Head of Consenting & Environment

We are at the heart of Ireland's energy transition - connecting, operating and transforming the electricity grid to support a low carbon, renewable future. We are building talented teams that tackle real world challenges every day and help us to achieve our goal to prepare the grid to carry up to 80% of Ireland's electricity from renewable sources. We are proud to be a certified Great Place to Work, recognised for our culture built on trust, collaboration and inclusion. At EirGrid you will find supportive teams, opportunities to grow and meaningful work. We also offer secure employment with a range of flexible and family friendly working policies to support your life and wellbeing. If you are ready to make an impact and grow your career in a purpose-led organisation, your journey starts here.

The Opportunity

We are now seeking a Head of Consenting & Environment to join the Infrastructure Chief Office. The successful candidate will lead EirGrid's consenting, environmental assessment and environmental compliance team, ensuring that transmission infrastructure projects secure the statutory approvals and environmental consents required for successful delivery of onshore and offshore grid.

The role holder will provide strategic leadership on environmental stewardship, planning and consenting matters, enabling the safe, sustainable and timely development of the transmission network. They will advise senior leadership on environmental and consenting risks, opportunities and regulatory developments, while building the capability needed to support EirGrid's expanding infrastructure programme.

The Team

The Infrastructure Chief Office is responsible for developing and upgrading Ireland's electricity grid and delivering grid infrastructure at pace and at scale. We engage with communities, balancing national need with local impact, and work in close partnership with ESB Networks. By building the backbone of Ireland's energy system, we enable balanced growth, support prosperity across regions and create the conditions for a low-carbon future.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement EirGrid's consenting and environmental strategy in support of corporate and network development objectives.
• Establish and lead a high-performing function, consolidating existing expertise and recruiting and developing the additional capability required.
• Provide expert advice to the Chief Infrastructure Officer and leadership team on environmental and consenting risks, opportunities and regulatory developments.
• Integrate consenting and environmental considerations into infrastructure planning and project development processes.
• Lead planning applications, development consent applications and associated statutory approval processes.
• Oversee environmental impact assessments, supporting technical studies and environmental governance frameworks, policies and standards.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation, licence conditions and regulatory requirements, including environmental audits, assurance reviews, incident management and corrective actions.
• Lead biodiversity, habitat protection, sustainability and environmental mitigation strategies.
• Build constructive relationships with regulators, government agencies, environmental authorities and local authorities, and represent EirGrid at public hearings, consultations and regulatory forums.

About you

• A third-level qualification in planning, environmental management, law, engineering, project management or a related discipline; a postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.
• Significant leadership experience in environmental management, consenting, planning or infrastructure development.
• Experience leading environmental and consenting functions for large-scale infrastructure programmes.
• Proven success managing complex regulatory approvals and stakeholder engagement processes.
• Experience working with regulators, government bodies and statutory authorities.
• Extensive knowledge of environmental legislation and regulation, planning and development consent processes and Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Registered member of Irish Planning Institute.

We value potential as much as experience. If you believe you can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet every requirement.

We're dedicated to diversity and inclusion at EirGrid. We recognise the strength that comes from having a diverse workforce and the importance of a supportive culture for all our people to achieve their potential. Our diversity and inclusion networks have been designed to create an inclusive culture that enables our people to feel a sense of belonging at work.

As an equal opportunities' employer, we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable accommodations are offered at every stage of our recruitment process.