At Green Gen Cymru, we’re acting now to build and operate a green energy network for Wales, that will make sure 100% renewable energy can flow to our homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities.
We’re playing a pivotal role in providing a reliable and robust distribution network that will tackle the energy crisis, climate crisis, as well as the cost-of-living crisis. It will also empower rural communities through investment, jobs, and skills, enabling communities to live modern electric lives.
We want to make sure Wales has the energy it needs in a Net Zero world.
There’s endless potential for renewable energy in Wales – particularly from the wind that blows across our hills and mountains. But the green energy is stuck in the windy areas of Wales, and we need to get it to the homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities that need it. To respond to this challenge and meet Welsh Government’s target for 100% renewable electricity in Wales by 2035, we’re developing a stronger, more resilient renewable electricity network that is greatly needed in Wales – distributing clean, green energy.
We want to build a positive, clean future for us all.
SALARY: From £65,000 per annum (skills and experience dependent)
REPORTS TO: Consents Director
LOCATION: Cardiff, Wales (hybrid working)
The Environment Manager will be a core member of GGC’s Consents Team and take ownership of developing and executing a natural capital strategy for the GGC portfolio, and for each grid project. This role is also critical in ensuring the successful coordination, preparation, and submission of multiple Development Consent Orders (DCO), Infrastructure Consent Orders (ICO), and TCPA applications running in parallel and under significant external scrutiny, including from environmental stakeholders.
The Environment Manager will also work in close partnership with Senior Project Managers (SPMs) to provide environmental advice and input in connection with the successful delivery of each project through the planning and development process. This work will be focused around environmental surveys and mitigation and include biodiversity net gain/net biodiversity benefit, developing a natural capital strategy, habitat management, and wider cultural/nature enhancement measures which align with Welsh Government objectives, legislation and planning policy, and are progressed in such a way to meet the required commercial expectations, are deliverable and buildable, and in line with programme.
The Consents Team brings together specialist expertise across planning, environment, and stakeholder liaison to support the successful delivery of nationally significant infrastructure projects. The team plays a central role in shaping projects from early strategy and consultation through to submission, examination and determination. The team is collectively responsible for delivering key consultation milestones, high‑quality and consistent application documentation, examination readiness, and constructive engagement with statutory consultees, communities and other stakeholders. Success is measured not by individual outputs alone, but by the strength, clarity and credibility of the overall consenting case.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Environmental Strategy & Natural Capital
- Lead the development and implementation of a clear, deliverable environmental and natural capital strategy across the portfolio and for individual projects, aligned with planning policy, programme and commercial requirements.
- Ensure environmental strategy is embedded in project development, driving early decision-making and influencing design to maximise consentability and long-term asset performance.
2. Consentability & Environmental Risk Management
- Lead the identification, assessment and active management of environmental risks and constraints across all projects, ensuring issues are understood early and addressed in a way that supports timely consent.
- Shape mitigation and enhancement strategies to ensure they are proportionate, deliverable and aligned with programme, cost and buildability considerations.
- Act as a key decision-maker in balancing environmental, engineering and commercial considerations, providing clear recommendations to the project and senior leadership teams.
3. EIA Scope, Delivery & Technical Assurance
- Define and control the scope of Environmental Impact Assessments, ensuring they are robust, proportionate and focused on what is required to support a defensible planning application.
- Provide strategic oversight and technical assurance of all environmental deliverables, including scoping reports, Environmental Statements, technical chapters and supporting documents.
- Hold consultants to account on quality, programme and proportionality, ensuring outputs meet both regulatory requirements and project needs.
4. Project Integration & Design Influence
- Work in partnership with Senior Project Managers and engineering teams to ensure environmental considerations are fully integrated into project optioneering, design development and programme delivery.
- Drive environmental inputs to design decisions, ensuring risks are managed and opportunities for innovation, enhancement and best practice are realised.
- Ensure environmental workstreams are aligned with project programmes and do not create unnecessary delay to application submission or examination.
5. Stakeholder Interface & External Positioning
- Lead engagement with key environmental stakeholders, including statutory bodies, NGOs and interest groups, to support a constructive and credible consenting process.
