Senior Town Planning Specialist

Base Location: Perth, Aberdeen, or Inverness

Salary: £50,100 - £75,100 per annum + car/car allowance + performance-related bonus + a range of other benefits to support your family, finances, and wellbeing.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible working options available

The Role

Due to our continued growth, an exciting new opportunity has arisen for another Senior Town Planner to join our team. In this role, you’ll shape the Transmission business consenting strategy and play a pivotal part in delivering our Green Strategy. You’ll lead a small team of experienced Chartered Town Planners, working with a high level of autonomy while having access to expert support whenever you need it.

As a major transporter of renewable energy, you’ll help us connect new onshore and offshore generation and deliver power to demand centres across Scotland and beyond, supporting Scotland and the UK’s 2030 net zero targets. Alongside working on critical national infrastructure projects, you’ll join a multi-award-winning team recently recognised as the Royal Town Planning Institute ‘In House Planning Team of the Year’ for 2025. Your contribution will be rewarded with excellent opportunities for development and long-term career progression within this key sector.

You will

• Lead, develop and motivate a knowledgeable team of Town Planners, driving the development of robust consenting strategies and finding solutions to overcome challenging consenting issues
• Act as a lead subject matter expert on spatial planning matters, providing guidance, training and support to ensure consistency on planning matters.
• Provide specialist support and advice to the team of town planners and project teams delivering complex planning and s37 consents aligning business level commitments and procedures to maximise efficiency, value and consistency.
• Take a lead role to build and foster excellent relationships with government, statutory bodies and industry specialists across the UK to ensure Transmission is at the forefront of advances in Town Planning best practice and has the information and tools to inform priorities.
• Effectively represent Transmission’s interests in government and industry forums and working groups to support the practical development and implementation of national planning policies, frameworks, and statutory guidance. This includes representing the business at public hearings and calls for evidence.
  
  

You have

• A relevant degree (or equivalent) and be a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• In-depth, detailed knowledge of the Scottish planning process, consenting regimes and environmental impact assessment (EIA) legislation.
• Solution focused with excellent communication skills, being able to articulate complex spatial planning issues to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• A willingness to lead, mentor and support the development of the team, and have the resilience to adapt at pace, dealing with challenges and opportunities across an extensive workload.
• A commitment to innovation and new ideas to add value and improve the consenting approach.
  
  

About SSE

SSE’s purpose is to provide energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow. We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. Our Transforming for Growth investment plan sees us investing £33bn in critical electricity infrastructure across the five years to 2030.

SSEN Transmission own and operate the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. We transport energy from where it is generated to where it is needed, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for the communities we serve. But that's not all – we're upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, homegrown energy for the future and building a network for net zero to create secure power for generations to come.

Flexible Benefits To Fit Your Life

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest-free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact [email protected] / 01738 351671 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.

Ready to apply?

Start your online application using the Apply Now box on this page. We only accept applications made online. We'll be in touch after the closing date to let you know if we'll be taking your application further. If you're offered a role with SSE, you'll need to complete a criminality check and a credit check before you start work.