Onshore Consenting Manager

Responsible for leading all the onshore consenting activities on the Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm, working closely with the Offshore Consenting Manager in securing the suite of consents and licenses required to build and operate the whole development. The role will require management of internal staff, providing guidance, training and line management responsibilities.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Work with the Senior Development Manager to secure necessary (onshore) permissions to construct and operate the project;
• Management of all consultants providing services in the delivery of the project onshore consents, including the EIA Consultant contract. Ensuring delivery of services to the agreed programme and budget.
• Management of all onshore public and regulatory consultation activities ensuring the successful delivery of the project stakeholder engagement plan. Facilitating regular engagement with UK and Scottish regulatory authorities and key statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Offshore Development Manager to manage the overlap on the offshore and onshore consenting strategy and required public or stakeholder engagement.
• Assume line management responsibilities, ensuring the optimisation of personal development opportunities for those under direct line management.
• Work closely with the Land Manager to develop a strategy for acquiring land and provision of project information as required.
• Ensure control of quality and consistency of all surveys, studies, and reports required to deliver project onshore planning consents.
• Following successful consent, work closely with the Onshore Construction Manager to prepare final construction plans and manage consents compliance during the construction phase.
• Work closely with the OFTO Manager to lead consents inputs into the sale of the Caledonia OFTO assets.
• Support the Senior Development Manager in regular reporting to the Project Director and Project Board informing the status of the consenting process, managing consenting risk and opportunity and offer early warning of potential issues, programme, budget or otherwise.
• Ensure effective coordination with all project departments to ensure consents being sought are appropriate for the most optimum project concept. This will mean working closely with the project Technical Department and Technical corporate departments to ensure a deliverable project design envelope.
• Drive innovation with the project ensuring opportunities to deliver a more efficient consenting process are maximised.
• Work with the Senior Development Manager in any required consenting activities to ensure the delivery in the commitments of the Supply Chain Development Statement.
• Maximise opportunities for research and development where there are clear benefits for the delivery of the project or benefit to the wider Ocean Winds business.
• Work closely with our other Ocean Winds developments in the UK, and the respective consenting managers, to maximise opportunities to de-risk consenting, construction and operational activities.
• Make recommendations to the Senior Development Manager on collaboration opportunities with other developers to ensure success of the Caledonia project.
• Adherence to all project governance documents, policies, processes and procedure making recommendation on where elements of the governance process can improved to improve delivery.
• Work with the Communication team to identify activities that would support and underpin the consenting programme, stakeholder engagement plan and community engagement plan.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

BSc/Beng/MSc degree in Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Law, or Business Administration.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

More than 7 years experience within a professional company (e.g. Utility, consultancy, Government Agency or NGO) with direct experience of the renewables industry and/or the consenting/planning process in Scotland.

KNOWLEDGE

• Demonstrable leadership in a multi-disciplinary project environment is required.
• Demonstrable knowledge in all of the following areas is required:

• Planning and consenting processes associated with major / linear infrastructure in Scotland.
• Legislation and best practices associated with planning applications, consents discharge and environmental management.

• An awareness of existing and emerging challenges and opportunities to the deployment of offshore wind and grid infrastructure in Scotland.
• Wind farm and transmission asset construction methods and timescales.
• The offshore transmission regulatory regime.
• The CDM (Construction Design and Management) Regulations, including a demonstrable understanding of health, safety and environmental best practice.

SKILLS

• An enthusiastic, committed and self-motivated worker with long term ambitions in the renewable sector.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment in a multi-disciplinary team across a number of specialist areas and organizational cultures.
• Demonstrated skills in communication across a variety of end groups.
• Organised and efficient with an ability to multi-task and work to challenging deadlines.
• High standard of report writing and presentation skills.

At Ocean Winds we welcome candidates from all diverse backgrounds and strive for diversity and inclusion. We are dedicated to making our recruitment process as inclusive as possible by making reasonable adjustments to ensure equal opportunities for all candidates.