Principal Land Consultant

Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of major strategic infrastructure projects, ensuring they are completed securely, on time, and within budget.
• Act as a trusted advisor to internal and external clients, managing key relationships and advising on land issues and statutory processes.
• Secure land rights for high-profile projects across various sectors, including negotiating access and land acquisition.
• Liaise with a wide range of stakeholders, including landowners, legal representatives, planning authorities, and contractors.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams, including engineering, environmental, and planning professionals.
• Manage, mentor, and develop staff, contributing to the overall business strategy and team growth.
• Support business development through the writing of bids and tenders for new opportunities.
• Deliver technical training and contribute to the CPD-accredited Land Academy.

Requirements

• Expertise in urban and rural environments, including property, communities, and stakeholder management.
• Proven experience working on infrastructure development schemes within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience negotiating commercial terms with landowners and knowledge of legal processes for wayleaves, easements, and negotiated access.
• Strong understanding of land acquisition legislation and statutory processes (e.g., DCOs, CPOs, TWA).
• Demonstrable ability to reduce land risk for clients throughout the project lifecycle.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and negotiating skills.
• A degree in Geography, Land/Estate Management, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Ability to travel to various sites and locations as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Chartership or membership of a relevant professional body.

Benefits

• Hybrid working flexibility between office locations (Leeds or Newcastle) and home.
• Access to WSP’s Land Academy for professional development, technical training, and CPD.
• Opportunities for career diversification across various disciplines such as GIS, Valuations, and Project Management.
• Exposure to a wide portfolio of landmark, large-scale infrastructure projects.

About the Company

WSP is a global leader in professional services, connecting the brightest minds to deliver landmark projects. Our Land team is one of the largest and most successful in the industry, supporting major strategic infrastructure development across the UK and Ireland.