Planning Legal Counsel (Sizewell C) (12809)

The HPC Jobs Service supports local people into exciting, long-term careers across our Project.

Planning Legal Counsel (Sizewell C)

Sizewell C. The power of good for Britain.

Location : Suffolk or London (weekly travel to Suffolk required). 

Employment type: Permanent full-time/ part-time.
Employment basis: The role is expected to be a full- time position however we are open to discussing a more flexible or part- time approach where possible.
Salary : Competitive dependent on experience, plus bonus, market-leading pension, and flexible benefits. 

The Opportunity

Are you looking for a career which is rewarding, at the cutting edge of project development and where you can really make a difference? Come and join our expanding Sizewell C (SZC) team and work on one of the most exciting and largest megaprojects in the UK, whilst being at the forefront of the UK’s climate change agenda and energy policy. Following on from the success of Hinkley Point C (HPC), the SZC Project is a nuclear new build project in Suffolk, which has obtained planning approval and Government financing support. The project has started construction and is now seeking private investment. When completed, it will provide dependable electricity to 6 million homes for 60 years, which along with renewables, will support Britain to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Legal Counsel specialising in planning, responsible for supporting SZC in delivering against its planning requirements, advising on compliance with the terms of SZC’s DCO, DoO and any other relevant planning permissions. The role sits within the SZC legal team, which supports all areas of the SZC project.  

Our teams are set up to work flexibly, with a hybrid working approach between our offices and your home. We provide a full suite of IT equipment to ensure that our employees can work from home comfortably and effectively.

The Role

• You’ll work closely with internal stakeholders (particularly the delivery and planning teams) and external advisors to support the timely, efficient and compliant delivery of SZC, acting as a key point of reference within the SZC project for all legal planning matters.
• Providing high quality, effective, pragmatic, solutions focussed legal advice to SZC’s planning and delivery teams will be a key part of your role, as will supporting project teams in discharging planning obligations and ensuring smooth progress through the development and delivery stages.
• You’ll work with internal and external stakeholders to develop a partnership approach towards resolution of planning and consenting issues, and advise on any changes required to the planning permissions or variations to planning agreements and managing any external legal advice. 
• Additionally, you’ll be responsible for managing and promoting good, valuable relationships with external law firms in the best interests of the SZC project, including managing instructions and fee estimates.

The Skills

You’ll be a lawyer with experience in planning, ideally with knowledge of delivering infrastructure projects. 

Experience- wise, you’ll have:

• Relevant post qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister admitted in England and Wales, or equivalent qualification. 
• Comprehensive working knowledge of UK planning systems, including development consent orders and TCPA.
• Delivering a pro-active, business-focused service at a senior level that anticipates risks and prevents problems.
• Well-rounded legal knowledge and experience preferably (though not necessarily) in the projects sector and commercial acumen. Experience of delivering infrastructure projects, operating in a nuclear environment and a broad understanding of corporate risk areas would be beneficial.

If the above sounds like you, then we’d love to hear from you!

Power in Diversity

Sizewell C is a great place to work, where everyone is welcome.

To fulfil our commitment of doing the power of good for Britain, our ambition is to have a workforce which reflects and benefits the society we are part of and serve.  Every worker on SZC, wherever they are, should help to create and experience the right environment where everyone on the team understands, respects and embraces diversity with a culture where everyone is treated with equal respect and are all given equal access to opportunities.  By valuing the different points of view and experiences that having a diverse team brings, and by fostering an inclusive climate, we will create a great place to work and a more successful project. 

We create the right environment where people feel able to bring their whole selves to work. Whilst working together there is mutual trust and appreciation created through the building of meaningful relationships with one another, aligned with our key values:

Respect : Value the rules and environment in which we operate

Positivity : Positively challenge poor quality and performance
Humility : Be open to other’s points of view and ideas, be willing to debate and to compromise
Solidarity : One team, working closely together and helping each other
Clarity : Communicate clearly and consistently

Everyone is able to get the most from their work and the workplace, and in return, give their best.

Competitive Salary and Benefits

We’re dedicated to offering flexible benefits that support our people across all aspects of their lives and we’re delighted to offer a range of benefits to support our employees’ physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. 

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a market-leading company pension scheme, paid holidays and a range of flexible benefits, such as: a company incentive bonus plan, health cover, cycle to work scheme, discounts and employee pricing.

Please let us know if you’d like to discuss flexible working arrangements by highlighting this on your application.

For this role you must have evidence of right to work in the UK. As a project, we do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.