We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £47,142 per annum based on working 36-hours per week. The position is based at our complex in Merrow and supports hybrid working with a combination of working on site and from home.

Our Offer to You

26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
A generous local government salary related pension
Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About The Role

Are you looking for an opportunity to build your career in flood risk management?

Surrey County Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority for the County of Surrey, and is responsible for providing planning advice to Local Planning Authorities on surface water drainage on new major planning applications.

The Sustainable Drainage and Consenting Team is focussed on delivering advice in relation to proposed development, in relation to both pre-application enquiries and planning applications, and dealing with ordinary watercourse consents.

This role provides expert guidance and specialist advice to Local Planning Authorities, elected members and the wider Place Directorate relating to the management of flood risk and sustainable drainage systems to enable Surrey County Council to fulfil its role as a Lead Local Flood Authority and statutory consultee to the planning process, in respect of non-major and major developments.

Your key responsibilities as a Sustainable Drainage Technical Specialist will include:

Providing high quality statutory consultee responses to planning consultations and supporting less experienced team members with their responses.
Working with local planning authorities to improve training, policy and guidance regarding surface water flood risk in planning.
Reviewing Ordinary Watercourse Consents, provide pre-application advice, provide training and guidance to the team and partners.
Completing engineering and drainage design checks including for Development Consent Orders, acting as an expert witness when required and provide enforcement advice. To produce and maintain technical guidance.
Supervisory responsibilities include monitoring and supporting the performance management and development of team members to ensure that individual contributions are maximised.
Deputising for Team Leader when required.

Over the next 12 months you will support the disaggregation of the Sustainable Drainage and Consenting's Team data and help prepare the team for Local Government Reorganisation.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills, experience, and align with our behaviours:

Previous experience in a Lead Local Flood Authority statutory consultee role or technical design experience.
Previous experience of actively engaging with planning consultants and other Risk Management Authorities.
Evidence of data management experience and use of GIS.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

Please tell us about your experience providing responses to planning consultations in respect of surface water management.
Describe a time where you have influenced strategic plans or policies or lead their implementation.
Please give us an example of when you have coached/mentored less experienced team members. What was the situation, how did you approach the interaction, and how did you measure success?
Please give us an example of when you have used GIS to support your decision making.

The role holder will need to have the willingness and ability to travel around the county to meet the demands of the role.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 09/06/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Amy Rodwell - Sustainable Drainage and Consenting Team Leader via email.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

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