
Location: Northamptonshire
Confidential appointment
Immediate Partner / Equity opportunity for the right individual, or a clearly defined pathway
Joshua Robert are supporting a confidential appointment for an established consultancy looking to strengthen its planning and development offer across the Midlands.
This is aimed at an experienced MRTPI–qualified planning professional who is either already operating at Partner level, or is close to that point but does not yet have the title, influence or reward to match.
The opportunity is straightforward: lead, grow and shape a regional planning consultancy offer with genuine autonomy and a serious commercial platform behind you.
For the right person, this can include immediate Partner status and equity participation. If that is not appropriate from day one, there is scope to agree a clear and structured pathway to achieve it.

The Opportunity
This is not a standard Planning Manager role.
The client is looking for someone who can take ownership of a planning and development consultancy function, develop client relationships, win instructions and build a stronger regional presence.
The role will suit someone who enjoys the commercial side of consultancy as much as the technical side: advising clients, identifying opportunities, building relationships and creating long–term value.
There is already a platform to build from, but the successful candidate will have the freedom to shape the direction of the offer and grow it around their own market presence.

Why It Is Worth Considering
This opportunity is likely to appeal if you are asking yourself:

• Am I already operating at this level without the title or reward?
• Is my route to equity clear, or just talked about?
• Am I building value for someone else without a meaningful stake?
• Could I grow something faster with the right backing?
• Do I want more control over the clients, work and team I build?

The client can offer:

• Immediate Partner status for the right person
• Potential equity participation
• A clear route to partnership if not immediate
• Senior–level package shaped around experience and commercial value
• Autonomy to lead and grow a regional planning function
• Existing relationships and workstreams to build from
• Scope to recruit and develop a team around you
• Direct influence in the direction of the business

The Role
The successful candidate will lead the growth of a planning and development consultancy offer across the Midlands.
The role will involve:

• Developing instructions from landowners, developers, promoters, investors and property clients
• Providing strategic planning advice across residential, commercial, mixed–use and strategic land projects
• Leading on pre–application strategy, planning applications, appeals and post–planning work
• Building and maintaining senior client relationships
• Generating new business through referrals, networks and market activity
• Building a stronger regional profile for the planning offer
• Growing a team as the opportunity develops
• Contributing to the wider commercial direction of the business

The Person
You will need to be MRTPI qualified .
You are likely to be operating as a Senior Associate, Associate Director, Director, Salaried Partner or Partner within planning consultancy, development consultancy or a similar advisory environment.
You should bring:

• Strong private sector planning consultancy experience
• Credibility with landowners, developers, agents, local authorities and professional teams
• A track record of developing client relationships
• Commercial judgement and business development ability
• Technical strength across planning strategy, applications, appeals and development advice
• The confidence to represent a consultancy externally
• The ambition to build and grow a profitable planning offer

The key requirement is simple: the client is looking for someone who can create commercial value, not just deliver planning work.

For a confidential discussion, please apply or contact Joshua Robert directly.