DCO Senior, Principal or Associate Planner

Stantec; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Competitive salary

Enhanced pension

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Gym membership discount

Job summary

Stantec in the UK is hiring a DCO Planner at Senior/Principal/Associate level to join the Infrastructure team. Based in any UK office, you will help consent, assess and deliver some of the country’s most ambitious major infrastructure projects, with a growing pipeline across water, energy and transport.

You will lead planning and consenting workstreams, provide EIA strategy advice, work with clients and multidisciplinary teams, manage risks, and mentor colleagues to grow the team.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering planning and consenting for major infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of DCOs and consenting regimes.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., MRTPI) or working towards it.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate planning and consenting workstreams for major infrastructure.
• Provide planning and EIA strategy advice across regimes (DCO, TCPA, DNS).
• Progress projects through scheme development with robust assessments.
• Collaborate with clients and multidisciplinary teams to deliver clear programmes.
• Identify risks early and maintain momentum to deliver quality outcomes.
• Mentor colleagues and support team culture.

Skills

Planning

EIA

Client liaison

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Planning/Environment degree

Tools

DCO knowledge

Job description

The Opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity for a DCO Planner Senior, Principal or Associate to join our Infrastructure team. This opportunity can be based from any of our UK offices.

About The Role

Ready to work on projects that genuinely shape the UK’s future? Join Stantec’s Major Infrastructure/DCO team and help consent, assess and deliver some of the country’s most ambitious major infrastructure projects. With a growing pipeline across water, energy and transport, we’re looking to fill a variety of roles at Senior, Principal, Associate and Senior Associate level who want to take the next step and work with a fantastic collaborative team.

Your Impact

• Leading and coordinating planning and consenting workstreams for major infrastructure projects, including NSIPs under the Planning Act 2008.
• Providing planning and EIA strategy advice and managing processes across key consenting regimes (including DCO, TCPA and DNS).
• Progressing projects through scheme development, advising on methodologies, undertaking assessments.
• Working closely with clients, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams to shape clear, deliverable programmes and applications.
• Bringing structure to complex projects spotting risks early, maintaining momentum, and helping teams deliver quality outcomes.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues, contributing to a collaborative team culture and helping us grow.

About You

• Experience delivering planning and consenting for major infrastructure (or ready to step up into a lead role).
• Strong technical understanding of relevant consenting regimes especially Development Consent Orders (DCO).
• A professional/academic qualification in Planning or Environment (or another relevant background), with a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
• Credibility with clients and stakeholders, with confident communication and a practical, solutions-focused mindset.
• Professional accreditation (or working towards) such as MRTPI and/or APM, CMI, CEnv or CEng.

Why Join Us

• We put people first: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.
• We are driven to achieve: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named ‘Best Place to Work’ and ‘International Consulting Firm of the Year’ at the NCE Awards 2024.
• We do what is right: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan, supporting you to become chartered with ICE.
• We are better together: A supportive and collaborative team environment and Early Careers peer group and wider ERG network (see more on our ERGs here: Stantec Employee Resource Groups )
• Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK & Ireland - we want you to be part of it!
• Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more.
• Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.

DCO

About Stantec

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities.

Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients’ vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today’s challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our economy and meet the needs of future communities.

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.

At Stantec we want you to perform your best at every stage of the recruitment process and are committed to ensuring it is accessible to all. If you need any support or require adjustments to be made then please contact [email protected] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.