Principal Consultant - Stakeholder Engagement (Mid-Senior Level)

Environmental Resources Management (ERM); Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Client Delivery Lead to steer stakeholder engagement on major capital projects across the UK. You will develop strategies, design engagement activities, and translate complex information for non-technical audiences to support informed decision-making.

You will manage multidisciplinary teams, ensure governance, and contribute to social value and sustainability services while mentoring consultants and leading client interactions and proposals.

Qualifications

• Significant experience delivering stakeholder engagement programmes for infrastructure, energy, utilities, transportation, development or environmental projects.
• Strong understanding of planning, consenting and EIA processes.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships, including local communities, statutory consultees, government bodies and industry organisations.
• Proven project management capability, including budget and programme management.
• Excellent facilitation, communication and presentation skills.
• Strong report writing and analytical abilities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities within a consultancy environment.
• Desirable: Experience delivering Social Impact Assessment (SIA).
• Experience in social value strategy and delivery.
• Understanding of DCO, TCPA, NSIP or major infrastructure consenting processes.
• Experience in renewable energy, transmission, transport or water sectors.
• IAP2, consultation, engagement or participation accreditation.
• Existing client relationships within the UK infrastructure and energy sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead stakeholder engagement workstreams on major capital projects.
• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement and consultation strategies.
• Design and facilitate engagement activities including workshops, public exhibitions, focus groups, stakeholder interviews and community events.
• Advise clients on stakeholder risks, issues and opportunities.
• Prepare stakeholder engagement plans, consultation reports and supporting planning documentation.
• Translate complex technical information into clear and accessible communications for non-technical audiences.
• Support delivery of Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and related consent applications.
• Manage stakeholder databases, consultation records and reporting requirements.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to ERM quality standards.
• Act as Project Manager or Task Manager on engagement projects.
• Manage scope, programme, resource requirements and commercial performance.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across CPD and wider ERM service lines.
• Manage subcontractors and specialist suppliers where required.
• Ensure effective risk management and project governance.
• Build trusted relationships with clients and key stakeholders; identify cross-selling opportunities.
• Lead and contribute to bids, proposals and client presentations.
• Support growth of stakeholder engagement, social value and social sustainability services.
• Contribute to thought leadership and market positioning initiatives.
• Mentor and coach consultants and senior consultants; share good practice and tools.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and capability development.
• Promote collaboration across technical disciplines and geographies.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Facilitation

Communication

Presentation skills

Report writing

Project management

IAP2 accreditation

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Client Delivery Lead stakeholder engagement workstreams on major capital projects.
• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement and consultation strategies.
• Design and facilitate engagement activities including workshops, public exhibitions, focus groups, stakeholder interviews and community events.
• Advise clients on stakeholder risks, issues and opportunities.
• Prepare stakeholder engagement plans, consultation reports and supporting planning documentation.
• Translate complex technical information into clear and accessible communications for non-technical audiences.
• Support delivery of Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and related consent applications.
• Manage stakeholder databases, consultation records and reporting requirements.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to ERM quality standards.
• Project Management Act as Project Manager or Task Manager on engagement projects.
• Manage scope, programme, resource requirements and commercial performance.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across CPD and wider ERM service lines.
• Manage subcontractors and specialist suppliers where required.
• Ensure effective risk management and project governance.
• Business Development Build trusted relationships with clients and key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling and expanding service offerings.
• Lead and contribute to bids, proposals and client presentations.
• Support growth of stakeholder engagement, social value and social sustainability services.
• Contribute to thought leadership and market positioning initiatives.
• Team Leadership Mentor and coach consultants and senior consultants.
• Share good practice, tools and methodologies across the team.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and capability development.
• Promote collaboration across technical disciplines and geographies.

Skills and Experience

Significant experience delivering stakeholder engagement programmes for infrastructure, energy, utilities, transportation, development or environmental projects. Strong understanding of planning, consenting and EIA processes. Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships, including local communities, statutory consultees, government bodies and industry organisations. Proven project management capability, including budget and programme management. Excellent facilitation, communication and presentation skills. Strong report writing and analytical abilities. Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams. Ability to manage multiple competing priorities within a consultancy environment. Desirable Experience delivering Social Impact Assessment (SIA). Experience in social value strategy and delivery. Understanding of DCO, TCPA, NSIP or major infrastructure consenting processes. Experience in renewable energy, transmission, transport or water sectors. IAP2, consultation, engagement or participation accreditation. Existing client relationships within the UK infrastructure and energy sectors. #LI-SG2 #LI-Hybrid ERM is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive, it’s an essential part of what makes ERM a great place to build a career and helps us create better solutions for our clients. We welcome talent from all backgrounds and provide equal opportunities for every candidate. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or need accommodations during the selection process, we’re here to support you. Our commitment doesn’t stop at hiring. Once you join us, we’ll ensure you have the tools, support, and adjustments needed to succeed and feel a true sense of belonging. Learn more about our Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB) efforts by visiting our website or exploring our 2025 Sustainability Report.. At ERM, sustainability is our business. We are the world’s largest advisory firm focused solely on sustainability, offering unparalleled expertise across business and finance. ERM partners with clients to operationalize sustainability at pace and scale, through our unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities. Our diverse global team of experts works with the world’s leading organizations to help them set clear sustainability targets, measure progress and operationalize strategy through deep implementation and business transformation. With more than 50 years of experience, our ability to integrate sustainability solutions and our depth and breadth of technical knowledge are why organization choose to partner with us as their trusted advisor. Every one of us firmly believes in the potential to create value for our clients through an integrated approach to sustainability (because we have personally seen it and professionally achieved it). Our team members are passionate about client service. We work closely with our clients to help them operationalize their sustainability goals and meet their environmental, health and safety objectives while advancing ERM’s purpose through delivering tangible progress in what the United Nations coined The Decade of Action. Organizing our people across globally integrated communities of technical and strategic talent positions ERM to be a "boots to boardroom" leader in bringing that value creation to our clients, partners, and the world. We recruit exceptional professionals with a personal and professional passion for sustainability and nurture them to even greater success as specialists. We prepare our consultants to bring integrated, innovative and sustainable solutions to our clients and provide opportunities for ongoing development across a variety of subject areas related to technical, business, and personal growth. At ERM, effort pays off and becomes career defining work that leaves a positive imprint on our planet.