Job Description
WSP offers the opportunity to work on landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in the field. The Associate Land Consultant will be part of the Land team in Birmingham / Manchester, supporting strategic infrastructure development projects across Ireland and the UK. The role involves land referencing, landowner engagement, consultation management, land access, formal consents, statutory orders, compensation agreements and land acquisition.
We support high‑profile infrastructure projects across the Energy, Water, Road, Rail and Local Authority sectors such as East West Rail, Heathrow, HS2 and many other initiatives in Great Britain. Many of our Energy projects are critical for the deployment of renewable energy, helping both Ireland and the UK economies to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions.
Delivering the Development Consent Order (DCO) for East West Rail is a critical project for us. Its success will enable a fast, sustainable connection between Oxford and Cambridge, unlock economic growth, support up to 100,000 new homes and improve access to jobs, education and services across the region. By reducing road congestion and cutting carbon emissions, it aligns with national net‑zero targets while strengthening the UK’s transport network. Successfully delivering this DCO ensured statutory compliance and coordinated complex land requirements across multiple counties, paving the way for a project that will transform connectivity and drive long‑term prosperity.
Responsibilities
* Lead the delivery of WSP Land business development across the UK electricity, highway, rail, water, telecoms, gas and renewable energy sectors to secure new projects, extensions and new clients.
* Work closely with other WSP Disciplines in the UK, including Engineering, Engagement, Environmental and Planning teams, to exploit opportunities at multidisciplinary and strategic level and grow the business.
* Raise the profile of WSP Land in Birmingham / Manchester, across public, target business sectors and academia.
* Be a trusted advisor to clients (externally and internally), actively engaging with client capture teams and Key Client Managers (KCMs).
* Lead the writing of bids and tenders to secure opportunities.
* Manage the resource strategy, including staff retention, planning for succession and recruitment to ensure that the Ireland team has the necessary skills and resources to deliver successful projects and grow the business.
* Lead at Project Director level, ensuring successful delivery of projects on time, within budget and to the highest standards.
* Undertake project reviews to support risk and opportunity management, routinely reviewing task and project delivery to ensure alignment with client needs and objectives, seeking client feedback, proactively sharing it and ensuring it is acted on.
* Provide technical direction on Land projects within the UK, including the relevant statutory processes to acquire land and land rights such as Vesting Orders, Competition and Markets Act orders, Motorway Orders, Wayleaves etc.
* Contribute to positive team and project outcomes, creating a collective purpose to achieve project and team goals. Excellent team working with other members of senior leadership in WSP Land.
* Promote the WSP culture of health, safety and wellbeing (HS&W).
* Promote adherence to Quality Assurance and the development of our processes.
* Promote adherence to Data Protection and the development of our processes.
* Act as a UK/Ireland‑wide champion of a core pillar such as sector strategy or people development.
* Travel to Ireland and the UK as required.
Qualifications & Experience
* Experience managing and directing the delivery of Land Services, including land referencing, Orders production, acquisition of consents, consultation, and landowner engagement on infrastructure development schemes.
* Delivered a Development Consent Order (DCO) project, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and successful coordination across multidisciplinary teams.
* Extensive experience with Linear Land Referencing projects, managing complex datasets and supporting legal and planning processes.
* Experience working with multi‑disciplinary teams across a range of sectors and locations and through all stages of scheme development.
* Proven ability to reduce land risk for clients and advise on land‑related matters throughout all stages of a project lifecycle.
* Experience with Public Inquiries / Oral Hearings and managing objections.
* Experience developing business and services with existing clients and securing new business opportunities.
* Knowledge of the target business market in Ireland.
* Experience in bid writing and approvals process.
* Skilled in resource strategy and development.
* Knowledge of rural environment, property, communities, and agricultural working practices.
* Strong landowner and public engagement skills with excellent influencing and negotiating abilities.
* Ability to communicate effectively and develop strong relationships with senior clients and management colleagues.
* Excellent team working skills at all levels and ability to work under pressure to deliver high‑quality outputs.
* Strong business and IT skills with adherence to quality assurance, data protection, and Health & Safety standards.
* Degree in Geography, Agriculture, Land and Estate Management or similar; chartership or professional membership advantageous.
* Ability to travel to site and remote locations.
Additional Information
Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
Employment type: Full‑time
Job function: Other
Industry: Professional Services
Location: Birmingham / Manchester, United Kingdom
Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team. Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
Apply today.
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