Consents and EIA Manager ( DCO)

Project Overview:

Be part of a major aviation project in the Greater London area, that will redefine the future of air travel and delivery excellence. We’re building a dynamic team to plan and deliver complex, high-impact work, at the heart of one of the region’s most innovative and fast-moving developments.

If you’re motivated, hands-on, and thrive in the energy of large-scale infrastructure and aviation projects, this is your opportunity to thrive and make a real difference

Job Summary:

The Consents and EIA Manager will support the planning, coordination, and delivery of all statutory consents and approvals required for the airport expansion under the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime. The role spans pre-application strategy, examination leadership, and post-decision requirements discharge, ensuring all consents are robust, deliverable, and fully aligned with the wider programme. Reporting to the Senior Consents and EIA Manager and to the Project Manager, the role manages the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Planning consultants.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Strategy, Planning & Governance

▪ Maintain the Consents Strategy, covering the DCO and all secondary consents (e.g. environmental permits, highways approvals, flood risk activity permits, s.61 consents, and protective provisions).

▪ Maintain the Master Consents Register, the integrated consents schedule, and the associated risk register.

▪ Drive programme-wide alignment on consents pathways, evidence requirements, and critical-path items.

2. DCO Lifecycle Management

▪ Pre-Application: Support statutory consultation, oversee Statements of Common Ground, and lead engagement with the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), regulators, local authorities, and stakeholders.

▪ Examination: Manage responses to the Examining Authority’s Questions (ExQs), hearings, and action trackers to ensure submissions are coherent, timely, and evidence-based.

▪ Post-Decision: Implement and manage the requirements-discharge framework, ensuring consents and conditions are satisfied prior to works commencing.

3. Management of EIA Consultants

▪ Coordinate, and quality-manage all EIA consultant teams on behalf of Bechtel and the customer, ensuring delivery of a legally robust, well-structured Environmental Statement (ES) and supporting environmental assessments.

▪ Set scopes of work, manage schedules and budgets, and ensure EIA outputs integrate with the design, engineering, and planning workstreams.

▪ Chair review meetings, track progress, manage risks, and maintain consistency in environmental reporting across all technical chapters.

▪ Oversee the quality of EIA evidence used in stakeholder engagement, pre-application submissions, and Examination responses.

4. Stakeholder & Authority Engagement

▪ Support negotiations on protective provisions, side agreements, and technical approval processes.

▪ Ensure clear and effective communication channels across the project, including with community engagement teams.

5. Reporting & Evidence Management

▪ Produce and maintain a consents look-ahead, quarterly updates, and governance reports.

▪ Ensure all consents deliverables, approvals, and evidence are stored and controlled in accordance with programme requirements.

Education and Experience Requirements:

▪ Degree in planning, environmental management or science, engineering, or a related discipline.

▪ Proven track record delivering permits and consents, ideally on complex transport or aviation projects.

▪ Strong understanding of the Planning Act 2008, the EIA and HRA Regulations, and secondary consents.

▪ Demonstrated experience managing environmental consultants, technical assessments, and environmental evidence bases.

▪ Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.

▪ Ability to manage complex schedules, risks, and reporting frameworks.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

▪ Experience of DCO / NSIP submissions and the Examination process or Hybrid Bill Process.

▪ Familiarity with Examining Authority procedures, requirements discharge, and protective provisions.

▪ Chartered status (CEnv, MRTPI, or equivalent), or actively working towards it.

▪ Highly organised and detail-oriented, with strong written and verbal communication.

▪ Confident leading multi-disciplinary teams and external consultants.

▪ Comfortable working to structured processes, deadlines, and quality expectations.

▪ Collaborative, proactive, and outcomes focused.

Diverse teams build the extraordinary:

As a global company, Bechtel has long been home to a vibrant multitude of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, and life experiences. This diversity has made us a more trusted partner, more effective problem solvers and innovators, and a more attractive destination for leading talent.

We are committed to being a company where every colleague feels that they belong-where colleagues feel part of "One Team," respected and rewarded for what they bring, supported in pursuing their goals, invested in our values and purpose, and treated equitably. Click here to learn more about the people who power our legacy.