Senior or Principal Stakeholder Engagement Consultant

Stantec; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Bonus schemes

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Stantec is seeking a Senior/Principal Stakeholder Engagement Consultant to join the Stakeholder Engagement & Consultation Team. This role can be based from multiple UK offices, including Warrington, with hybrid working options.

You will lead engagement strategies for nationally significant infrastructure programmes, shaping stakeholder relations and ensuring conformance with regulatory requirements. You will mentor junior colleagues and collaborate across planning, environmental, engineering and

Qualifications

• Significant experience in stakeholder engagement, consultation, communications or public affairs.
• Experience on infrastructure, planning, water, energy, transport or environmental projects.
• Strong track record of managing complex stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of stakeholder engagement strategies across major infrastructure projects.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with local authorities, communities and other stakeholders.
• Provide strategic stakeholder management advice to clients identifying risks and engagement approaches.
• Plan and oversee public consultation programmes, including face-to-face and digital engagement.
• Produce and review consultation materials, reports and stakeholder documentation.
• Support project teams through planning, consenting and delivery phases.
• Mentor junior team members and collaborate with multidisciplinary colleagues.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Public affairs

Communications

Regulatory knowledge

Relationship management

GIS

Tools

GIS

Job description

Help shape the conversations that deliver the UK's most important infrastructure projects.

Communities, stakeholders and public trust are at the heart of successful infrastructure delivery. At Stantec, we're looking for a Senior / Principal Stakeholder Engagement Consultant to join our growing Stakeholder Engagement & Consultation Team .

This opportunity can be based from our Belfast, Bristol, London, Manchester, Scotland, Taunton or Warrington offices , with flexible and hybrid working arrangements available.

This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role in delivering engagement strategies for some of the UK's most complex and nationally significant infrastructure programmes. Working alongside industry-leading technical specialists, planners and environmental consultants, you'll help clients navigate challenging stakeholder environments, build meaningful relationships and deliver projects that create lasting benefits for communities and the environment.

Whether supporting major water, energy, transport or environmental programmes, you'll play a key role in ensuring stakeholders are heard, risks are managed and projects are delivered with confidence.

Your Impact

As a Senior / Principal Consultant, you'll lead stakeholder engagement and consultation activities across a diverse portfolio of infrastructure projects, providing strategic advice to clients while mentoring and supporting junior colleagues.

You'll help shape project strategies from the earliest stages of development through to delivery, ensuring engagement is effective, transparent and aligned with both regulatory requirements and community expectations.

Your work could support projects on the scale of:

• The M3 Junction 9 Improvement Scheme, improving connectivity across the South East.

• The Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project, helping secure long-term water resilience for future generations.

Through your leadership and expertise, you'll help deliver better project outcomes, stronger stakeholder relationships and more sustainable infrastructure solutions.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development and delivery of stakeholder engagement and consultation strategies across major infrastructure projects.

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with local authorities, statutory consultees, community groups, landowners and other key stakeholders.

• Provide strategic stakeholder management advice to clients, identifying risks, opportunities and engagement approaches that support project success.

• Plan and oversee public consultation programmes, including both face-to-face and digital engagement activities.

• Produce and review high-quality consultation materials, reports, communications and stakeholder management documentation.

• Support project teams through planning, consenting and delivery phases, ensuring engagement activities align with programme objectives.

• Mentor and support junior team members, contributing to the continued growth and success of the team.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary colleagues across planning, environmental, engineering and communications disciplines.

About You

You'll be an experienced engagement professional who combines excellent communication skills with a strong understanding of infrastructure delivery and stakeholder management.

You'll ideally bring:

• Significant experience in stakeholder engagement, consultation, communications, public affairs or a related discipline.

• Experience working on infrastructure, planning, water, energy, transport or environmental projects.

• A strong track record of managing complex stakeholder relationships and delivering successful engagement programmes.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical information for a range of audiences.

• Experience advising clients and project teams on stakeholder management, consultation strategy and best practice.

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance, including consultation best practice, the Gunning Principles and the Planning Act 2008 (DCO process).

• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work within programme timescales.

We'd Love To See

• Experience leading engagement activities for major infrastructure or nationally significant projects.

• Familiarity with digital engagement platforms and consultation tools.

• Knowledge of GIS or mapping software.

• An understanding of the political, social and community landscape across the UK, particularly within regions where Stantec delivers major infrastructure programmes.

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 - 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.

• Hybrid / Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.

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.

Building an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports, and develops world-class talent is a crucial key to our success. If you are excited by this role but worry that your experience doesn’t exactly align, we encourage you to apply.

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 [e-mail] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

ReqID: 9483

Other Locations: Taunton, Bristol, Belfast, Scotland, Warrington, Manchester

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