Lead Land and Consents Officer

Lead Land and Consents Officer – Occasional travel to Warwick – £50,000 - £65,000

About the role

National Gas has an exciting and important role in net zero and in leading a fair energy transition for the UK. We will do this by developing the green gas system of tomorrow, while delivering the natural gas needs of today.

Project Union is our flagship programme to facilitate a low-cost, secure, and reliable route to net zero, empowering a UK hydrogen economy by repurposing existing pipelines to create a hydrogen ‘backbone’ for the UK by the early 2030s. We are looking for curious and enthusiastic people to join us at this pivotal time in the project. You will collaborate with industry leaders, internally and externally, as we shape the next phase of this innovative project.

As the Lead Land & Consents Officer, you will lead and develop a team of Consents and Land Officers and suppliers. Using your technical ability in planning, land rights, consenting and project management, you will support the shaping and implementation of our consenting strategy and deliver a high quality economic consenting, and environmental assessment service to secure the required consents and land rights for Project Union.

You will lead the Development Consent Order (DCO) process by managing and bringing together various disciplines such as planning, legal, land, environmental and stakeholder management to secure consent and land rights and enable project construction by managing and ensuring compliance with post award deliverables.

You will give evidence as an expert witness at DCO hearings and public inquiries, and coach and mentor Consent Officers to give evidence.

The ideal candidate will have an excellent in-depth knowledge of the UK planning and land rights system, as well as practical experience of delivering consents and related assessments on complex infrastructure schemes. You will have a proven track record of consenting Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, ideally with experience across all stages of the project lifecycle from option development through to onsite delivery. You will understand the differing challenges and risks each project phase can bring and how to overcome them.

Strong skills in communication, stakeholder management, negotiation, and project management are essential to this role. The successful candidate will also be required to hold a valid UK driving license, and be able to work from the Warwick HQ office fortnightly to collaborate with colleagues on project-work. 

What you can expect from us

• Annual performance bonus of up to 6% of your salary.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• 26 days holiday plus 8 statutory days - option available to buy extra holiday days.
• A generous pension scheme where we double match your contribution up to 6% (maximum Company contribution of 12%) of your salary each month i.e. for every £1 you contribute, we'll put another £2 (you can contribute more un-matched if you want to).
• You will also have access to several other flexible benefits such as a salary sacrifice car and technology schemes.
• Access to employee support, care and assistance helplines.
• Access to Employer Matched charity giving.

Other ‘nice to knows’:

• Free gym and exercise classes onsite at our Warwick office
• Subsidised canteen and coffee shop
• Free parking

About us

National Gas is leading a clean, reliable and affordable energy future for everyone.  Our skilled colleagues bring gas to 23m homes, and over 500,000 businesses, including heavy industries and power stations that keep Great Britain's lights on.  We fuel growth and innovation, whilst transitioning our network to hydrogen, to play our part in the journey to net zero.

At National Gas, we’re committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities that we serve. We celebrate the different experiences our colleagues bring and encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.

The closing date is 7th May, however we reserve the right to close this sooner depending on application volumes, so I encourage you to apply sooner rather than later!

Business separations can take time so you might see references to National Grid; this is a part of the process and won’t make any difference to your application.

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