Lead Terrestrial Consents Officer

About the role

The electricity network is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are investing in a cleaner, greener grid, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come. Through The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations, we are investing for the future, connecting more low carbon electricity to our network.

We are continuing to grow our Consents Team to effectively support the development and delivery of multiple major electricity transmission projects, both on land and in the sea. We are looking for highly skilled and experienced development consent, town planning and environmental assessment professionals, to work within multi-disciplinary project teams. Their purpose is to obtain the consents, permissions and licences required to deliver these major engineering projects. We are also looking for people skilled in national and/or local authority and key stakeholder engagement and community consultation.

We operate across all stages of project development and delivery, from consenting strategy right through to the commencement and completion of construction, and the energisation of our projects. Our reason for being here is to provide a best-in-class consenting service to our Project Directors to ensure that their respective projects are consistently delivered to programme, cost and specification.

As a Lead Consents Officer, you will be critical in all of the above, and pivotal in delivering transformative electricity transmission projects. These projects will play a vital part in achieving the UK Government’s ambition of connecting 50GW of offshore wind by 2030. You will join a growing Consents Team, of circa 100 people, expertly drawn from industry, authorities, key stakeholders, and planning and environmental assessment consultancies. We are a high-performing and very capable team, one that is diverse and inclusive in position and thought, and one that truly cares about the safety, security and well-being of its people.

Offshore Consents Team

Within the Offshore Consents Team, you will support the development and delivery of our Western Link 2 (WL2) project. WL2 is primarily a marine high voltage electricity cable, with associated terrestrial infrastructure, between Scotland and Wales. The project comprises marine subsea cables buried in the seabed, and terrestrial underground HVDC cables onshore between the landfall and the project's proposed connection at Pentir substation in North Wales. This role will focus on the terrestrial and inter-tidal elements of the project, and you will work closely with the Marine Consents Team who are responsible for the marine elements. This role welcomes applicants UK wide, and we offer hybrid working from office and home. You will be flexible to weekly travel throughout England, Scotland and Wales as required.

What you will do

• Technical: Being the consenting expert for your project(s), and working with more senior consents managers, you will be responsible for managing all the necessary environmental survey and assessment work across your projects. The experience of managing multi-disciplinary teams is critical, as well as the ability to assess risks and provide clear direction. You will be proficient in assessing and obtaining the most appropriate route for a deliverable consent (including secondary consents), with consideration of economic, social, environmental and political factors. Producing quality submissions for determination and/or discharge, all delivered to programme and cost, whilst maintaining and/or enhancing the reputation of National Grid. Work with the appointed contractors and technical specialists to review documents and drawings to discharge planning requirements/conditions and ensure all secondary consents are in place to deliver a project. Ensure the quality of submission in terms of accuracy and suitability and track progress through the drafting, submission and discharging process. Work with appointed contractors to ensure legal compliance and compliance with any planning consents in key planning documents such as Construction Management Plans.
• Communication: You will lead on engagement, build effective relationships with external technical stakeholders (who can often determine whether a project goes ahead). For this project, these include government departments, local planning authorities, and the Planning & Environment Wales. You will also build relationships with key stakeholders and consultees, such as CADW, Natural Resources Wales and local community groups. You know how to bring them along by demonstrating strong influential skills and ability to take an on-balance view into how projects are developed and delivered. Demonstrating an ability to consult in an accessible and understandable way, with a variety of people in a range of different ways and showcasing your depth of project knowledge. Making sure external stakeholders understand what a project looks and feels like, and why it has to happen. For example, you might be talking to MPs, local residents or local authorities, either face-to-face, in town hall meetings or online webinars. Forming excellent, enduring working relationships with Engineering, Legal, Lands and External Affairs teams, challenging and collaborating in a mutually supportive way. Ensuring they are briefed on the consenting process, informed of progress.
• Management: Supporting the management of technical consultants as they produce environmental assessment/statement reports, planning deliverables, consultation reports or other supporting consent application documents or post-application discharge of TCPA conditions or ICO/DCO requirement documents. Managing various technical environmental disciplines, including archaeology, ecology, landscape and visual, traffic and transport and others as required. Even if you are not an expert in such disciplines you will know how and when to ask intelligent questions to ensure we always produce robust, resilient consent applications. Provide guidance to Project Managers and Engineers on subjects such as consenting strategies and processes, consenting and environmental risks, and associated costs and timelines. Commercial management: financial and programme management of key workstreams/suppliers, with monthly reporting and raising of risks, escalations to Senior Consents Manager, as required. Implement procurement strategy for appointment of specialist suppliers to support the assessment required for the planning consent and the quality deliverables for consent application.

About you

What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we are looking for someone who:

• Has major project experience and ideally has taken a leading role delivering major large-scale and nationally significant infrastructure projects (through multiple consents or delivery).
• Is deeply committed to energy security and Net Zero and keen to help us make things happen faster. The quicker we gain the consents we need the sooner our projects can go ahead.
• You are happy to speak up, challenge the status quo, and show us how we could be doing things better.
• Whilst on one hand you are resilient, you are also compassionate. You can understand the concerns a local resident might have about a project and will do whatever you can to help support them.
• A collaborative mindset is essential.

What you will get

• A competitive salary between £55,000 – £65,000 – dependent on capability.
• Market supplement of £4,500 per annum.
• An annual performance bonus.
• 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).
• The option to buy additional or sell holiday days.
• Generous contributory pension scheme – we will double-match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, exam fees and time off for study leave – so long as it’s relevant to your role.
• Access to flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving, to name a few.
• Family care benefits including a back-up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days).
• Access to apps that support health, fitness and wellbeing.

About us

National Grid Strategic Infrastructure is a Business Unit created to propel our grid forward to deliver in 5 years, what has been achieved in the previous 30. By 2030 we aim to have 17 new major infrastructure projects live across England, Scotland and Wales. Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people. Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via The Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home-grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future. Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you will help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

More information

This role closes on 16 January 2026 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews to be held week commencing 26 January 2026.