Job Description:

Office Lead / Studio Director - Town Planning | Urban Design | Landscape Architecture | Environmental Planning

Salary: £65,000/£80,000

Location: Cardiff

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting an award-winning, employee-owned planning and design consultancy in the search for an ambitious Office Lead to establish and grow its new Cardiff studio.

This is a rare leadership opportunity for an entrepreneurial professional looking to shape the future of a growing regional office while delivering projects that create lasting environmental, social and economic benefits across Wales.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in building the consultancy's presence in the Welsh market, leading a multidisciplinary team and driving business growth while maintaining the collaborative culture the practice is renowned for.

The Opportunity

This is far more than a traditional management position. You'll have the autonomy to develop a thriving regional office, expand an already impressive client portfolio and recruit, mentor and inspire a talented team of professionals.

Working alongside senior leaders across the wider business, you'll lead the delivery of nationally significant projects spanning regeneration, renewable energy, strategic planning, placemaking, infrastructure and environmental planning.

This is an outstanding opportunity for someone who enjoys combining technical excellence with business development, leadership and strategic growth.

About You

Applications are welcomed from experienced professionals with backgrounds including:

• Town Planning
• Urban Design
• Landscape Architecture
• Environmental Planning
• Masterplanning

You'll ideally be able to demonstrate:

• A proven track record of leading, developing and inspiring multidisciplinary teams
• Experience managing a regional office, business unit or technical team
• Strong commercial awareness with a passion for winning work and developing client relationships
• An established professional network across Wales would be highly advantageous
• Excellent understanding of the Welsh planning system, legislation and policy
• Experience delivering complex planning, design or environmental projects
• Strong stakeholder engagement and client-facing skills
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities
• A collaborative leadership style with the ambition to grow both people and business

Candidates with experience across regeneration, renewable energy, biodiversity, placemaking, climate resilience, environmental planning or strategic development will be particularly well suited to this opportunity.

What's on Offer

• Senior leadership position with significant autonomy
• Opportunity to establish and shape a brand-new Cardiff office
• Employee-owned business with an outstanding collaborative culture
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Genuine long-term career progression
• Opportunity to influence high-profile projects across Wales and the wider UK
• A business committed to sustainability, innovation and creating better places

If you're an ambitious leader ready to build something exceptional while delivering meaningful projects across Wales, we'd be delighted to speak with you.

Interested?
If you're looking for a new challenge and want to be part of a forward-thinking planning consultancy, please contact Efan Thomas at Penguin Recruitment on (url removed)