Location
Manchester, UK Wide opportunities available

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

Nuclear power is a vital component of the UK’s clean energy mix—essential for achieving net zero and securing a resilient energy future. In support of the UK government’s vision for a revitalised nuclear industry, we are proud to be one of the leading engineering and environmental professional services consultancies driving progress across the UK nuclear sector.

We have a long-standing track record of delivering work on some of the UK’s most complex infrastructure projects, including major nuclear developments such as Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, Sellafield, the Geological Disposal Facility, and more recently advising on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programmes. As one of the largest environmental consultancies in the UK, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to these landmark nuclear projects and collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry. You’ll be encouraged to explore new ideas in a culture that values curiosity and diverse perspectives.

With the growth of the UK nuclear sector comes increased scrutiny and a more complex consenting environment. As a Principal, Associate or Associate Director in our Environmental Consents team, you’ll play a key role in navigating this landscape—supporting nuclear projects through strategic planning, environmental advice, and technical studies. You’ll contribute to some of the UK’s most significant and transformative nuclear infrastructure projects, delivering services such as planning applications, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), permitting and compliance, feasibility studies, and support for Development Consent Order (DCO) examinations and planning inquiries.

This is a strategically significant role offering a challenging and exciting opportunity to identify, win and deliver multi-disciplinary inputs for nuclear projects. We seek individuals with a creative spirit, a dedicated approach, and a solid grounding in environmental design, assessment and management at any stage of the development project lifecycle.

As a senior member of the team, you will collaborate with diverse technical specialists and design professionals to manage environmental contributions across project designs and assessments. You will be instrumental in improving the environmental performance of a range of nuclear projects.

Key responsibilities include managing projects, bidding, project team leadership, delivery, financial management, and playing a key role in growing our nuclear sector offer. You will work with sector leads and client account managers to drive thought leadership and win new business. Providing environmental advice and support to clients, project managers and colleagues will be central to your role.

You will work closely with colleagues, environmental specialists, clients and engineering teams to promote sustainable design and environmental enhancement. Leading large, multiple, and complex projects, you will oversee technical, quality, commercial, and health and safety performance.

Building strong client relationships and identifying opportunities to support project strategy, resourcing and delivery will be essential. You will undertake activities to secure new work, including developing proposals for complex opportunities, delivering strategic level bids and framework opportunities, and pursuing business development.

You will champion innovation through approaches such as Digital EIA, Technical Excellence and Future Ready initiatives. Driving performance improvement and career advancement opportunities across the team will be part of your leadership role.

Promoting an inclusive and positive team environment, acting as a trusted advisor and mentor, and demonstrating a strong commitment to health, safety and wellbeing culture are key aspects of this role. You will undertake actions that contribute towards the success of WSP’s business strategy, while being self-motivated towards goals relevant to your role, team, and projects.

Experience
- Relevant environmental or planning degree (or equivalent experience), with chartered status or actively working towards chartership.
- Demonstrable experience delivering Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for nuclear projects under UK planning regimes such as the Town and Country Planning Act, EIADR and the Planning Act 2008.
- Awareness of the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) 2016 is beneficial.
- Familiarity with consenting processes associated with nuclear projects, including Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) and Environmental Permit applications.
- Understanding of how consenting processes integrate with planning systems and EIA for nuclear projects.
- Proven ability to lead client communications and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, regulators, and the public.
- Solid understanding of public consultation and stakeholder engagement processes.
- Knowledge of emerging environmental and planning policy trends.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong report writing and review capabilities, attention to detail, and focus on quality assurance.
- Proven line management experience with a track record of developing and upskilling internal teams.
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic planning, win new work through bids and proposals, and enhance reputation in the nuclear sector.

About you
Enthusiastic and proactive individual with a creative spirit and dedicated approach. Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence, manage and deliver environmental elements of complex nuclear projects. Committed to promoting an inclusive workplace and health, safety, and wellbeing culture. Self-motivated and aligned with business strategy goals.

Qualifications
Relevant degree or equivalent experience in environmental or planning disciplines. Chartered status or actively working towards chartership is required.