Senior Planning & Consents Project Manager in London

This is a remote position. This role is only open to current residents of the UK. No relocation or visa support is provided, but there may be routes to visa sponsorship for suitable candidates in the future. It is important that you possess full working rights within the UK at the time of your application. Candidates who do not meet this requirement may not be responded to.

We are a specialist project management consultancy supporting the development and delivery of major energy and infrastructure projects across England, Wales and Scotland. We are looking for an experienced Senior Planning & Consents Project Manager to lead consenting work-streams for complex infrastructure projects from early concept and feasibility through application, examination, determination, pre-construction and Final Investment Decision (FID). Working as part of integrated client and project teams, you will develop consenting strategies, coordinate multidisciplinary inputs and manage the programmes, risks, interfaces and stakeholders required to secure project approvals. This is a project management and coordination role rather than a purely technical planning position. It would suit someone who combines knowledge of UK planning and consenting regimes with the ability to lead complex programmes, influence decisions and maintain momentum across multidisciplinary teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning and consenting work-streams from early feasibility and site selection through determination, pre-construction and FID.
• Develop proportionate planning and consenting strategies for major energy and infrastructure projects.
• Establish and manage consenting programmes, budgets, governance arrangements and delivery plans.
• Coordinate inputs from environmental, engineering, land, legal, stakeholder engagement and commercial specialists.
• Manage planning consultants, legal advisers and other specialist suppliers.
• Identify the required consents, licences, permissions and approvals for each project.
• Develop and maintain consent registers, responsibility matrices, risk registers and decision logs.
• Identify and manage planning risks, programme dependencies, critical interfaces and potential barriers to consent.
• Coordinate the preparation, review and submission of planning and consent applications.
• Support projects through pre-application engagement, consultation, examination and determination.
• Manage responses to requests for information, representations and examination questions.
• Coordinate the discharge of planning conditions, requirements and other consent obligations.
• Engage with planning authorities, examining bodies, statutory consultees, government departments and regulators.
• Provide clear advice and recommendations to clients, project directors and governance forums.
• Report on programme, cost, risk, progress and key decisions.
• Ensure planning and consenting activities remain aligned with engineering design, land strategy, environmental assessment and commercial objectives.
• Support investment approvals, due diligence and project readiness for FID.
• Contribute to the continued development of the consultancy’s planning and consenting capability.
• Build trusted client relationships and identify opportunities to provide additional support.

Requirements

You will have experience managing the planning and consenting of major infrastructure, energy or other complex development projects. You may come from a consultancy, developer, utility, public-sector body or client-side project delivery background. You will be comfortable taking ownership of complex workstreams, coordinating multiple specialist disciplines and translating planning requirements into clear project actions. You should also be able to operate independently within a remote consultancy while building effective relationships with clients and project stakeholders.

Essential Experience

• Experience managing planning or consenting workstreams for major infrastructure, energy or complex development projects.
• Experience supporting projects from concept through consent and towards FID.
• Knowledge of UK planning and infrastructure consenting processes.
• Experience supporting nationally significant or major infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of one or more consenting regimes, including:
• Development Consent Orders in England.
• Developments of National Significance in Wales.
• Section 36 applications in Scotland.
• Town and Country Planning Act applications.
• Transport and Works Act Orders.
• Marine licensing and associated secondary consents.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and technical inputs.
• Ability to develop and manage consenting strategies, programmes, budgets and risk registers.
• Experience managing planning applications, consent submissions or examination processes.
• Understanding of the interfaces between planning, environmental assessment, engineering design, land and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience working with planning authorities, statutory consultees, regulators or other public bodies.
• Ability to identify risks, dependencies and critical path activities.
• Confidence managing external consultants and specialist suppliers.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to present complex information and recommendations to senior decision-makers.
• Confidence operating in a client-facing consultancy environment.
• Ability to prioritise effectively and work independently within a remote team.

Benefits

• A fully remote role that can be based anywhere in the UK.
• An autonomous, mature and completely flexible working environment.
• An entrepreneurial and supportive culture that will help you develop your career in the direction that works for you.
• A highly competitive remuneration package, including profit-related bonus payments.
• The opportunity to work on complex, nationally important infrastructure projects.
• The ability to influence projects during the development stages when effective planning and consenting leadership can have the greatest impact.
• The opportunity to help shape and grow the consultancy’s planning and consenting capability.