Head of Estate Planning & Consent

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

Head of Estate Planning & Consent

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: A competitive salary aligned with the seniority and impact of this role.

Working Pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight, with every other Friday as a non-working day. For this role, employees are required to work fully onsite. We support flexible working arrangements where possible, including part-time and varied working hours, while maintaining an onsite presence. Please let us know if you would like us to consider an alternative working pattern as part of your application.

As Head of Estate Planning & Consent, you will lead AWE's approach to estate planning, development consents and external stakeholder engagement, ensuring our sites can evolve to meet current and future mission requirements. Working at the forefront of estate strategy, you will define planning requirements, oversee critical consent activities and provide expert guidance on major development programmes across the estate.

You will be responsible for securing and managing planning consents, monitoring delivery against AWE's Establishment Master Plan, and leading engagement with local authorities, regulators and external stakeholders. The role also provides strategic leadership on wider site policies and consenting activities, including biodiversity, sustainability and net zero commitments, ensuring these priorities are effectively integrated across the business.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced planning leader to influence long-term estate development, shape strategic investment decisions and play a key role in enabling AWE's future capability and growth.

Key Responsibilities And Accountabilities Include

• 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 AWE's external planning commitments and site development activities.
• Review local and national planning policies, assessing potential impacts on AWE's operations and future programmes.
• Provide planning advice to AWE and MoD on external developments that could affect AWE sites and interests.
• Represent AWE with regulators, local authorities, government bodies and community stakeholders.
• Lead site-wide consenting activities relating to biodiversity, sustainability, net zero and other strategic initiatives.
• Act as the central point of coordination for planning and consent activities across the business.
• Work closely with legal, environmental, engineering and project delivery teams to ensure aligned and efficient approvals processes.
• Identify future planning and consent requirements and support stakeholders in developing robust submissions.
• Advise on key planning risks, issues and opportunities, ensuring these are effectively managed and communicated.
• Support the development of AWE's Establishment Master Plan and long‑term Estate Strategy.
• Lead the management of planning appeals and inquiries, including acting as an expert witness where required.
• Develop and maintain AWE's Travel Plan, identifying opportunities to enhance sustainability and site accessibility.

Who are we looking for?

• 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.

Work Hard, Be Rewarded

We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including: 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave. Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions). Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay. Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body. Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services. Life Assurance (4 x annual salary). Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending. Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

Important Things You Need To Know

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.