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Job Title: Senior Planner, UK

Department: Environmental & Social Planning

Location: London, UK


About Lightsource bp

Lightsource bp is a global leader in the development and management of solar energy and storage projects. We are a 50:50 joint venture with bp with a mission to help drive the world’s transition to low carbon energy.

With solar set to increase tenfold in the next 20 years, we are well-positioned to capitalize on this growth. By joining the Lightsource bp team, you will ‘be the change’ on the world’s energy transition to a more sustainable future.

We pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit as we continue to push the boundaries of an ever-changing energy landscape. By choosing a career with us, you can expect a challenging and fulfilling role surrounded by people who are passionate and have brilliant ideas about sustainable technology, innovation and making the world a better place.


What You’ll do (the role)

Summary

We are looking for a Senior Planner with a bit of spark and drive, keen to work client side in the renewable energy industry in Lightsource BP’s in-house Planning Team. You will be involved in all aspect of a project’s life cycle, from initial site selection, planning application preparation, local authority liaison, stakeholder engagement, pre and post construction work.

We encourage close collaboration across teams and you will work closely with other internal teams, including business development, design, construction, asset management and structured finance.

You will also be part of the wider global environmental planning community at Lightsource bp, with the opportunity to get involved in company level initiatives that interest you.


Duties and responsibilities

  • Provide planning advice to inform decision-making on-site selection and approaches taken on planning applications and stakeholder engagement.
  • Manage the planning application process, including: project managing external consultant teams; reviewing and signing off content; collaborating with the internal Business Development, Design and Construction teams to define project design and detail, ensuring these respond to planning, environmental and community challenges and concerns.
  • Lead on stakeholder engagement for projects – organising community consultation events, building relationships with case officers, and other key stakeholders.
  • Undertake post-construction planning compliance assessments.
  • Prepare and engage in handovers to Construction and Asset Management, to ensure planning, environmental and social obligations during construction and operation are clearly detailed and understood.
  • Responding to local and national government policy consultations.
  • Mentoring junior staff and provide input into Team and Department strategies.
  • Develop strong relationships with internal team members.

Regular travel around the UK for site visits, community information events, and meeting with LPAs is likely.


Who we’re looking for

Knowledge

  • Comprehensive working knowledge of the UK planning systems, including planning for TCPA and NSIP scale projects.

Experience & Education

  • Extensive experience in planning (5+ years).
  • Experience in managing projects at all stages of a project.
  • Experience in ground mount solar PV preferrable, or other renewables energy/infrastructure projects.
  • Degree level planning qualification required.
  • Fluent English essential

Why you’ll make a great member of the team

Work & General skills

  • Excellent technical, project management and communication skills with experience working with multi-disciplinary project teams.
  • Driven with a hands-on proactive approach to business, and the ability to be flexible and adapt rapidly.

Why you’ll want to work for us

Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow; a place where your ideas and opinions matter.

Be you

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.

Be responsible

Our culture is driven by our core values. From operating safely to ensuring our solar projects are responsible and promote biodiversity.

Be recognized

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension and other local benefits.

Be inspired

Beyond your day-to-day working life at Lightsource bp, there’s a variety of initiatives that will contribute to your own personal development. Initiatives to get involved with including our charitable causes, supporting our solar honey project or our sustainability initiatives.

Our Core Values

Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low carbon energy projects. Our core values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, Sustainability and Drive are the guiding principles for everything we do.