Location: Norwich City Centre
Employment: Full-time
Working: Primarily office-based, with some hybrid working
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Associate to join our growing multidisciplinary consultancy in Norwich city centre.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a background in town planning, architecture, or ideally a combination of both, who is looking for a varied senior role with the opportunity to become closely involved in all aspects of a growing business.

Working directly with our two Directors, you will play an important role in the day-to-day running and development of the practice. You will have responsibility for managing projects, liaising directly with clients and consultants, supporting junior members of the team and helping to deliver high-quality planning and development advice.

The role would suit someone who is confident, commercially aware and enjoys working in a relatively small team where you can make a genuine contribution and have a visible impact on the business.

Key Responsibilities

Your role will be varied and will include:

- Assisting the Directors with the day-to-day management and development of the business.
- Acting as a first point of contact for clients, developing strong and professional working relationships.
- Managing planning and development projects from initial enquiry through to completion.
- Preparing and reviewing planning applications, planning statements, reports and other supporting documentation.
- Liaising with Local Planning Authorities, Highways Authorities, consultants and other external stakeholders.
- Managing and coordinating the work of junior members of the team.
- Reviewing drawings, designs and technical information and contributing to the development of proposals.
- Supporting the preparation of fee proposals, scopes of work and project programmes.
- Attending client and consultant meetings and, where appropriate, site visits.
- Helping to maintain high standards of technical quality and client service across the business.
- Identifying opportunities to improve our processes, services and business development.
- Providing general support to the Directors across the wider operation of the practice.

About You

We are looking for someone who is able to demonstrate relevant professional experience in town planning, architecture or a related built-environment discipline.

You may be a Chartered Town Planner, an experienced planning professional, an architect, architectural professional or someone with a strong combination of planning and architectural experience.

Most importantly, you will be:

- Experienced and confident in dealing directly with clients.
- Able to manage projects and work independently.
- Comfortable managing and supporting junior staff.
- A strong communicator, both verbally and in writing.
- Organised, commercially aware and able to manage competing priorities.
- Confident liaising with planning authorities, consultants and other professionals.
- Able to understand and interpret architectural drawings and development proposals.
- Proactive, pragmatic and willing to get involved in all aspects of a growing business.
- Someone who takes pride in delivering a high-quality service to clients.

About Us

We are a growing multidisciplinary planning and development consultancy based in Norwich city centre.

We work with a diverse range of private clients, developers, businesses and landowners across Norfolk and the wider region, providing professional advice across planning, development and the built environment.

As a relatively small and growing practice, we offer something different from a large corporate consultancy. You will work closely with the Directors, have direct contact with clients and be given the opportunity to take real responsibility for projects and contribute to the future direction of the business.
 

What We Offer

- A senior position within a growing consultancy.
- Direct involvement in the management and development of the business.
- A varied workload across planning, development and architectural projects.
- Significant client-facing responsibility.
- The opportunity to manage and mentor junior staff.
- A collaborative working environment with direct access to the Directors.
- Primarily office-based working from our Norwich city-centre office, with some flexibility for hybrid working.
- Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
- Opportunities for career progression as the business continues to grow.

If you are an experienced planning or architectural professional looking for a genuinely varied role where you can take responsibility, work closely with senior management and play an important part in a growing consultancy, we would be very interested to hear from you.

Please send your CV and a brief covering letter to office@vivid.consulting outlining your experience and why you are interested in the role.