An Executive Planner is currently the second grade within the four tiers of planning posts within Galway City Council.  These range from Assistant Planner through to Executive, Senior Executive and Senior Planner grades. Executive Planners work within the Planning Function of Galway City Council. The section works broadly under the following headings: Forward Planning, Development Management, Enforcement and Special Projects.  However, an Executive Planner will be required to input into multi-disciplinary project teams on occasion, under the direction and line management of a Senior Executive Planner.  Local Authorities also play a key role in supporting economic development and enterprise promotion at a local level. The Executive Planner may from time to time be required to deputise for a Senior Executive Planner or more senior personnel and must be willing to take on this challenge. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services and shall demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of:

•           Local authority services, its key stakeholders and relationships
•           Local government structures and its democratic role and mandate
•           Current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, particularly in relation to planning policy and practice
•           Key policies guiding the local government sector
•           National, Regional and Local planning issues
•           Fostering and maintaining wide ranging productive working relationship both internally and externally to the organisation
•           Implementing change
•           Public service values

The ideal candidate should also have an excellent technical knowledge base and experience of planning policy and practices to include the following:

•           Planning legislation & procedures across the areas of forward planning, development management and enforcement in particular
•           Current and future planning issues facing Galway City and its wider region
•           Administration, report writing and putting across a well-researched and reasoned recommendation
•           Experience of working within multidisciplinary teams or demonstration of ability to do so
•           Project or team leadership
•           Awareness of and management of Health, Safety and Welfare in the workplace
•           Operating ICT systems, in particular word processing, presentation and GIS systems
•           Prioritising of work effectively
•           Acting on own initiative
•           Dealing effectively with conflicting demands
•           Working under pressure to tight deadlines
 

The duties to be assigned include the following although this list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time as organisational needs require:

• Conducting site visits & preparing recommendations on assigned planning applications including applications made directly to An Bord Pleanala where a local authority report is requested.
• Preparing responses to pre-planning requests & holding pre planning meetings.
• Preparing responses to planning appeals, attendance and input at oral hearings as necessary.
• Carrying out site visits and preparing recommendations in relation to planning enforcement and derelict sites, including attendance at court cases and the giving of evidence.
• Preparing responses for submissions on compliance with planning conditions.
• Advising on and preparation of recommendations on ‘Section 5’ and ‘Section 57’ exempted development declaration applications and other declarations as directed.
• Giving planning advice on the preparation and processing of “Part 8” Local Authority development applications.
• Planning role with respect to environmental reports associated with these specific statutory requirements in development management planning and policy planning. 
• Planning assessment of value and impacts on built heritage associated with both development management and policy planning
• Responding to planning queries, completions of returns etc. from other Council departments and national and regional Government / statutory agencies / external bodies as directed.
• Carrying out survey work, research, analysis, drafting policies and proposals, preparing written statements and maps and other work as required on the agreed Development Plan & Policy Forward Planning work programme, including but not limited to, plans and associated environmental reports, other planning strategies and studies, urban regeneration strategies / plans, urban design / public realm strategies.
• Input into the preparation of, management and administration of environmental assessments of planning applications and plans / programmes as required.
• Assistance in organising and facilitating public consultation and participation including attendance at meetings and other public forums, making presentations and recording and responding to queries.
• Dealing professionally, courteously and efficiently with queries from members of the public and their agents.
• Providing a high level of service to public representatives, including attendance at and presentations to the relevant Strategic Policy Committee and at meetings of the Council and Area Committees.
• Maintaining, managing where required and proactively developing a culture of Health and Safety in the workplace
• Engaging in Continuing Professional Development/Training.
• Incorporating the use of ICT and efficiencies into work practices.
• Engaging as a member of a team on specific projects and preparation for and attendance at staff meetings.
• Working in a supervisory role in relation to planning related areas of work as required, also taking a role in the planning section’s input into multi-disciplinary teams as specified by the Senior Executive Planner or Senior Planner.
• Taking a project management role on strategic planning related projects as required.
• Acting or deputising for senior personnel in their absence when required
• Undertaking any other duties of a similar level and responsibility, as may be required, or assigned, from time to time.