Associate Director

Department: Planning

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Birmingham

Description

Associate Director Opportunity in our Birmingham office.

Are you a highly motivated planner eager to embark on a career in a thriving and independent staff-owned planning and development consultancy?

We are seeking an Associate Director who shares our passion for shaping the most exciting projects across the UK. We were named Consultancy Practice of the Year at the 2026 RESI Awards and are honoured to be one of the 'Best Places to Work in Property' by Property Week magazine.

Why Join Lichfields?

Dynamic Environment: You'll be at the forefront of advising major clients on a diverse range of projects, offering you a chance to take on significant responsibilities right from the start and make a real difference. These projects will be across a range of sectors and industries including major residential and commercial developments.
Competitive Rewards: Your hard work and dedication will be well-rewarded, both financially and in career growth. We offer a highly competitive salary and profit-sharing bonus scheme for all staff.
Supportive Culture: At Lichfields, we foster a supportive and collaborative culture where we take care of one another and have a busy calendar of staff and client social events.
Flexibility and Inclusivity: We prioritise flexibility and work-life balance and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, encouraging applicants from all backgrounds to apply. As part of the Government's Disability Confident Committed Employer scheme, we actively support candidates with disabilities.
Professional Development: This is a multi-faceted role comprising various duties, including: preparing planning applications and appeals; site appraisals; planning strategies; and development plan representations. You will provide advice and guidance on planning and land use to a variety of clients including leading developers, housebuilders and investment institutions as well as local planning authorities and other public or third sector organisations, throughout all stages of the planning process including Environmental Impact Assessments.

Lichfields is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, marital status, or any other protected characteristics. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

We expect all candidates to have chartered membership of the RTPI and 5+ years post qualification experience. Candidates must be able to demonstrate a very high level of technical competency, and quality of work, carried out with minimal supervision, together with good analytical, communication, interpersonal, and writing skills. The role will require working on a number of projects, so a proven ability to manage your own time and workload within budgets, and ability to problem solve is critical. You will also have market credibility with a proven ability to win new work and clients, and nurture existing client relationships to win repeat business.

How to apply:

If you want to join Lichfields, please click ‘apply for this job online’ where you will need to upload your recent CV and a cover letter. Please provide full information about your education and professional qualifications, including attainment levels. If your application is successful, you will be invited for an interview at a time convenient to you.

If you are inspired by what we stand for as a business, and seek to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to join our dedicated team at Lichfields!

Why Join Lichfields?

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

About Lichfields