Associate Director - Town Planning

• Legal Entity: AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited
• Business Line:
  Environment
• Work Location Model:
  Hybrid
• Operating Group:
  International
• Primary
  
  Location:
  
  UK - Manchester, Level 4 - 100 Emban

Due to significant infrastructure planning wins and new opportunities, we are looking to bring in an Associate Director to work with the leadership team in managing and growing our planning consents team. Based from our offices in Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Chesterfield, Leeds, London Aldgate, or Manchester, with an option for hybrid working.

You will be able to work on a range of prestigious infrastructure projects for our clients in the energy transition, rail and water development sectors, as well as a range of regional and local developments. AECOM is a market leader in UK infrastructure development, with experience of over 80 DCO projects. Join us now and you could be working on:

• numerous solar DCOs with a pipeline of future work;
• carbon capture and storage projects;
• energy transmission schemes;
• large aviation and rail projects; and
• housing and mixed-use development consenting.

Here’s what you’ll do:

You will be joining a market leading, experienced infrastructure planning team and will, be given the following responsibilities.

We are looking for aleader with proven experience in planning consents and project management. This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic thinker with strong interpersonal and mentoring skills and a commitment to delivering high‑quality work and driving business growth.

• Manage and grow our planning consents service.
• Provide line management and mentorship to junior team members

• Lead major development applications, including the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.
• Offer strategic planning advice to both clients and internal teams.

• Ensure projects are delivered successfully on budget and within programme timelines.
• Coordinate multi‑disciplinary teams for seamless project execution.

• Oversee the deliverables produced by the planning consents team.
• Implement and uphold quality assurance and health and safety principles.

• Contribute to the business development strategy, nurturing client relationships.
• Lead the preparation of commercial tenders to secure new opportunities.

Significant relevant experience of leading applications for planning consent for large infrastructure projects across a range of consenting regimes.

Expert witness experience would be advantageous.

Client focus, with good interpersonal skills and a collaborative working approach.

Existing relationships with clients and local authorities.

A business development mindset, with demonstrable experience of work winning and developing relationships with existing and new clients.

Ability to write clearly and concisely.

Ability to work on your own initiative and under pressure.

High level of commitment to quality.

Degree in Town Planning or a related discipline, and membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) or equivalent professional body.

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well‑being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry‑leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.

We are aDisability Confident Employer  and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long‑term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address

Reasonab if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview  Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.