Assistant Planning Policy Officer

Assistant Planning Policy Officer
Bovey Tracey, Devon

About Us

Dartmoor National Park Authority works in partnership with local and national stakeholders to conserve and enhance Dartmoor as a vibrant, living, working landscape and community teeming with natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage.

We promote opportunities for the public to understand and enjoy the special qualities of Dartmoor National Park, whilst also promoting the economic and social wellbeing of local communities.

We’re excited to be looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Assistant Planning Policy Officer to join our team on a temporary contract of up to 12 months. If you’re ready to make a real impact and contribute to shaping our community’s future, we’d love to hear from you.

The Benefits

- Salary of £29,540 - £33,699 per annum
- Generous annual leave and flexitime policies
- Access to electric vehicle pool car fleet
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Beautiful office location on National Trust estate, with free parking and café on site
- Discounts at National Park Visitor Centres
- Free parking in our car parks on Dartmoor

The Role

As an Assistant Planning Policy Officer, you will play a key role in helping to deliver our Planning activities and support our role as the Planning Authority for Dartmoor National Park.

Specifically, you will support the work of the Spatial Planning Directorate in the preparation and delivery of our Partnership Plan, as well as statutory planning functions related to the Local Plan.

You will also ensure that we foster the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities throughout the National Park and have a role in planning how we, as an organisation and as a National Park, mitigate and adapt to climate change.

You will monitor Local Plan policies and actions, supporting the review, governance and implementation of the Partnership Plan, co-ordinate the evidence base for policy development in the National Park and assist in monitoring and action setting in relation to climate change objectives.

This varied and engaging role will also involve:

- Carrying out surveys, studies, and appraisals relating to the work of the Authority
- Advising on how the Authority can use data more effectively
- Preparing project briefs and invitations to tender for surveys, studies and appraisals
- Preparing monitoring reports
- Collating, analysing and preparing State of the Park information
- Advising the Development Management team, applicants and landowners on planning policy
- Liaising with local authorities, agencies, stakeholders and other organisations to foster partnership working
- Contributing to web content, social media and publications and helping with events

About You

To be considered as an Assistant Planning Policy Officer, you will need:

- A degree-level qualification, ideally in Town and Country Planning or a related environmental, geography or natural/social sciences discipline
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel and ideally GIS applications, plus general ICT skills, including those associated with data analysis, presentation, web and social media

Knowledge of relevant planning legislation would be beneficial to your application, as would an understanding of the role of National Park Authorities. Knowledge of local plan production, the procedures that need to be followed and the documents that underpin the production of policy plans would be advantageous. An advanced ICT skill set related to design and statistical software packages will also be helpful in this role.

Previous Local Government experience of working in Planning Policy and Development Management would be desirable, as would a sound understanding of planning issues, including those relating to minerals and waste issues. Experience of dealing with the general public, agents, and elected members on planning policy matters would be equally favourable.

Other organisations may call this role Graduate Policy Officer, Planning Policy Officer, Graduate Planning Officer, Graduate Planning Policy Officer, or Graduate Planner.

For further information, or to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Liz Payne, Senior Planning Policy Officer.

Closing date: Sunday 26th April 2026
Interview date: Friday 15th May 2026

Dartmoor National Park Authority is a disability confident and an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment.

So, if you’re seeking your next challenge as an Assistant Planning Policy Officer, please apply via the button shown