Senior Urban Planning Manager

The Senior Urban Planning Manager plays a pivotal role in supporting the Urban Planning Director in managing statutory town planning, heritage, and environmental processes essential to realizing the company's development vision. This role involves evaluating development proposals to ensure alignment with the company’s principles and policies. The Senior Urban Planning Manager is responsible for directing and managing these processes, with careful consideration of the V&A Waterfront’s unique zoning rights, relevant planning legislation, and both local and provincial policy documents.Key responsibilities include ongoing liaison with authorities and consultants, as well as the management of multi-disciplinary professional teams throughout the life cycle of development projects. Together with the Urban Planning Director, the Senior Urban Planning Manager is also tasked with establishing and maintaining robust systems for managing the company’s planning information and documentation, essential for both internal and external assessments. Monitoring and addressing planning and development issues that could impact the V&A Waterfront is a critical aspect of this role.Proficiency with municipal zoning regulations is essential for success in this position.

Job Objectives:

Manage Development Planning

• Assess the company’s strategic and spatial planning objectives in collaboration with the Urban Planning Director

• Collectively and collaboratively implement development vision for the Waterfront

• Analyze and review planning and related matters regarding proposed, current and past projects

• Establish, prepare and manage planning, heritage and environmental development controls and applications

• Align implementation of development plans with development controls and approval processes

• Direct, coordinate and manage statutory approval processes, and liaise with local and provincial authorities

• Manage and coordinate development objectives between company’s business units

Project Management

• Coordinate, manage and review planning inputs and workflows for development approval processes

• Collectively coordinate and manage internal resources and consultants, including budgets

• Collectively manage planning approval processes with regard to active Development department projects

• Collectively manage and maintain system of planning records, plans, reports, approvals and documents

• Collectively manage communication of planning and related information with internal and external parties, and authorities

Monitoring Planning and Development

• Monitor on-gong V&A planning requirements and obligations with regard to V&A development rights, e.g., Heritage Conservation Management Plan, Bulk Register

• Monitor and review general development and spatial planning issues impacting on the V&A

• Prepare and submit reports on a) planning applications affecting the V&A and b) development issues, policies and spatial plans

• Monitor and review local and provincial planning legislation, policies, development plans and frameworks and potential impacts on V&A projects

Technical Resources & Support

• Manage, review and coordinate reports and documentation for planning and related applications

• Brief consultants, planners and technicians for reports and applications

• Assess and report on developments, projects and feasibility studies

• Assist with approval of building plans

• Review plans and maps for planning reports and applications

• Conduct site visits and inspections

Educational Requirements:

• Postgraduate Urban and Regional Planning Degree (NQF level 9)

• Certificate Course/s in Built Environment field

• Registration with South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN) as a Professional Planner

Knowledge Requirements:

• Town Planning, Environmental and Heritage Legislation and Procedures

• ‘Package of Plans’ planning approval system

• City of Cape Town Development Management Scheme (DMS)

• National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act

• Development project requirements & skill sets of built environment professionals

• Local and Provincial Government Development Policies and Frameworks

• Urban development and planning principles and issues, and implementation thereof

• Reading and interpreting plans and drawings related to own and related professions

Skills Requirements:

• Management of multi-disciplinary teams

• Management of project requirements and resource planning

• Allocation and management of project budgets

• Good strategic thinking, planning and implementation abilities

• Advanced Written and Verbal Communication

• Advanced report writing ability

• Critical, Logical & Numerical Reasoning skills

• Detail-oriented and sound administrative skills

• Strong ability to work independently and in teams

• Proficient in MS Office

• Presentation Skills

Experience Requirements:

• 10+ years’ experience, including strategic development planning. Must have at least 5 Years experience working with a Municipal Zoning scheme

**This role is in alignment with Employment Equity targets.