Project Officer| Permanent| Full-Time

Salary £36,363-£40,777 Per annum | Permanent| Full Time - 37 hours per week International Sponsorship – this role is not open to international sponsorship Housing Coordinator (Grade 8)| Education – School Place Planning Team| Location: County Hall / Hybrid Help Shape Lancashire's Future Lancashire County Council is committed to ensuring every child has access to the right school place at the right time. As housing growth continues across the county, we are seeking a motivated and analytical School Place Planning Officer (Housing) to help ensure that education infrastructure keeps pace with new development. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of education, planning and housing, influencing how communities grow and helping secure investment in school places for future generations. About the Role As part of the School Place Planning Team, you will support the coordination of Lancashire County Council's education response to housing growth and development proposals. Working closely with district planning authorities, developers and internal colleagues, you will assess the impact of housing developments on school place demand and help secure appropriate mitigation through the planning process. You will monitor planning applications and local plans, analyse education sufficiency data, prepare evidence-based responses to consultations, and oversee developer contributions secured through Section 106 agreements. This role offers variety, responsibility and the opportunity to make a tangible difference to communities across Lancashire. Key Responsibilities You will: Monitor district planning portals and assess housing developments for their impact on school place provision. Prepare educational infrastructure assessments and consultation responses for planning applications. Support responses to Local Plans, masterplans and strategic planning documents. Analyse pupil place planning data and identify future education infrastructure requirements. Monitor Section 106 agreements, including payment triggers, indexation calculations and clawback provisions. Coordinate the collection and sharing of housing and planning information with school place planning colleagues. Support statutory returns, including Infrastructure Funding Statements. Maintain accurate records and provide regular performance and service updates. Work collaboratively with planning authorities, developers, schools and other stakeholders to secure positive outcomes for Lancashire communities. Contribute to the continual review and improvement of processes, procedures and methodologies. About You We are looking for someone who is: Educated to degree level, working towards a degree, or able to demonstrate equivalent relevant experience. Experienced in working across multiple stakeholders with differing priorities. Skilled in analysing and interpreting complex data. Confident in preparing clear, evidence-based reports and written responses. Able to understand and interpret legislation, policy and guidance. An excellent communicator with strong interpersonal and influencing skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel. Organised, methodical and able to manage competing deadlines. Knowledge and Experience You will ideally have: Experience of working within education planning, local government, planning, housing, infrastructure or a related field. Understanding of the Education Act and Town and Country Planning legislation. Experience of working with large datasets and producing analytical reports. Knowledge of developer contributions and planning processes (desirable). The Lancashire Mindset At Lancashire County Council, we are guided by our commitment to: Growth Continuously learning, developing and improving. Ownership Taking responsibility and delivering high-quality outcomes. Optimism Approaching challenges positively and seeking solutions. Positive Impact Making a meaningful difference for Lancashire's residents and communities. What We Offer Competitive salary Hybrid and flexible working arrangements Generous Local Government Pension Scheme Excellent annual leave entitlement Learning and development opportunities A supportive and collaborative team environment The opportunity to influence strategic education planning across Lancashire Our Values We are looking for individuals who share our values: Supportive – valuing and encouraging others. Innovative – seeking better ways to deliver services. Respectful – treating everyone fairly and with dignity. Collaborative – working together to achieve the best outcomes. Additional Information This is designated as an essential car user post. The successful applicant will be required to provide a vehicle for business use and hold appropriate business insurance cover. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability. Join Us If you are passionate about education, planning and helping shape sustainable communities, we would love to hear from you. Apply now and help ensure Lancashire's children have access to the school places they need, where and when they need them. Apply Please apply via the Lancashire County Council recruitment website, submitting your application form and supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role. Closing date: 28 th August 2026 | Interviews: 16 th September 2026 The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab. In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website. We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications. Job Description/Person Specification