Senior Planner | Principal Planner – Infrastructure Consultant

Penguin Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Penguin Recruitment Ltd is seeking an Infrastructure Planning Consultant at Senior/Principal level to lead and deliver major infrastructure planning and consenting projects. The role offers exposure to energy, water, and transport sectors, with opportunities to contribute to bid writing, tender submissions, and business development across a growing practice.

You will work within multidisciplinary teams, applying a collaborative, entrepreneurial approach to deliver high-profile projects and build

Qualifications

• Experience delivering planning and consenting for major infrastructure projects.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure consenting regimes, particularly Development Consent Orders (DCOs).
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and project management capabilities.
• Open, creative and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Collaborative approach, with the ability to build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of infrastructure planning and consenting projects across sectors and scales.
• Contribute to business growth through bid writing, tender submissions, and work-winning activities.
• Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams to deliver successful project outcomes.
• Support growth of the infrastructure planning service and client base.

Skills

Infrastructure planning

DCOs expertise

Bid/tender writing

Project management

Client relationship management

Commercial awareness

Presentation skills

Team collaboration

Education

MRTPI

APM

CMI

CEnv

CEng

Job description

Job Title: Senior Planner | Principal Planner - Infrastructure Planning Consultant

Location: Bristol, Oxford, Exeter, London

Penguin Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading, award-winning planning and design consultancy in the search for an Infrastructure Planning Consultant - Senior / Principal to join its growing team.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a purpose-led, employee-owned practice recognised for delivering outstanding planning, design and placemaking outcomes. The business works across a diverse range of projects, helping to deliver new communities, regenerate towns and cities, and support the infrastructure needed for sustainable economic growth and climate resilience.

With major infrastructure projects across the energy, water and sustainable transport sectors, the team is entering an exciting period of growth. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering high-profile projects while contributing to the continued development of the infrastructure planning service.

The Role

As an Infrastructure Planning Consultant - Senior / Principal, you will support and lead the delivery of infrastructure planning and consenting projects across a broad range of sectors and scales.

You will work within multidisciplinary teams, collaborating with colleagues and clients to deliver successful project outcomes. Alongside technical project delivery, you will have the opportunity to contribute to business growth through bid writing, tender submissions, work-winning activities and business development.

This role would suit a commercially aware, technically capable and client-focused planner who enjoys working on complex infrastructure projects and wants to contribute to the growth of an ambitious team.

About You

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Relevant professional accreditation, such as MRTPI, APM, CMI, CEnv or CEng.
• Experience delivering planning and consenting for major infrastructure projects.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary project teams.
• A strong understanding of infrastructure consenting regimes, particularly Development Consent Orders (DCOs).
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and project management capabilities.
• An open, creative and entrepreneurial mindset.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.

Why Join?

• Join a purpose-led, employee-owned consultancy where collaboration and shared responsibility are central to its culture.
• Work on projects that make a positive difference to communities, the environment and the built environment.
• Enjoy a varied workload across different sectors, project scales and locations.
• Benefit from excellent opportunities for professional development, career progression and increased responsibility.
• Contribute to the growth of an established and ambitious infrastructure planning team.

Location and Working Arrangements

The role can be based in Oxford, Bristol, London or Exeter, with flexibility to consider candidates living within reasonable travelling distance of other studio locations.

Flexible and part-time working arrangements will also be considered.