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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex projects in infrastructure planning and ensure smooth project delivery.
- Company: Join a top-tier legal firm known for its inclusive culture and innovative approach.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, private healthcare, and unique perks like an electric car scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on significant infrastructure projects while developing your project management skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing Development Consent Orders and strong communication skills are essential.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values your unique perspective and supports your growth.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.
The Opportunity
We’re looking for a Senior Legal Project Manager (DCO) to join our Legal Project Management (LPM) team, working closely with our market‑leading Infrastructure Planning practice on complex Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). This role focuses on the end‑to‑end project management of the Development Consent Order (DCO) lifecycle, from pre‑application through examination and, where required, post‑examination activity. You’ll play a critical role in guiding clients and internal teams through the Planning Act 2008 regime, ensuring delivery is structured, compliant and well‑governed throughout. Contract: 12‑month fixed‑term, any UK office, with potential to become permanent.
What You’ll Do
- Project Coordination & Delivery: Support the strategic planning and day‑to‑day coordination of DCO/NSIP matters, ensuring that timelines, examination deadlines, key activities and dependencies are accurately maintained and communicated. Facilitate the delivery of all workstreams by organising inputs, monitoring progress, and ensuring legal teams and workstreams remain aligned to the agreed programme. Maintain robust control, including project plans, action logs, risk and issue registers, and specifically designed DCO‑reporting tools. Track changes in project timelines, resource needs, risks and deliverables, escalating impacts to client.
- Governance, Meetings & Communication: Arrange and manage governance forums including Kick‑Off Meetings, Project Team Meetings and various Workshops as needed. Prepare agendas and ensure actions are captured, assigned and followed through. Provide clear, consistent communication across project teams, clients, counsel and external consultants, ensuring all parties understand what is required and by when.
- Stakeholder Management & Process Navigation: Apply advanced stakeholder management skills to coordinate complex interactions across legal teams, planning specialists, environmental consultants, and client organisations. Guide project teams through the procedural demands of the Planning Act 2008 and the DCO examination process, ensuring deadlines and statutory requirements remain front‑of‑mind. Promote collaboration between all workstreams and support issue resolution through proactive engagement and cross‑team communication.
- Risk, Issues & Programme Assurance: Identify programme‑level risks and issues, ensuring they are captured, assessed, monitored and escalated appropriately. Contribute to post‑project reviews and lessons learned exercises, feeding improvements back into the DCO PMO and wider LPM processes.
- Tools, Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Support the development and enhancement of project templates, trackers, tools and standard operating procedures for DCO matters. Promote lean working practices and process efficiencies to improve the consistency and quality of DCO project delivery. Identify improvement opportunities and support ongoing innovation within the Infrastructure Planning team.
- Broader Team & Organisational Support: Collaborate with pricing and legal teams by providing delivery insights needed to support client proposals and matter initiation. Support large bids and tenders where DCO project management expertise is required. Mentor more junior project managers. Provide general project management support across other teams/matters where required, while maintaining a primary focus on the DCO portfolio.
About You
- Demonstrable experience delivering key stages of Development Consent Orders.
- Experience coordinating complex, multi‑workstream and multi‑organisation projects.
- A strong understanding of the Planning Act 2008, the NSIP regime and DCO process.
- A project management qualification (desirable).
- Excellent planning, coordination, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Confidence using Microsoft Office tools including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint and Copilot.
- Commercial awareness, sound judgement and a proactive, problem‑solving mindset.
- The ability to challenge constructively and question assumptions.
- Resilience, flexibility and comfort working with limited supervision.
- Sensitivity to cultural differences across project teams.
What We Offer
- Agile working options, including home working.
- Carers’ leave of up to five paid days.
- 25 days’ annual leave, with the option to buy or carry over up to five additional days.
- Contributory pension (up to 5%).
- Private healthcare and death‑in‑service cover (4x salary).
- Access to benefits including an electric car scheme, cycle‑to‑work scheme, and interest‑free loans for season tickets, gym membership or rental deposits.
Next Steps
Once you apply, our Recruitment team will review your application and keep you updated by email. The interview process typically consists of two stages.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident employer, a top Stonewall employer, and a signatory to multiple inclusion charters. We value diverse perspectives and encourage everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.
Contact
If you’d like an informal conversation about the role, an alternative format of this advert, or to discuss reasonable adjustments, please contact Victoria Greaves at careers@pinsentmasons.com.
Senior Project Manager, DCO employer: Pinsent Masons
Contact Detail:
Pinsent Masons Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Project Manager, DCO
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their approach to DCOs and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! As a Senior Project Manager, you'll need to convey complex information clearly. Mock interviews with friends or mentors can help you refine your delivery and boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to exciting projects.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Project Manager, DCO
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with Development Consent Orders and the Planning Act 2008. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Project Management Skills: Since this role is all about project management, be sure to emphasise your experience in coordinating complex projects. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables effectively.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! Keep your language straightforward and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read and gets straight to the point.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of success. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, you’ll get to see all the other opportunities we have available!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pinsent Masons
✨Know Your DCO Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the Development Consent Order (DCO) lifecycle and the Planning Act 2008. Brush up on key stages and recent case studies to demonstrate your expertise during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully coordinated complex, multi-workstream projects in the past. Highlight your experience with project plans, action logs, and risk management to show you can handle the demands of this role.
✨Master Stakeholder Management
Be ready to discuss your approach to managing diverse stakeholders. Share examples of how you've navigated complex interactions and ensured clear communication across teams, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Demonstrate Continuous Improvement Mindset
Think about ways you've contributed to process improvements in previous roles. Be prepared to discuss how you can support innovation within the Infrastructure Planning team and enhance project delivery.