Solar Development Manager (UK)

Rivan; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Share options

Relocation support

Private health insurance

Unlimited time off

Job summary

Rivan is seeking a Planning and Permitting Lead to drive UK planning approvals for large‑scale solar and related projects. You will oversee land rights, pre‑application work, TCPA planning applications, and post‑consent amendments, coordinating with Deployment Team and stakeholders across local to national levels.

The role requires 7–10+ years’ experience in UK planning, a related degree, and ideally MRTPI accreditation.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of professional planning experience in the UK.
• Experience navigating the UK planning process and approvals.
• Ideally MRTPI accredited.

Responsibilities

• Securing land rights and permits for new pipeline connections
• Overseeing early stage pre-application planning work, including feasibility studies and EIA screening
• Co‑ordinating and submitting TCPA planning applications and overseeing stakeholder engagement
• Discharge of planning conditions and post-consent amendments in consultation with Deployment Team
• Responding to planning consultations which could affect Rivan
• Managing and engaging with stakeholders across local, county and national levels

Skills

Planning experience

UK planning system

MRTPI Accredited

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in related field

Job description

Rivan Industries (Rivan.com) is a synthetic fuel company designed to decarbonise heavy industry. We aim to make synthetic fuel cheaper than fossil fuels and sustain life on earth by keeping the CO 2 locked underground.

We design and manufacture modular synthetic fuel plants consisting of a DAC system, an Alkaline Electrolyser, and a Sabatier Reactor, whilst vertically integrating with off‑grid DC solar and the European gas‑grid. Here’s our entire business plan. We’ve recently deployed the UK’s largest synthetic fuel plant and are planning to 1000x this scale in the next 2 years.

After proving our technology over the last 18-months, we’re now embarking on our next project – to build the world’s largest synthetic fuel plants across the UK, Spain, and Portugal. Our projects will rapidly scale from 10MW up to 1GW, producing >1TWh of synthetic natural gas every year, distributed all over Europe to decarbonise areas you can’t electrify.

We’re looking for someone that has the scar‑tissue of navigating the planning and permitting process of large‑scale solar in the UK, to drive our solar efforts forward and bring these projects to life. If you want to be able to look back and say you had a key role in decarbonising the future of earth, make this role yours.

The role

• Responsibility for areas of the planning and permitting process, including:
  • Securing necessary land rights and permits for new pipeline connections
  • Overseeing early stage pre‑application planning work, including: feasibility studies, land use compatibility assessments, EIA screening applications, etc.
  • Co‑ordinating, reviewing, and submitting an TCPA planning applications, including overseeing a robust social engagement strategy with local stakeholders
  • Discharge of planning conditions
  • Preparing and managing post consent planning amendments in consultation with our Deployment Team
  • Responding to planning consultations which could affect Rivan.
• Managing and engaging with stakeholders
  • Various levels of government: local, county and national organisations as needed
  • Other statutory consultees such as heritage, ecology, and landscape officers
  • Subconsultants preparing surveys and assessments
  • Developing a clear and concise communications plan across the hierarchy of stakeholders in the UK

Core skills

• 7-10+ years professional experience
• Experience with the planning process across the UK
  • Ideally, but not required, MRTPI Accredited
• Bachelors or Masters degree in related field

Specifics

• £80-100k Salary depending on experience
• Significant share options as part of the early team
• In‑person work at our HQ in Bermondsey, South London
• Extensive relocation support, including £6000 per year extra to live close to our HQ
• Private health insurance
• Unlimited time off

We encourage exceptional applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this role, even if they do not meet all the requirements listed.