Senior Consents Manager

About the role

Join us and drive consents for nationally significant infrastructure.

The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations - and Consents play a pivotal role in making it happen.

Our Consents teams are at the heart of this transformation. They navigate and secure the complex planning and environmental processes that underpin every major infrastructure project. Without their work, it simply wouldn’t be possible to build, operate, or maintain the future electricity network that will power a cleaner, greener Britain.

As a Senior Consents Manager
, you'll set strategy and lead Consents teams to secure consents for multi million/billion pound projects - owning the consents scope, schedule and risk, directing internal consents teams (including supplier resource) and appointed environmental professionals, and lead complex engagement with senior stakeholders and decision makers.

You'll join a growing Consents Team, of circa 100 people, expertly drawn from industry, authorities, stakeholders, and planning and environmental assessment consultancies. We're a high‑performing, world‑class team, one that is diverse and inclusive in position and thought, and one that truly cares about the safety, security and wellbeing of its people. Find out more about Life at National Grid.

This role welcomes applicants UK wide, and we offer hybrid working with key hub and project offices across the UK, but with a DCO project focus in the East Midlands, Central Midlands, East Anglia, Scottish Borders and Wales.

• Shape and deliver consents for major electricity transmission projects - from strategy, routeing/siting and assessment, through application, examination and into construction delivery, ensuring legal and policy compliance throughout, you’ll work closely with Lands, External Affairs, Legal, Engineering and Project Management teams to deliver BIG projects.
• Coordinate and support Environmental Surveys, Appraisals and Impact Assessments (EIA) and other specialist environmental studies (e.g., ecology, landscape/visual, heritage, noise, traffic & transport), working with appointed multidisciplinary consultants to produce robust application submissions and environmental management and compliance in delivery.
• Engage and manage Government, authority and key stakeholder relationships (LPAs, statutory bodies, and communities), support the preparation of consultation materials, and capture feedback to inform decisions and derisk project programmes.
• Drive consistency and continuous improvement
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  You’ll use and apply our ‘Approach to Consenting’ to drive projects, share and take on lessons learned with colleagues, and help standardise ways of working across the portfolio.

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’re looking for someone who has:

• A track record of delivering successful consents on complex infrastructure.
• Leadership skills to inspire and develop a high‑performing team.
• Assurance skills to drive a right first‑time culture across projects.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and communication skills to ensure effective engagement with all relevant stakeholders.
• Experience of working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams (engineering, legal, consenting) to support overall project delivery.
• A relevant professional affiliation (e.g., MRTPI, ISEP).

• A competitive salary between £66,000 - £80,000 - dependent on capability.
• An annual performance bonus of up to 30% of your eligible earnings in the performance year.
• Job requirement company car (if you drive over 10,000 miles a year for business).
• 28 days annual leave plus eight statutory days.
• The option to buy additional or sell holiday days.
• A 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…