Senior Land & Planning Manager

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience (up to £95,000)
• A company car cash allowance (£7,200)
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 20% of annual salary)  
• Private health care (Self and partner, if applicable) 
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution) 
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary  
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays – plus an extra wellness day!  
• A great benefits package – choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.   
• Retail savings scheme   
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!  

Location: Bradford – Relocating to Leeds Summer 2026/ Hybrid Working (Normally 2 office days a week, but as required) 

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday.  

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Land & Planning Manager to join the Land & Property Department in our Finance team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you? 

What we do: 

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this. We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.  

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. The Land & Property team are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators. Yorkshire Water is preparing a portfolio of large‑scale, nationally significant infrastructure projects delivered through our Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) programme. These multi‑AMP schemes will play a critical role in securing future water resources and achieving our 100% compliance, 100% of the time ambition. This role sits at the heart of delivery, providing strategic planning and land acquisition expertise to unlock complex projects, manage risk, and secure the consents needed to move schemes from concept to construction. Working closely with senior stakeholders, delivery partners, and external consultants, you’ll have real influence over projects that will shape Yorkshire Water for generations to come. 

Where you fit in:

As our Senior Land & Planning Manager you will:

• Lead and shape strategic planning and land acquisition approaches for major Strategic Resource Option (SRO) and Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) projects, ensuring risks are proactively managed and outcomes aligned to programme, budget, and business objectives.
• You’ll act as the technical authority for planning and land acquisition matters, providing expert advice on permitted development, Town and Country Planning applications, Development Consent Orders (DCOs), Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), and associated statutory powers. 
• Drive the successful securing of planning permissions and land rights from project inception through construction and delivery, working across complex, nationally significant infrastructure programmes.
• Lead, instruct, and performance‑manage external planning and land access/acquisition consultants, setting clear scopes and measurable KPIs, assuring quality outputs, managing risk, and ensuring strong demonstrable value for money.
• Work collaboratively with project teams, delivery partners, regulators, water companies, local authorities, landowners, and agents to enable timely, efficient project delivery. 
• Play a central role in stakeholder engagement, building and maintaining trusted relationships with local authorities, regulators, NGOs, landowners, and communities to achieve positive outcomes. 
• Ensure all planning, land acquisition, land access, compensation, and payment activities are delivered in line with Yorkshire Water policies, Codes of Practice, and governance requirements. 
• Champion the development and delivery of a sustainable Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) strategy, aligned with wider environmental commitments and developed in partnership with environmental advisors and key stakeholders. 
• Provide high‑quality planning and land access/acquisition inputs into governance and regulatory reporting, including DPC Steering Groups, OFWAT submissions, and senior leadership papers. 
• Represent Yorkshire Water with confidence and credibility in external meetings, consultations, and statutory processes, acting as a visible ambassador for the organisation. 
• Contribute to the leadership of the DPC project team, promoting collaboration, performance excellence, and a strong health and safety culture. 
• Support the development and capability of others, sharing expertise and helping to build a high‑performing planning and land function. 
• Report to the Head of Land and Property, with a dotted‑line relationship to the Head of DPC, operating with significant autonomy, influence, and senior‑level visibility. 

What skills & qualifications you will need: 

• A Professional membership of the RTPI and/or RICS. 
• Proven experience securing planning consents and/or land access rights for major infrastructure projects, including under the Town and Country Planning Act, Development Consent Orders (DCOs), Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), and associated statutory powers.  
• The ability to undertake complex negotiations and achieve the right outcomes. 
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the confidence to influence at a senior level. 
• A demonstrable ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve positive, timely results. 
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, evolving environment, with the ability to reprioritise, adapt, and escalate issues appropriately as project needs change. 
• Proven experience of leading teams and/or managing external consultants, driving delivery against clear objectives, milestones, and KPIs. 
• A proven track record of identifying, managing, and mitigating planning and/or land access and acquisition risks on large‑scale infrastructure projects. 
• Strong IT capability and confidence using systems to manage information, reporting, and performance. 
• A solid understanding of property legislation and associated processes. 
• Clear evidence of delivering results against challenging targets and deadlines. 

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!  Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you’ve got experience in securing planning consents and/or land rights for major infrastructure projects and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you. If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance. 

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required. We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible. If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required. 

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible. 

Closing date for this role is 29th May 2026 .

No agencies please.