Senior Planning Manager in London

Can you play a key role in delivering a growing portfolio of renewable energy projects?

Location: Dublin or London (Periodic travel in Ireland and the UK will be required.)

Contract Type: 12-month fixed-term

We are looking for a Senior Planning Manager to lead and manage planning-related activities for large-scale Solar PV, BESS, and co-located projects across the UK and Ireland. The role is responsible for overseeing the full project lifecycle, from early-stage feasibility and permitting through to construction and transition into operations, ensuring projects are progressed efficiently and in line with planning requirements.

What you will do:

• Planning Strategy & Application Review: Review and work with consultants to prepare planning applications prior to submission. Work closely with the Development team to identify risks, address gaps, and anticipate potential planning challenges across the project life cycle.
• Planning Conditions Management: Lead the management of pre- and post-commencement planning conditions, including the discharge of conditions, preservation of existing consents, and coordination of amendment applications where required. Provide ongoing advice on planning matters as they arise.
• Planning Process Leadership: Guide internal teams and external consultants through complex planning processes, including appeals and public consultations. Develop and execute planning strategies that maximise the likelihood of securing consent while minimising programme and delivery risk.
• Stakeholder & Authority Engagement: Liaise with design teams, County Councils, An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP), relevant state bodies, and key stakeholders. Ensure timely progression of projects and alignment with regulatory expectations.
• Representation & Advocacy: Represent Elgin at planning committees, appeals, hearings, and public inquiries, as required. Effectively communicate project value and planning rationale.
• Consultant Management: Manage relationships with external planning consultants, acting as the primary point of contact. Ensure clear alignment on project objectives, timelines, commercial priorities, and delivery expectations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Development, Legal, Grid, Engineering, Construction, and Operations teams, as well as external advisors. Ensure coordinated and high-quality planning submissions across all disciplines.
• Compliance & Best Practice: Ensure full compliance with planning legislation, environmental regulations, and industry best practices across all projects.

Your profile - What you will need:

• A postgraduate qualification in Planning or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Significant experience in planning processes within Ireland and the UK.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with a proactive, solution-oriented approach to problem solving.
• Commercially aware, with a structured and process-driven mindset.
• Proven ability to manage and influence multiple stakeholders effectively.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and report-writing capabilities, with the ability to engage across disciplines.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage competing deadlines.
• Highly self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and drive outcomes.
• Proficiency in MS Office, including Excel and MS Project.
• Strong focus on prioritisation, deadline management, communication, and organisational excellence.

About Us:

Elgin is a fully integrated, utility-scale solar and storage Independent Power Producer, developing, building, owning and operating renewable energy assets across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. With a 10GW+ pipeline spanning solar, co-located, and standalone storage projects, Elgin brings projects from origination through development to energisation and long-term operation. The company has delivered over 1GW of ready-to-build projects, with more than 200MW currently under construction across the UK and Ireland. Elgin is backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), which acquired a majority stake in 2024, supporting the company’s long-term growth and ambition to scale. Founded in 2009, Elgin operates from offices in Dublin, London, Ulm and Rome, with a team of over 100 professionals driving the delivery of large-scale renewable energy projects.