Conservation and Design Officer (Historic / Listed Buildings)

Conservation and Design Officer (Historic / Listed Buildings) 

South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of Whitehorse District Council are forward thinking local authorities, based in one of the most attractive areas of the country. They are looking for a professional, competent and enthusiastic person who is able to communicate well at all levels. An excellent benefits package is on offer including annualised hours (flexible working) and a career average pension scheme. 

Position: Conservation and Design Officer 
Location: Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire 
Hours: Full time, working 37 hours per week 
Role: Permanent 
Salary: £32,818per year 
Benefits: a generous annual leave entitlement, career average pension scheme, flexible annualised hours working arrangement, free car parking and more. 

ROLE: 
Providing effective professional advice on listed buildings and conservation for the council, and to encourage best practice in a shared working arrangement. 

To help facilitate informed decisions by ensuring that officers and councillors are appraised of issues and receive relevant, best practice professional advice. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 
a) Provide specialist advice on applications for listed building consent, conservation area consent and planning permission. This will involve assessment of proposals on site, discussion with planning and other colleagues and negotiation with applicants/agents. Occasional attendance at Planning Committee to provide advice. 
b) Preparation of conservation area character appraisals and management plans. This will involve fieldwork, documentary research and the compilation of draft texts and maps, public consultation and committee reports/presentations. 
c) To assist with the development of conservation and design policies and monitoring procedures, and internal procedures for dealing with listed building and conservation matters as appropriate. 
d) To assist and undertake planning and listed building appeals including appearing at hearings as the Council`s expert witness. 

ESSENTIAL SKILLS / EXPERIENCE: 
a) Significant experience of working in a planning environment of which one year is in the field of planning conservation or architecture. 
b) Good IT experience in; Windows, including office and excel, plus email and internet, good keyboard skills. 
c) Good project management skills. 
d) Skills and knowledge to plan and organise workload. 
e) Good knowledge of English architectural history and building construction and an ability to recognise common defects and assist with devising appropriate preservation, repair and enhancement solutions for historic buildings and a desire to keep knowledge up to date. 
f) Good interpersonal skills with customers and stakeholders, demonstrating an understanding of individual needs. 
g) Able to provide readily understood professional advice to customers and stakeholders, using tailored language specific to their level of understanding needs. 
h) Able to communicate ideas and expectations clearly and succinctly, using plain language. 
i) Good negotiating skills, actively listening to others` viewpoints and explaining the organisational perspective. 

Please note that all candidates who meet the essential criteria will be contacted via email and asked to complete an on-line application process. You will need to complete this process before the closing date otherwise your application will not be considered. The

Because our client`s application process consists of completing a detailed application form please be aware that if you apply within 48 hours of the closing date we may not be able to process your application quickly enough in order for you to complete the final stage. 

You may have experience of the following: Conservation and Design Officer, Historic Buildings Advisor, Conservation Architect, Town Planning, Planner, RTPI, IHBC, Listed Buildings, Conservation Planning, Architecture, Surveyor, Heritage Protection, Urban Regeneration etc. 

This vacancy is being advertised by Easy Web Recruitment, the UK`s leading Online Recruitment Agency. The services advertised by Easy Web Recruitment are those of an employment agency. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, or belief, and we confirm that we will gladly accept all applications.