Senior Consents Consultant

Assystem UK Ltd; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Assystem UK Ltd is seeking an experienced professional to lead consents and commitments across complex infrastructure projects in the UK. You will provide technical DCO compliance guidance, manage risk-based consents delivery, and develop governance artifacts across a matrixed, multi-disciplinary programme.

The role requires senior leadership, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to drive change while maintaining regulatory integrity.

Qualifications

• Typically seven or more years' experience in consents or planning roles across major infrastructure projects.
• Significant experience delivering DCO or equivalent statutory consenting requirements.
• Experience operating within NEC or comparable contractual frameworks.
• Experience working in matrixed, multi-disciplinary environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex decision-making across multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination and delivery of consents and commitments across defined programme areas.
• Provide technical advice to Programme and Project Teams on DCO compliance and statutory requirements.
• Assure Delivery Partner consents management using a risk-based approach.
• Lead development and maintenance of Commitments Registers and Registers of Requirements.
• Support certification, discharge of requirements and post-DCO compliance activities.
• Support change control processes to ensure DCO baseline integrity.
• Monitor cumulative effects and compliance risks across the programme.
• Identify potential changes in scope affecting time, cost or compliance and escalation appropriately.
• Manage project compliance to key legislation independently.
• Support or lead audit and assurance activities relating to consents compliance.
• Ensure IMS and governance standards are embedded and complied with across teams.
• Proactively identify risks, opportunities and control mechanisms.
• Support reporting to senior stakeholders highlighting risk and progress.
• Lead small to medium consents teams delivering medium-to-high complexity outputs.
• Allocate work, supervise outputs and ensure quality control.
• Mentor junior consultants and support their professional development.
• Facilitate technical engagement between internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Chair meetings and lead presentations confidently.
• Prepare and review consulting estimates as part of tendering processes.
• Support project finance and schedule management activities.
• Ensure risks, programme and cost considerations are integrated into decision-making.

Skills

Consents leadership

DCO compliance

Stakeholder management

Contractual frameworks (NEC)

Matrixed environments

Decision-making

Mentoring/leadership

Education

Town Planning / related discipline

Job description

ResponsibilitiesStrategic Consents LeadershipLead the coordination and delivery of consents and commitments across defined programme areas.Provide technical advice to Programme and Project Teams on DCO compliance and statutory requirements.Assure Delivery Partner consents management using a risk-based approach.Lead development and maintenance of Commitments Registers and Registers of Requirements.Support certification, discharge of requirements and post-DCO compliance activities.Change & Compliance ManagementSupport change control processes to ensure DCO baseline integrity. Monitor cumulative effects and compliance risks across the programme. Identify potential changes in scope affecting time, cost or compliance and escalation appropriately. Manage project compliance to key legislation independently.Programme Governance & AssuranceSupport or lead audit and assurance activities relating to consents compliance. Ensure IMS and governance standards are embedded and complied with across teams. Proactively identify risks, opportunities and control mechanisms. Support reporting to senior stakeholders highlighting risk and progressLeadership & Team ManagementLead small to medium consents teams delivering medium-to-high complexity outputs. Allocate work, supervise outputs and ensure quality control. Mentor junior consultants and support their professional development. Facilitate technical engagement between internal teams and external stakeholders. Chair meetings and lead presentations confidently.Commercial & Programme AwarenessPrepare and review consulting estimates as part of tendering processes. Support project finance and schedule management activities. Ensure risks, programme and cost considerations are integrated into decision-making.QualificationsTypically seven or more years' experience in consents or planning roles across major infrastructure projectsSignificant experience delivering DCO or equivalent statutory consenting requirements., Experience operating within NEC or comparable contractual frameworks, Experience working in matrixed, multi-disciplinary environmentsDemonstrated ability to lead complex decision-making across multiple stakeholders.Qualifications & Professional MembershipDegree qualified in Town Planning, Environmental Management, Infrastructure Planning, Engineering, Archaeology, Construction Management, Law or related discipline. Evidence of continual professional development. Full membership (or working towards chartered status) with a recognised professional institution (RTPI, IEMA, RICS, CIWEM or similar).Additional InformationDiversity & InclusionWe are committed to equal treatment of candidates and foster all forms of diversity within our company. Bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and the ability to dare are what matter most. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future. SummaryType: Full-timeFunction: EngineeringExperience level: Mid-Senior LevelIndustry: Management Consulting Company DescriptionToday, Assystem is among the top three independent nuclear engineering firms worldwide. With over 60 years of experience in highly regulated sectors, the group supports public and industrial stakeholders in the execution of complex and strategic infrastructure projects, subject to high safety and security requirements. Assystem mobilizes 8,000 experts in 13 countries and intervenes across the entire project lifecycle, in engineering, project management and digital solutions. Job DescriptionTo lead and assure consents management activities across complex, multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects, ensuring compliance with DCO and statutory obligations, managing risk, and supporting programme-level governance. The role operates with a high degree of independence and provides leadership, assurance and technical oversight across consents and commitments delivery. This role is a pipeline vacancy to support new projects which will be commencing shortly. Key