Assistant Planning Officer

Duties and responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities of the position are:
• Assisting in the preparation, analysis, monitoring and implementation of plans, policies, reports and documents on matters relating to strategic and local and subsidiary planning including the formulation of development briefs; participation in monitoring and review of the Structure Plan; in the preparation, monitoring and review of other subsidiary plans; and in the evaluation of policies, reports, plans etc.
• Processing applications for development permission including preparing draft reports with recommendations for the Director Development Management/Planning, the Planning Commission or Planning Authority and Environment and Planning Tribunal as appropriate, and presentation of applications before the Planning Commission as necessary.
• Preparing statements on requests for reconsiderations and appeals and, representing the Director of Planning at appeal hearings, as necessary.
• Preparing and assisting in the preparation and implementation of planning studies, plans, policies, reports, documents, surveys, data collation, mapping, information analysis and advice relating to any planning issue or matter concerned with the functions of the Unit.
• As necessary, attending meetings of the Authority, committees, public meetings, exhibitions or other functions in support of or representing the Director of Planning or Planning Commission.
• Regularly, monitoring development underway to ensure that it is undertaken in accordance with permission granted, detecting unauthorised development and issuing of development certificates of completion as appropriate.
• Maintaining all necessary case files, reports, and system updates on the Planning Authority’s database.
• Investigating complaints and alleged breaches of conditions imposed in development permits and drafting of relative responses to complainants.
• Giving advice and conducting discussions/negotiations on appropriate measures to rectify/regularize position with those potentially in breach of planning control.
• Preparing reports, taking photographs and compiling site history including maintaining, up-to-date procedural and statistical information.
• Liaise closely with legal counsel on court procedures and give evidence in court or other similar fora.
• Carrying out related subsidiary and ancillary tasks within the normal flexibility of the job.

Eligibility, Qualifications and Experience Required

By the closing date of this advert, applicants must be:

• citizens of Malta; or
• citizens of other Member States of the European Union who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters of employment by virtue of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
• citizens of any other country who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment by virtue of the application to that country of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
• any other persons who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment in terms of the law or the above-mentioned EU legislation and treaty provisions, on account of their family relationship with persons mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c); or
• third country nationals who have been granted long-term resident status in Malta under regulation 4 of the “Status of Long-Term Residents (Third Country Nationals) Regulations, 2006” or who have been granted a residence permit under regulation 18(3) thereof, together with family members of such third country nationals who have been granted a residence permit under the “Family Reunification Regulations, 2007”; or
• in possession of a residence document issued in terms of the “Residence Status of United Kingdom Nationals and their Family Members in Malta in accordance with the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community Regulations”.
• The advice of the Citizenship Unit within Community Malta Agency and the Expatriates Unit within Identita` should be sought as necessary in the interpretation of the above provisions.
• The appointment of candidates referred to at (b), (c), (d) and (e) above would necessitate the issue of an employment licence in so far as this is required by the Immigration Act and subsidiary legislation. Jobsplus should be consulted as necessary on this issue.

AND

By the closing date of this vacancy, applicants must be in possession of:

• First degree in planning or in a discipline related to planning or to one of the Development Management/Planning Directorate's specialised areas of work or qualified as an architect & civil en-gineer with at least some land use planning experience.
• Applicants who have not yet formally obtained any of the qualifications required will be considered, subject to the submission of evidence that they have been approved for the award of the qualification in question.

AND

• Skills in research and information analysis, communication and interpersonal skills, creative skills in identifying solutions to planning issues. Time management, quality control and monitoring. Report Writing Skills including ability to deal with pressure and act with tact and firmness in challenging situations. Proficient use of ACAD.