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Associate Director – Consents Management
Directorate (and Team) Consent Management
Location (supported by Hybrid Working) Manchester
Full Time or Part Time Full Time
Company Overview
Ardent is the UK’s leading provider of land, consent management and stakeholder engagement services to support major infrastructure and regeneration projects from concept to delivery.We are Project Managers, Chartered Surveyors, Engagement specialists and Land Referencers, based in London, Birmingham, Warrington, Leeds, Glasgow and Dublin and supporting projects throughout the UK and Ireland.Established in 1992, we are a high-growth business with a client portfolio that includes some of the biggest players across our four core sectors of transport, renewables, utilities and regeneration.We are passionate about delivering life-improving change for communities and future generations and we are proud to play a key role in facilitating and delivering the UK and Ireland’s net zero and growth agendas, improving connectivity, enabling the repurposing of high streets and town centres and delivering new homes.We are problem-solvers that are outcome focused working collaboratively with our clients to provide strategic advice and services that identify and mitigate risks, deliver efficiencies, delivering buildable consents and then implementing those consents to positively change people’s lives and the world that we live in.
Role Purpose
Our Ardent purpose is - Delivering life improving change for communities and future generations.
Associate Director of Consent Project Management plays a pivotal role in delivering this purpose by providing senior project leadership across the full lifecycle of planning consent delivery and implementation. This is an emerging discipline within the sector, integrating traditional project management with the complex requirements of Development Consent Orders (DCOs), Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAOs), and other major consents.
This role exists to:
- Lead and manage the end-to-end consenting process, either fully or in part, ensuring that consents are strategically planned, effectively coordinated and delivered on time.
- Provide project management leadership across multi-disciplinary teams including planners, environmental specialists, engineers, legal advisors, land teams and stakeholder engagement.
- Integrate consents into design, procurement and construction, ensuring that all obligations, constraints and requirements are embedded, understood and complied with.
- Manage post-consent implementation, including requirement/condition discharge, operational approvals and compliance monitoring.
- Reduce programme risk, improve certainty and help clients secure and implement consents that are buildable, compliant and aligned with project outcomes.
- Promote and develop the Consent Management offering alongside cross selling of all other Ardent services.
The successful candidate will contribute to People Leader KPIs by:
- Building an engaged, inclusive and high-performing team. Supporting commercial success through effective programme delivery. Promoting a culture of health, safety and wellbeing in all workstreams. Role-modelling inclusive behaviours and enabling a culture that reflects Ardent’s values.
- They will also meet our People Leader Metrics through: Demonstrating a strong thirst for knowledge and driving continuous learning. Ensuring adherence to the Quality Management System (QMS).
Values Alignment & Shared Commitment
The Consent Management Associate Director is an ambassador of the Ardent values, promoting a culture of integrity, collaboration and excellence, inspiring a commitment to inclusivity, change and innovation.
Thirst for knowledge - We embrace every opportunity to learn, grow and continuously improve Own it - We do what we say we will do. We own our individual actions, are accountable for them,
and take pride in adding value Be the difference - Focus energy to make things happen. Go beyond process. Stand up, Stand out Enjoy the journey - Have fun, be engaged and be proud to be Ardent Adapt - We drive change and innovation to deliver growth and new opportunities in an ever
changing world
Key Accountabilities, Responsibilities & Outcomes
Accountabilities and / or Responsibilities Outcome
- Lead the end-to-end project management ofconsents across major infrastructure projects
- Consents delivered on time, with reducedprogramme risk and greater predictability
- Develop, maintain and deliver consentprogrammes, roadmaps and dependencies
- Clear integration with design, land, environmental,legal, consultation and engagement and constructionactivities
- Manage multi-disciplinary inputs fromteams, consultation and engagement and
- High-quality deliverables and coordinated, audit-ready
- Coordinate consultation activities andstatutory engagement (without acting as theplanner)
- Improved stakeholder relationships and smootheracceptance/examination stages
- Manage risks, issues and dependenciesrelated to DCO/TWAO programmes
- Reduced consent-related delays and stronger
- requirement discharge and constructionreadiness
- Construction teams remain compliant with consentobligations at all stages
- Maintain consent registers, commitmentstrackers and compliance records
- Full transparency, governance and assurance forclients and regulators
- Provide senior leadership, mentoring andsupport to PMs and junior team members
- Strong capability, improved engagement andaligned team development
- Drive continuous improvement, innovationand best practice in consent projectmanagement
- More efficient delivery, process innovation andenhanced client value
- Improve team engagement through targetedpeople-focused initiatives
- Exceed Engagement and Inclusivity KPI target
Competency, Skills & Experience Outcome
- Efficient, predictable project delivery and improved
- Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinaryteams
- Enhanced collaboration and faster cross-functionaldecision-making and construction delivery
- Buildable consents and improved compliance duringdelivery
- Strong stakeholder management skills Reduced conflict, improved trust and smoother project progression
- Understanding of DCO/TWAO or major
- Better anticipation of risks and improved readiness forexamination
Excellent leadership skills, with ability toinspire and empower teams
High-performing, engaged team with a culture of trustand accountability
Strong organisational, analytical andproblem-solving capability
Robust control of processes, documentation, risks and
High level of written and verbal
Clear reports, strong governance materials, improvedclient satisfaction
Commitment to continuous learning andimprovement
Demonstrable contribution to QMS and capabilitygrowth
What we offer
We are a purpose, and values led business with a strong focus on personal growth and opportunities to contribute to impactful infrastructure and regeneration projects across the UK and Ireland, living our purpose in delivering life improving change for communities and future generations.
We promote a supportive and collaborative culture, where our people are empowered through coaching, hybrid working, and a healthy work-life balance. Our commitment to professional development is clear, from supporting early-career professionals to enabling progression through professional qualifications and continuous learning, living our Thirst for Knowledge value. We provide purposeful work, which includes our contributions to the UK’s net zero agenda and community regeneration, and seek people who value the opportunity to solve complex challenges in a culture that thrives on innovation.
We’re a fast-growing business with a culture centered on learning, innovation, and opportunity.Through our company-wide coaching programme, we empower our people with faster, personalised career development, a deeper connection to our culture and values, and greater ownership of their progression.
We’re looking for curious, ambitious individuals who thrive in a dynamic, purpose-driven environment, where learning, openness, trust, and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do. We also know the importance of enjoying the journey, which is why we value social connection and having fun along the way.
We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health and wellbeing, engagement, and work-life balance of our team. From day one, our people have access to hybrid working, 25 days of annual leave (with options to buy or carry over), enhanced maternity and paternity pay, and a company pension scheme.
- hybrid working
- 25 days of annual leave (with options to buy or carry over)
- enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- company pension scheme
We provide Benenden Health Care, offering mental health support, 24/7 GP services, physiotherapy, optical and dental cover, and personal accident protection (depending on level). Additional benefits include the Cycle to Work scheme, electric car leasing, recognition awards, long service leave, and a discretionary annual bonus scheme, all designed to ensure our people feel valued and supported.
- Benenden Health Care
- mental health support
- 24/7 GP services
- physiotherapy
- optical and dental cover
- personal accident protection (depending on level)
- Cycle to Work scheme
- electric car leasing
- recognition awards
- long service leave
- discretionary annual bonus scheme
We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer, and we’re passionate about creating a workplace where you’re empowered to bring your authentic self to work every day.
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team where everyone belongs. We welcome talent from all backgrounds and actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups.
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