Role summary

National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) is looking to appoint a Lead Stakeholder, Statutory Processes and Planning Policy Consents Officer to support the development and consenting of the Eastern Green Link (EGL) 5 project and help us to drive forward the engagement with key stakeholders, in the marine and terrestrial space as part of a Development Consent Order. Working as part of a team, the individual will help to deliver essential reinforcement of the electricity transmission system from Scotland to the Midlands and South of England. This reinforcement will contribute significantly to the UK Government’s target of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and help increase energy security.

Please note that this role has a variable base. We're flexible on where you're based but there will be a need to travel to sites and offices on a regular basis. This can be combined with hybrid working from home. We’re happy to discuss any additional flexibility in working patterns or requirements that you feel could help to make this job work for you.

What you'll do

The role will have a sole focus on English onshore and offshore stakeholders, with the expectation of liaison with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) where applicable, specifically when it involves joint stakeholders across England and Scotland, such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA). Due to the linear nature and geography of the project, you will have the opportunity to liaise with other NGET projects, such as Grimsby to Walpole (GtW)/EGL 3 and 4, and other third-party developers, to ensure stakeholder engagement is happening in a co-ordinated and consistent manner. The role will involve close co-ordination with the Lead Offshore and Onshore Contents Officers.

Key Accountabilities

Stakeholder:
•    To manage, prepare and plan regular updates to be provided to key stakeholders (with a focus on their areas of interest) in the form of meetings and/or other appropriate methods of communications, in compliance with Stakeholder Mapping and in liaison with NGET Consents (onshore and offshore), External Affairs, Lands and Engineering teams.

o    This includes preparing stakeholder plans/reporting for internal governance processes, tailoring materials to suit the audience, developing Statements of Common Ground/ Principal Areas of Disagreement, feeding into the risk register, responding to stakeholder queries, forecasting stakeholder meetings, organising technical working groups/expert topic groups and pre-meets, taking minutes, leading on the production of slide content and having ownership for the engagement process, drawing on the technical team as and when required.

•    To work with other NGET teams (e.g., GtW, EGL 3 and 4) to ensure consistent messaging with key stakeholders, holding mutual pre-meets, specifically for when certain matters have already been agreed, and arrange joint stakeholder meetings with other projects where appropriate to minimise stakeholder fatigue and show a collaborative approach within NGET projects. 

Statutory Process:
•    To support and ensure consultation compliance with the Statement of Community Consultation
•    To advise on consultation regulation compliance and ensuring legal notices are produced in timely manner for sign-off and publication, in liaison with Legal, Comms Agency and publication company.
•    To work closely with the Lands Team on the timing of access to land for survey purposes, the format and content of Book of Reference.
•    To input on Planning Policy matters on key pre-application and DCO application documents.
•    To oversee consultation responses are given due regard to inform application design and cross-discipline input is sought.

Pre-Examination, Examination & Post-Examination Support:
•    To review programme and preparation of post-acceptance notices.
•    To review, in co-ordination with Technical Leads, the production of the Accompanied Site Inspection document to aid the Examining Authority (ExA), ensuring all key areas of interest are comprehensively covered.
•    To review the preparation of notices in compliance with PA08 regulations for all Hearings and comply with legislation regarding publicity and maintenance of notices.
•    To review preparation of s134 notices &/or General Vesting Declaration (GVD) notices with Lands Lead and compliance with applicable legislation.
•    To collate and review the process and programme for discharging requirements and ensuring input from Technical Leads and liaising with approving/authorising body. Maintaining the discharging requirements register/tracker.
•    To attend key examination hearings to support the EGL 5 Project Team.
•    Support the Lead Consents Officers and Senior Manager in other areas of pre-, during and post-Examination activities.

What you'll have

• Experience working with the Town and Country Planning and Development Consent Order (DCO) consenting regimes and the associated EIA procedures and practices.
• Experience working on environmental assessment and consenting of projects in the marine and terrestrial environment.
• Experience in developing infrastructure projects to ensure high quality outputs, including engagement with stakeholders and the public, advising the project team, supporting contractor workload, and working to ensure the project is on programme.
• A high level of ownership to ensure consents requirements are delivered to a high standard and to programme.
• Experienced in working as part of a multi-disciplinary project terrestrial and marine consents and environmental team.
• Able to attend meetings in various offices around the UK including Lincolnshire, Birmingham, Manchester, London and Leeds, as required.
• A valid driving license is required due to travel involved as part of the role.

What you'll get

From £55,208 - £66,000 dependent upon experience.

Market supplement of £4,500 per annum.

As well as your base salary you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

You will also have access to a number of 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.

Further information

The closing date for this vacancy is 11.59pm on 6th November. We encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible and not to wait until the published closing date. National Grid’s recruitment periods can and may vary. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At National Grid, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace for everyone. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.

#LI-KP1

#LI-hybrid