Consents Officer

About the role

Play your part in a greener future – join our Consents Team and help deliver Net Zero.

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 across our Onshore, Offshore and Central Consents Teams 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.

Join us as a Consents Officer and you’ll help shape the development and delivery of our projects, determine the consenting strategy, and then obtain the necessary consents we need to build critical electricity transmission projects - supporting consents delivery and compliance across DCO and/or TCPA regimes and marine consents, depending on your experience and background. 

You'll support and help coordinate EIA and other environmental report content, review materials, prepare applications, manage day to day actions and engage with stakeholders under guidance from experienced professionals.

Your work could see you shaping complex, multi‑kilometre overhead line projects, steering significant marine and underground cable developments, or delivering a series of technically challenging new substations that require sensitive siting. You may also be involved in upgrading critical existing assets across the network - ensuring each project progresses in the right way, at the right time, and with the right outcomes.

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 an Onshore and Offshore DCO project focus in the East Midlands, Central Midlands, East Anglia, Scottish Borders and Wales. Our Central team supports projects through England and Wales, but has team clusters based in Leeds, London, Warrington, Bristol and Warwick. You'll be required to travel to sites and partner offices across the UK as part of the job. Flexible working patterns are supported.  

Key accountabilities

• 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: 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.

About you

What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit current – or potential – experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who has:

• Experience supporting consents/EIA on major infrastructure.
• Familiarity with DCO (Planning Act 2008) and/or TCPA, Marine Consents plus associated consents and environmental assessment requirements.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, and confidence in engaging with technical specialists and LPAs/statutory bodies.
• Clear, concise and effective communication and presentation skills.
• Ideally a relevant professional affiliation (e.g., MRTPI, ISEP) or working towards this.

What you'll get

• 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 car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
• Family care benefits including a back-up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days).
• Access to apps that support health, fitness and wellbeing.

About us

National Grid Strategic Infrastructure is a Business Unit created to propel our grid forward to deliver in 5 years, what has been achieved in the previous 30. By 2030 we aim to have 17 new major infrastructure projects live across England, Scotland and Wales.

Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people.

Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via The Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home-grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future.

Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you’ll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

More information

This role closes on 1 March 2026 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews to be held week commencing 16 and 23 March.

In most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

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