Nationwide, UK
Associate
at Public Practice
Public Practice has an opportunity for an associate in London, the southeast and east of England.
Who we are
Public Practice is a social enterprise with a mission to improve the quality and equality of everyday places. We place a wide range of built environment practitioners within forward-thinking public organisations to make change happen on the ground.
We believe that the built environment is where the symptoms and solutions to society’s most complex challenges are played out, from the crisis in the availability of affordable housing to struggling high streets, or the climate emergency. We think the public sector plays a fundamental role in creating places that are spatially, socially and economically inclusive and sustainable. Being a public planner – by which we mean any built environment expert working in the public sector – can be hugely influential in shaping the world around us for the public good.
Public Practice is building the public sector’s capacity by selecting talented and diverse built environment practitioners – associates – for placements within local government and other public organisations – authorities. If selected, you will join a cohort of associates that is broad in terms of disciplines, ages and backgrounds, and united by a commitment to invest their skills locally to shape everyday places for the better. You can read some examples of our press coverage on our website.
The role
Public Practice offers paid placements of 12-months or longer within the public sector. These are not standard job descriptions, the vast majority are brand new roles within local government. We work with authorities to create placements specifically designed to influence sustainable and inclusive change within our built environment and that make the most of your expertise. You will have opportunities to work across multi-disciplinary teams, be involved in strategic projects and be apart of a wider community of public planners collectively sharing skills and knowledge.
Roles range from starting-up a housebuilding programme to trialling co-design with tenants; from economic viability studies to community wealth-building initiatives; from influencing the masterplan for a garden town to rethinking an authority’s approach to small sites; or from writing new policies on sustainable transport to helping a high street adapt to new patterns of shopping. They may involve connecting different departments, introducing new digital tools, or making minor tweaks to policies with far-reaching consequences. You might find yourself training local politicians, co-designing with local community groups, or acting as the client of your industry peers.
We match associates to authorities based on what you can offer a role and what the role can offer you. Some examples of some of the types of roles we recruit for can be found on our website.
The R&D programme
As a Public Practice associate, you will spend 90% of your time working for your host authority. The remaining 10% will be dedicated to supporting your professional development as a public planner and working with fellow Associates on practice-led research. The programme includes an induction before you start in-post and fortnightly R&D days with your cohort to explore, develop and share practice across the sector.
Through Public Practice’s publications and events, you will be given opportunities to influence industry leaders, policymakers and practitioners to reimagine public planning and realise its potential to bring about positive change. You will also be given mentoring from our network of leading public planners and will be supported to find routes into permanent roles within the public sector beyond the end of your placement.
Who you are
Public Practice is looking for built environment practitioners who are interested in gaining experience working in the public sector. You may be looking for a new work challenge, a part-time or flexible solution after a career break, a temporary secondment to experience working in the built environment from a different perspective, or, to give something back towards the end of your career.
We believe creating diverse and inclusive places relies on creating a diverse and inclusive profession. We want our cohorts to be diverse in terms of skills, experience, and backgrounds and actively encourage applications from sections of the community that are under-represented in the built environment sector, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.
You may have experience in planning, surveying, property, architecture, engineering, urban design, landscape, community engagement, project management, data science, masterplanning, transport planning, sustainability or heritage – or you may not fit into any one of those categories. We are equally keen to receive applications from practitioners with alternative expertise. There are no fixed requirements in terms of qualifications, background or age, but we do expect associates to have a minimum of three years’ professional experience. There is no upper limit.
You can read bios of our current associates and what they are working on in their placement here.
Working in the public sector
Public Practice placements generally offer good flexibility in terms of working patterns, compressed hours, part-time roles and remote working, Authorities are also well suited to host secondees from the private sector. Associates can expect to join a team who share a respect for diversity in their environment and humility as public servants.
Availability
We ask for associates to make a minimum 12-month commitment to Public Practice, from 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021, either via a fixed-term contract with their authority, or a secondment agreement between their authority and current employer.
Salary
You will be willing to consider a full-time-equivalent salary of £30,000 – £70,000, per year, depending on the seniority of the role and your experience.
Locations
You will be willing to consider placements at an authority within London, the southeast or east of England. Potential placements range from Camden to Cambridge and Barnet to Brighton, and we will look to match you with a placement that works for your personal circumstances and location. You will need to have the legal right to work in the UK.
How to apply
To apply, complete our online application form
Applications close at midday on Monday 25 November 2019.
If your application is successful, you will be invited to a placement workshop on 6, 7, 8, or 9 January 2020 in central London.
Further information
For more information, see our website to view our prospectus for associates, FAQs and to apply.