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Associate/Associate Director - Planning Consultant

Arup

Arup

Birmingham, UK
Posted on Jan 16, 2026

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Watch this short clip to discover how Arup are shaping a better world and how you could be a part of it!

The Opportunity

Our award-winning Town Planning team are seeking to recruit and Associate/Associate Director to join our Birmingham office to support the leadership and growth of the team. This is a great opportunity to work with Arup planning leadership nationally to develop and grow the Birmingham planning team. You will have the opportunity to work on some of the most exciting and challenging projects using your leadership, consulting and technical skills.

We would welcome applications from candidates with development management experience to deliver our diverse portfolio of work. What is key to the role is an understanding of the planning context in Birmingham and the West Midlands, with strong work winning skills to maximise our presence in the area.

You will have the opportunity to work across a portfolio of development management projects including commercial, residential, regeneration and infrastructure. You will work closely with the Planning Lead for the Mid-West region which includes the Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham offices, as well as working closely with various sector leads within the Arup planning team. You will also provide leadership to multidisciplinary planning and design teams.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas. You will have the opportunity do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, to our members and to the clients and communities we serve.

Is this role right for you?

The role will have a focus on leading and developing the development management service offer in Birmingham, developing client relationships and identifying project opportunities such as bidding and delivering projects to support raising Arup's profile and promoting our work in the marketplace. You will play a key role in growing our market profile in Birmingham and West Midlands by engaging with existing and potential clients, positioning Arup to ensure there is a strong pipeline and identifying opportunities for new work.

The role will also involve leading the delivery of projects in terms of client interface, providing strategic direction to the team, ensuring QA and ensuring projects are profitable. This will include interfacing with multi-disciplinary project teams across Arup to ensure client/project opportunities are maximised and integrated delivery of projects.

Key qualities we are looking for are:

· Education to degree and/or masters in Town Planning and a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI).

· Experience of working in Birmingham in a development management with a good understanding of the market.

· Experience of working within a commercial environment (bids and projects), including client liaison, programme and time management, quality assurance and financial/budget control.

· In-depth knowledge and application of planning legislation and policy, including ongoing reforms.

· Proven consultancy skills, working with clients to understand their requirements and business development.

· A background in managing teams in the bidding and delivery of projects and sourcing sub-consultants where necessary.

Not ready to apply just yet or have some questions? Contact Rachel Connolly at rachel.connolly@arup.com - Please note, to ensure we remain GDPR compliant do not send your CV directly to us via this email.

What We Offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We also provide Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.

Different People, Shared Values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact Rachel Connolly at rachel.connolly@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

Our Application Process

To understand what to expect next, please visit https://www.arup.com/careers/recruitment-process/

Stay safe online – Arup will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Recruitment Agencies

We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.

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