Location
Bristol
Industry sector
Environment
Job type
Permanent | Full Time
Job start date
ASAP
Posted date
03/03/2026
Closing date
24/03/2026
Job Title: Senior / Principal Town Planner
Location: Bristol (Hybrid Working)
Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading global multi-disciplinary consultancy in their search for a Senior or Principal Town Planner to join their established and growing team in Bristol.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced planning professional to take a key role in delivering high-profile infrastructure and development projects that positively shape communities, support sustainable growth and contribute to a low-carbon future.
The Company
Our client is one of the UK's leading planning consultancies, recognised for its expertise in sustainable infrastructure and development. With a strong presence across the UK and internationally, they work at the forefront of thought leadership in Net Zero, ESG, Biodiversity Net Gain and digital transformation.
The Bristol team supports a wide portfolio of major public and private sector clients across energy, water, transport, defence, housing and regeneration. Their collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach enables them to deliver complex projects efficiently and innovatively.
The Role
As a Senior or Principal Town Planner, you will play a pivotal role in leading and delivering planning services across a diverse range of markets and sectors.
Key Responsibilities
* Acting as Planning Lead on a range of infrastructure and development projects.
* Managing projects from inception through to consent and beyond, ensuring delivery on time and within budget.
* Leading and contributing to bid preparation, tender submissions and framework responses.
* Acting as lead consultant on multi-disciplinary projects, coordinating inputs from environmental, engineering and design specialists.
* Providing strategic planning advice to clients across a range of consent regimes.
* Supporting and mentoring junior colleagues and contributing to the wider development of the Planning team.
* Building and maintaining strong client relationships and identifying opportunities for business growth.
* Engaging with market and client leads to support work winning and strategic development initiatives.
You will work within a dynamic, collaborative environment, partnering with professionals across environmental, engineering and design disciplines both in the UK and internationally.
About You
We are seeking an experienced planning professional with a strong technical background and commercial awareness.
Essential Requirements
* A relevant Planning degree.
* Experience working within consultancy, local authority or client-side planning environments.
* Demonstrable experience in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
* Strong understanding of Strategic Planning and Planning Policy.
* Knowledge and experience of TCPA, DCO, TWAO or equivalent consent regimes.
* Experience managing multiple projects and delivering outputs within agreed timescales and budgets.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain and discuss planning issues.
* Confidence working within multi-disciplinary teams across a variety of sectors and geographies.
* Demonstrable ability to develop and maintain client relationships.
* Experience supporting work winning and contributing to business growth initiatives.
Desirable
* RTPI membership (or working towards).
* Experience acting as Planning Lead on major infrastructure or complex development projects.
What's on Offer
The successful candidate will benefit from:
* Competitive salary (commensurate with experience)
* Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
* Generous holiday allowance
* Comprehensive benefits package tailored to individual lifestyle and wellbeing
* Structured training and professional development opportunities
* Clear career progression pathways
Interested?