Consents Policy Lead

About the role

Join us and shape a secure, sustainable energy future.

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.

That's why we have opportunities in our Strategic Consents Team, supporting the development and delivery of electricity transmission projects working through all consenting and planning processes, both the nationally significant infrastructure (DCO) and wider consenting and planning processes (TCPA), Marine Licence, s.37 consents, and permitted development; working closely to support our Onshore, Offshore and Central Consents teams.

Join us as a Consents Policy Lead
, as part of our Strategic Consents Team, you'll work across a diverse range of interrelated areas including planning and environmental policy, energy plans and stakeholder engagement.

You’ll identify opportunities to accelerate, simplify and streamline our consenting approach, delivering better outcomes for our on-the-ground project teams, our customers, the environment and the communities we work with. You will also influence and support the effective implementation of changes in external policy, legislation and guidance across National Grid projects.

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.

Strategic/Policy roles will be based in Warwick, Leeds or London as a preference but the role welcomes applicants UK wide, and we offer hybrid working. Flexible working patterns are supported.

• 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: You’ll use and apply our ‘Approach to Consenting’ to help colleagues drive projects, share and disseminate lessons learned with colleagues, and help standardise ways of working across the portfolio.
• Help shape and influence Govt policy and legislation: You’ll review and comment on latest consultations and legislative changes, work with key influential stakeholders to ensure that key external environments are ones that National Grid has sought to influence.

• Up-to-date knowledge and experience of relevant legislation, policy and guidance within the planning process.
• An understanding of the challenges of delivering complex initiatives and major infrastructure projects.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, and confidence in engaging with technical specialists and LPAs/statutory bodies.
• Clear, concise and effective communication and presentation skills.
• A passion for continuous improvement.
• Ideally a relevant professional affiliation (e.g., MRTPI, ISEP) or working towards this.

• A competitive salary between £48,000 - £55,000 - dependent on capability.
• Market supplement of £4,500 per annum.
• Job requirement company car (if you drive over 10,000 miles a year for business).
• An annual performance bonus.
• 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).
• The option to buy additional or sell holiday days.
• 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…