Head of Onshore Consents

Base

Location:

For this role, we require successful applicants to be based from one of our Scottish locations and you'll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in the office – Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness.

Salary: 80, + car /car allowance - if applicable + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern:
Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

The role

This is a unique opportunity to lead the onshore consents and environment function for SSEN Transmission, setting the strategy that will deliver expert EIA’s and secure statutory consents across a major portfolio of electricity transmission projects. You will guide a large, collaborative and award winning multi-disciplinary team, influence policy and regulation, and embed consistent, robust approaches that support investment decisions and the transition to net zero.

You will

Set and lead our onshore routeing, site selection, environmental assessment and consenting strategies, ensuring statutory consents are secured in line with project, regulatory and business priorities.

Lead, support and develop a large, multi-disciplinary team, allocating resources effectively and creating a collaborative culture focused on safety, quality and successful delivery.

Provide senior oversight of environmental and consenting activities across the early stages of the project lifecycle, resolving complex issues and helping project teams manage risk and maintain delivery schedules.

Build trusted relationships with government departments, consenting bodies, planning authorities,  statutory consultees and environmental NGOs, representing SSEN Transmission in senior forums and helping influence policy.

Oversee onshore consenting procedures, consultancy frameworks, budgets, performance reporting and assurance, ensuring consistent standards, value for money and compliance with governance requirements.

You have

In-depth knowledge of Scottish Environmental Impact Assessment,  spatial planning and environmental consenting, and the legislation and consenting frameworks relevant to major onshore infrastructure projects.

Proven experience of leading and developing large, multi-disciplinary teams, with the ability to set direction, manage competing priorities and support effective delivery across several complex projects.

Strong commercial awareness, including experience of contract and financial management, consultancy frameworks and the governance of major projects.

Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with experience engaging senior representatives from government, planning and consenting authorities, statutory bodies and legal teams.

A degree in an environmental or planning discipline, together with membership of an appropriate professional institution such as IEMA or RTPI.About SSESSE’s purpose is to be restless every day until we make electricity clean, affordable and available for all.

We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. This includes electricity transmission and distribution networks, onshore and offshore wind farms, hydro-electric power and flexible thermal generation. We also provide products and services for businesses and other customers.

Our investment plan will see SSE invest 33bn in critical electricity infrastructure to 2030.SSEN Transmission own and operate the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. We transport electricity from where it is generated to where it is needed, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for the communities we serve. But that's not all – we're upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, homegrown…