- Support the development of clear and compelling environmental narratives within applications, consultation and examination, ensuring consistency with broader project messaging.
- Provide strategic input to External Affairs to ensure environmental and biodiversity messaging is aligned, evidence-based and supports project outcomes
Key Accountabilities
- Collaborate with the wider Development Team to identify environmental constraints and risks early, ensuring potential impacts on consentability and development rights are understood and addressed through practical, deliverable solutions.
- Lead the identification and design of environmental initiatives for each project, ensuring they are proportionate, policy-compliant and capable of supporting a robust and credible planning application.
- Provide focused technical input and review across EIAs and supporting documentation, ensuring compliance with relevant policy while maintaining a clear focus on proportionality and what is required to secure consent.
- Support and challenge project teams in the management of external environmental consultants, ensuring work is well scoped, coordinated and aligned with programme, consenting strategy and overall project objectives.
- Set the direction for environmental performance beyond consent, ensuring that commitments secured through the planning process are translated into practical, deliverable measures during construction.
Knowledge & Skills
- An in-depth understanding of the environmental/regulatory opportunities and challenges facing all stages of grid development and the renewable industry;
- Detailed knowledge of the consenting drivers for a successful linear infrastructure development and understanding of key project risks;
- Deep understanding of the planning system and environmental policy relating to both grid and renewable energy development, including practical application of Welsh Planning Policy in respect of NBB, and also BNG on English or cross-border DCO projects.
- Detailed knowledge of EIA, including experience drafting technical chapters as a competent expert, and/or the project management and co-ordination of large EIA projects.
- Familiarity with relevant consenting processes associated with development, including Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), environmental permit application etc, and an understanding of how these processes integrate with the planning system and EIA for new development.
- Deep understanding of the ecological, cultural and environmental initiatives which represent a best in class approach to environmental performance, mitigation and wider site design;
- Excellent interpersonal skills;
- An entrepreneurial approach and problem-solving abilities;
- Strong personal resilience and hugely adaptable to situations;
- Excellent organisational and co-ordination skills;
- Handling and co-ordinating inputs from external consultants and project team members;
- Excellent influencing and negotiation skills.
Experience & Qualifications
- Degree in an environmental science based subject, environmental managed or equivalent;
- ISEP (or similar) membership is desirable;
- Significant experience within environmental consultancy, working in-house in a development company as an environmental manager / advisor on large scale infrastructure or construction projects desirable (typically 8-15 years);
- Track record of successfully leading on the strategy and implementation of environmental initiatives and design within resource and budget constraints;
- Successfully dealing with planning authorities and other third party project stakeholders, including landowners, external consultants, interest groups and voluntary organisations;
- Input to the production and delivery of certain aspects of large-scale infrastructure planning applications, Environmental Statements, and long term environmental/habitat/net gain plans.
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Hybrid work structure available
- The ability to work core hours and take time back in lieu throughout the week.
- Fridays are allocated as ‘no meeting’ days to ensure down time at the end of the week.
- 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays.
- Private Medical Insurance from day 1 with cover for immediate family including spouse or partner and children, including direct mental health pathways and support.
- Annual pay review and discretionary bonus.
- Employer pension contributions up to 7%.
- Electric car scheme via salary sacrifice.
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Tech scheme – discounts on latest technology including laptops, phones, iPads for personal use
- Life assurance cover and income protection.
- Travel insurance.
- Suite of enhanced policies and provisions to support colleagues through all the moments that matter.
- Regular team socials, activities, sporting events and charity fundraisers.
We’ve assembled a strong team of industry experts to help us deliver the secure,
resilient and decarbonised energy system the UK needs.
If you want to be part of that, take a look at our latest opportunities.
We develop energy infrastructure - generating, storing, and delivering power that
connects businesses and communities.
We’re contributing to solving some of the UK’s energy challenges by bringing
together renewable generation, modern grid infrastructure, and long-duration
electricity storage into one integrated system.
Our goal is to help deliver electricity where and when it’s needed, enabling increased
energy security and playing a part in the UK’s transition to a resilient, low-carbon
future.
