Town Planning Manager

Reporting to the Head of Town Planning and Consenting, the Town Planning Manager plays a key role in shaping Heathrow’s sustainable future by developing and implementing planning and consenting strategies that support the airport’s long-term growth and investment ambitions. The role is responsible for helping secure the planning consents required to deliver Heathrow’s capital investment programmes, working across a diverse portfolio of infrastructure and development projects.

Drawing on expertise in both the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) and Development Consent Order (DCO) regimes, you will provide strategic planning guidance that enables successful project delivery while balancing operational, environmental and community considerations. This is an opportunity to influence some of the UK’s most significant aviation and infrastructure developments. You will provide trusted advice on national, regional and local planning policy, helping to shape and influence emerging policy frameworks, including matters relating to the Airports National Policy Statement, to protect and promote Heathrow’s interests.

Success in the role requires strong stakeholder engagement skills, commercial awareness and the ability to navigate complex planning challenges with confidence and credibility. As a visible and collaborative presence at Heathrow’s Compass Centre, you will build strong relationships across the business, with external partners and key decision-makers, ensuring planning considerations are effectively integrated into strategic and operational decision-making.

Our rewards include competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. We offer performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. We also provide varied learning and development opportunities.

Working Location: Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work: Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities: As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.

Our Heathrow Expansion programme offers a unique and exciting opportunity to play a defining role in one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects. You’ll help shape a national legacy that millions will experience for decades to come, as we deliver the third runway, improve passenger experience, stimulate jobs and opportunities across the UK, and strengthen the global connectivity that powers trade and travel.

Modernising and expanding the UK’s only hub airport and critical national infrastructure whilst keeping it fully operational and safe creates a pace and complexity unlike other major programmes. It demands collaboration, resilience, problem solving and a desire to take on challenges that genuinely matter.

You’ll be part of a diverse team of talented colleagues, built on mutual respect and where excellence thrives. It’s an inspiring place to work, with unlimited opportunities to make a difference as you help to shape the future of our world-class airport.

• Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute or working towards Chartered Membership
• Relevant DCO experience of developing infrastructure in a planning and consenting role
• Excellent knowledge of UK planning law and regulation as well as policies and procedures
• Significant planning experience within an established UK Planning team
• Significant experience in handling Planning, Environmental Impact Assessment, Compulsory Acquisition and Statutory Consultation matters related to large infrastructure projects
• Interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Ideally, you will also have:

• Planning, aviation or related post graduate qualifications
• Knowledge in Airspace Change Process
• Interest in public policy and political affairs

Advise the business on all matters relating to planning policy (including the Airports National Policy Statement) and the promotion of capital investment projects through the planning system. Build and maintain strong relationships with key external stakeholders in the planning system including local planning authorities, the Planning Inspectorate and other external agencies. Oversee planning applications and other submissions to facilitate delivery of Heathrow’s capital investment plan and ensure advice on all planning matters proactively provided to the business. Provide advice on DCO and consenting activities relating to Heathrow’s long term growth plans, and assist in the development and implementation of a clear consenting strategy, pre-application processes, and preparation and submission of DCO application and any other planning applications. Ensure processes in place to monitor and respond to planning policy and legislative reform and third-party planning applications and deliver robust responses to policy and development consultations in a way that protects and promotes Heathrow’s interests. Ensure processes in place to secure compliance with planning laws and conditions/obligations attached to existing planning consents.

Full time