Associate Director - Consents Management, London, England, United Kingdom

Associate Director - Consents Management

New Yesterday

Associate Director - Consents Management We are looking for a skilled and strategic Associate Director - Consents Management to lead and develop our consents team, manage operations, and support the delivery of high-quality services across a diverse portfolio of projects. This senior role blends technical leadership, commercial management, and team development. You will oversee a team of consents managers, ensure robust project delivery, and play a central role in business planning, work-winning, and client relationship management. The ideal candidate will bring a strong consents background combined with proven leadership and business acumen. We expect candidates to have a strong Town Planning background and knowledge of wider consents permits and licenses required to implement new developments. Experience within Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and a thorough understanding of the legislative requirements under the DCO planning process is preferred. You will be responsible for evaluating consents and engagement requirements to ensure that Assystem deploys a cost-effective and sustainable solution to our client. Duties & Responsibilities

Promotion and delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects through Development Consent Order (DCO) legislation Delivery of technical engagement programmes for stakeholders including local authorities, statutory and non-statutory bodies and the general public Ensure preparation of and submission of high-quality planning documents, including Environmental Statements, Planning Statements, and Statements of Community Consultation Stakeholder facilitation, negotiation and mediation Provide planning advice throughout the lifecycle of infrastructure projects—from site selection and scoping through to examination and consent Planning and consenting legislation Coordinate input from technical disciplines to inform planning strategy and project design Support the discharge of requirements post-DCO consent and assist with securing any associated consents (e.g., Section 106, Environmental Permits) Collaborative and cross disciplinary working Knowledge of wider consenting regimes e.g. Environmental permits Project management and co-ordination of large, multi-disciplinary teams

Team and Practice Leadership

Lead, mentor, and manage a team of consents managers and town planners including senior, mid-level, and junior staff Ensure team resourcing aligns with project demands, managing workloads and recruitment as needed Champion best practice in Consents Management, H&S, quality assurance, and compliance with legislation and guidance

Strategic and Commercial Management

Develop and implement practice growth plans in line with the company’s wider strategic goals Lead or support work-winning activities including tendering, fee proposals, client pitches, and framework bids

Stakeholder and Client Engagement

Act as a senior point of contact for clients, collaborators, regulators, and partners Build and maintain strong professional networks and relationships to support business development Represent the Consents Management discipline internally and externally at industry events, conferences, and forums

Skills & Experience

Significant experience and knowledge of delivering projects through Town & Country Planning Act legislation Prior experience of delivering a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project through the Planning Act 2008 legislation or similar including large EIA projects Up to date with latest developments in Professional Competence Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop positive internal and external relationships at all levels Good negotiation / collaboration skills to ensure full support within the framework Embraces and leads change with an ability to influence and implement best practice internally and at project level High levels of resilience and adaptability Proven ability to influence and persuade key stakeholders Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering stakeholder engagement and managing communications that are underpinned by a customer focus Strong commercial acumen Experience across a number of sectors particularly Energy, Water and Transportation

Qualifications

Relevant degree Chartered member of appropriate relevant professional institute (e.g. MRTPI, RICS, ISEP (Formally IEMA) or similar)

Additional Information Behavioural Qualities: We place great emphasis on both written and verbal communication; those who flourish within our organisation engage with colleagues and stakeholders alike and are proactive in overcoming hurdles.

Ability to see things differently – prepared to question standard approaches to manage consenting risks and programme deadlines Support and develop – create a local leadership team by delegation, coaching and mentoring Decisiveness – makes day-to-day business choices that have commercial implications

What We Offer

Leadership role within a respected and growing environmental practice Supportive, collaborative team environment Hybrid/flexible working arrangements Competitive salary and bonus structure Career development pathways, training budgets, and professional support

We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. We encourage you to bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.

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Location:: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type:: FullTime

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