All Things Urban

We are a not-for-profit we believes that the public sector has a key role in improving the quality, equality and sustainability or everyday places and we work to build a greater understanding across the built environment sector of its potential.

Are you looking to use your placemaking skills for public good?

Public Practice is looking to recruit talented, motivated and experienced urban design practitioners who want to gain experience working in the public sector. After completing a competitive four-stage application process, successful candidates (known as Associates) will secure a 12-month minimum employment contract, in a forward-thinking public sector organisation, with salaries ranging from £30,000 - £55,000.

As an Associate you will spend the majority of your time in your public sector job, but you will also receive training through a unique 16-day Learning & Development Course run by Public Practice, joining a cohort of interdisciplinary placemakers who are also transitioning into a career within the public sector.

YOUR JOB ROLE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

With an increased focus on design in local government, local authorities are looking for design expertise in-house. Roles within Authorities vary, but using your Urban Design skills, your role might include:

• Write design policy, design guidance, design briefs, design codes and urban characterisation studies.
• Work with development management (planning) officers on appraising the design quality in planning applications and during pre-application meetings.
• Undertaking design-led site analysis, capacity and feasibility studies to support the delivery of small to medium-scale housing infill sites.
• Leading interactive co-design workshops with the local community and stakeholder and setting up design competitions for masterplanning of large strategic sites.
• Providing expertise in heritage-led regeneration and development in Conservation Areas, including tall buildings guidance and urban intensification.
• Promoting a design-led approach to officers and members and grow confidence in design and conservation.

• We want our cohorts to be diverse in terms of skills, experience, and backgrounds and actively encourage applications from all sections of society, be it age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, neurodiversity or disability.
• You will have a degree or comparable experience in Urban Design or a similar professional background.
• We ask that our Associates have a minimum of three years of relevant professional working experience within the built environment so that you can hit the ground running from the start. There is no upper limit.
• We are looking for candidates who align with our values of equality, diversity, inclusion, excellence, entrepreneurship, pragmatism, openness, trust and respect.
• All Associates must have the legal right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply to the programme.
• You will be willing to consider a full-time-equivalent salary of £30,000 – £55,000 depending on the grade of the role and your experience.

WHY APPLY TO THE PROGRAMME

• WORK FOR A FORWARD-THINKING AUTHORITY: Authorities compete to host placements, so we only work with ambitious organisations. Every placement is carefully selected and shaped by Public Practice.
• JOIN A COHORT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PLACEMAKERS: You will be part of a diverse cohort of highly skilled practitioners with different backgrounds, experiences and disciplines.
• LEARN ABOUT HOW THE PUBLIC SECTOR WORKS: The L&D Course introduces you to the formal processes and protocols of working in the public sector, as well as the informal tactics and techniques you’ll need to navigate the system. Beginning with a two-day induction before you start in-post, the programme helps you build your knowledge on the fundamentals of public sector workings, and public sector placemaking.
• BUILD YOUR NETWORK: Whether through learning sessions, or our programme of events, including our bi-annual Forum, we will draw on our network to introduce you to people, organisations and ideas that can support your practice.

LOCATION

We offer placements in Authorities across all regions of England. Opportunities to work from home have increased, but there is generally an expectation that Associates are present at their Authorities’ offices on a weekly basis. You will also need to be able to attend any in-person L&D Course days, which will include a number of in-person days throughout the 12-month programme.

HOW TO APPLY

• The first stage of the application process is completing an online form where applicants are assessed anonymously based on their answers to four questions. The deadline for applications is 2 pm GMT 30 November 2023.
• Those successful at the online stage will be invited to a day-long online assessment between 5 - 11 January 2024.
• And if successful at the assessment day applicants will then be considered for matching to placements we have available and may be asked to submit a statement of interest for a proposed role.
• If the applicant and the Authority agree, a final interview with the Authority will take place during January and February.
• If your match is confirmed you will then begin the Public Practice Associate Programme and start your new career in the public sector from April 2024.
• We strongly recommend you read our Prospectus, FAQs and further information on our programme before applying through our online form that can be found on our website: www.publicpractice.org.uk/associates

Please specify in your email that you found this job opening through All Things Urban.

ACCESSIBILITY

Public Practice is committed to creating equal access to our recruitment process for all, if for any accessibility reasons, you are unable to submit the initial application using the online form, we are happy for you to submit your application in an alternative format. Please email info@publicpractice.org.uk or call 020 3858 7447 to discuss your requirements.

ELIGIBILITY TEST

To check if you’re eligible for the Associate programme, please take the company's Eligibility Quiz. (International candidates would need to have an unsponsored work visa to apply.)

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.