Estate Strategy & Consent Director

AWE; Reading; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day working fortnight

270 hours annual leave

Pension scheme 9–13%

Maternity Leave 39 weeks

Paternity Leave 4 weeks

Professional development funding

Employee Assistance Programme

Life Assurance 4x salary

Discounts

Volunteer & special leave

Job summary

AWE is seeking a Head of Estate Planning & Consent to lead planning, development consents and external stakeholder engagement across our estate, ensuring sites evolve to meet current and future mission requirements. You will set planning requirements, oversee critical consent activities and provide expert guidance across major development programmes.

You will secure and manage planning consents, monitor delivery against the Establishment Master Plan, and lead engagement with regulators and local

Qualifications

• Significant experience in town and country planning, estate development, infrastructure planning or consenting.
• Strong knowledge of planning legislation, policy and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading complex planning applications and securing development consents.
• Proven ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders, regulators and local authorities.
• Experience managing planning-related risks, governance and compliance activities.
• Strong understanding of sustainability, biodiversity and environmental planning considerations.
• Ability to interpret national and local planning policy and assess its impact on business operations.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans that support long-term organisational objectives.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong leadership capability, with experience leading teams and delivering outcomes in complex organisations.

Responsibilities

• Lead AWE's planning and consent strategy, providing expert advice to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Define and maintain standards for planning applications, consents and regulatory compliance across the estate.
• Oversee planning applications from development through submission, approval and implementation.
• Ensure compliance with planning conditions and associated consents across AWE sites.
• Manage external planning commitments and site development activities.
• Review planning policies, assessing impacts on operations and future programmes.
• Advise on external developments that could affect sites and interests.
• Represent AWE with regulators, local authorities and community stakeholders.
• Lead site-wide consenting activities related to biodiversity, sustainability and net zero.
• Coordinate planning and consent activities across the business.
• Work with legal, environmental, engineering and project delivery teams for efficient approvals.
• Identify future planning requirements and support robust submissions.
• Advise on planning risks and opportunities and communicate them clearly.
• Support Establishment Master Plan and long-term Estate Strategy development.
• Lead management of planning appeals and inquiries, including expert witness roles.
• Develop and maintain a Travel Plan to enhance site accessibility and sustainability.

Skills

Estate planning

Stakeholder influence

Regulatory compliance

Sustainability & biodiversity

Strategic planning

Leadership

Policy interpretation

Communications

Project coordination

Job description

AWE is seeking a Head of Estate Planning & Consent to lead planning, development consents and external stakeholder engagement across our estate, ensuring sites evolve to meet current and future mission requirements. You will set planning requirements, oversee critical consent activities and provide expert guidance across major development programmes.

You will secure and manage planning consents, monitor delivery against the Establishment Master Plan, and lead engagement with regulators and local