DCO Development Director in Hounslow

The DCO Development Director role is critical to ensuring that Heathrow secures all the necessary planning consents required to deliver the Expanding Heathrow and Modernising Heathrow schemes in a timely, cost-effective manner. The role leads the strategic development, coordination, and submission of the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Expanding Heathrow Programme. This key role is accountable for ensuring the DCO application is comprehensive, legally robust, and aligned with Heathrow's strategic, environmental, and stakeholder commitments. The DCO Development Director will oversee all critical activity required to secure consent for the programme under the Planning Act 2008.

Responsibilities

• DCO Strategy & Leadership: Develop and lead the DCO strategy, ensuring alignment with programme objectives, statutory requirements, and stakeholder expectations. Develop a 'best in class' consultation strategy to ensure that the community and other key stakeholders have the chance to participate in the DCO process and their views are taken into account.
• Planning & Environmental Coordination: Develop & implement strategies to ensure Heathrow engages proactively with all key statutory & non-statutory stakeholders, including the Planning Inspectorate. Strategic oversight of surface access modelling activities that feed into the environmental impact assessment. Ensure all planning and environmental documentation meets the standards required by the Planning Inspectorate and relevant statutory bodies.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Lead the statutory and non-statutory consultation strategy and delivery, ensuring meaningful engagement with communities, stakeholders, and interest groups. Ensure consultation feedback is appropriately considered and integrated into the DCO submission. Ensure the programme DCO team builds and maintains strong relations with key external agencies and authorities.
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance: Manage legal advisors and ensure all aspects of the DCO process comply with the Planning Act 2008 and associated regulations. Oversee the preparation of legal documents including draft DCO, Statement of Reasons, Book of Reference, and Land Plans. Ensuring an effective planning approvals process is in place for all HAL developments (inc. DCOs, planning applications, consultations and advertisements) to support the delivery of consents, and strategies, obligations and legal agreements for achieving those consents.

Indicative Performance Criteria:

• Timely submission of a complete and robust DCO application.
• Successful completion of statutory and non-statutory consultations.
• Positive feedback and engagement metrics from stakeholders and consultees.
• Planning Inspectorate acceptance of the DCO application.
• Compliance with statutory DCO timelines and legal requirements.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading DCO processes for major infrastructure projects under the Planning Act 2008.
• Strong, applied understanding of UK planning law, environmental regulation, and infrastructure consenting.
• Excellent track record in influencing and managing complex stakeholder environments.
• Experience of leading a team of experts at varying levels of seniority, developing each individual to deliver their best.
• Exceptional written and verbal communicator and advocate for the programme with strong strategic planning skills.
• Able to rapidly synthesise the complexities of the planning process, scheme development, and Heathrow's business.
• Able to identify key strategic risks and implement effective strategies to mitigate these risks cross-functionally.
• Authoritative and convincing leadership style which conveys credibility and inspires confidence.
• Extensive experience in infrastructure sectors, with a strong background in policy, legal, or strategic roles.

Ideally you will also have:

• Proven expertise in aviation, transport, and nationally significant infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with Heathrow's regulatory and planning context.
• Town & country planning and Environmental Impact Assessment experience preferred.

About Us

There's something so special about working at the world's most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities. Every day, you'll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore. It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we're working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there's no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer 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. And of course, we'll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you'll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

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 - not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.

About the Team

Together, we're working to welcome millions more passengers, while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. At Heathrow, you can be part of this – providing solutions that make every journey better for millions each year. That means ensuring we meet the changing needs of the passengers, colleagues and partners who use our airport to work, travel, trade, shop, eat, explore and connect. Our Solutions team covers project management, process improvement, business change, technology, cyber defence, masterplanning, infrastructure and procurement. It brings together people with the skills to deliver prestigious and often large-scale projects, from transforming terminals to making big reductions in our carbon emissions. Every day will test your skills and give you the opportunity to make your mark. You might be working with the technology and data that power our city within a city, driving vital commercial agreements with everyone from retailers to airlines, or improving the unique infrastructure that includes everything from 200 buildings to 250 HV substations. It's a collaborative environment, where you can rely on the support of the experts around you as you take on projects you'll both take pride in and feel passionate about.