Senior Landowner Relations Advisor

Job Title: Senior Landowner Relations Advisor
Reports to: Head of Corporate Affairs
Duration: 3-Year Fixed-Term Contract (with possible extension or permanency subject to funding and business needs)
Location: Belfast (Hybrid)
Who We Are
SONI is Northern Ireland’s Transmission System Operator. We are the people behind Northern Ireland’s electricity grid. We make sure that every home, business, school, hospital, factory and farm has power - when and where they need it. And that’s just the beginning of our story. We have a critical role to play in delivering a cleaner, cheaper more secure energy future for everyone living in Northern Ireland. Our focus is on safety, security and reliability. Our work environment is challenging, fast-moving, collaborative and team orientated. Our culture is driven by continual development, knowledge and teamwork. Our people are committed to reducing Northern Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels and transforming the energy system to make decarbonisation a reality – while providing a safe and reliable electricity supply in a way that secures the future for those who follow us. The work you will deliver with us here at SONI matters. Join a great and supportive team and be part of the transformation.
The Role
Do you enjoy building relationships, working collaboratively, and making a positive impact on local communities and the environment? If so, this role could be a great opportunity for you. As part of our landowner engagement team, you’ll play a senior role in building and maintaining trusted relationships with landowners and communities throughout the life cycle of a SONI grid project. Using your experience in land rights and stakeholder engagement, you’ll help shape sustainable energy solutions for today and for future generations. We recognise the importance of balancing work and life and offer flexible working arrangements as well as support for career development.
What You Will Do
Serve as a trusted point of contact for landowners and communities, ensuring clear communication, consistency and support throughout projects.
Conduct land referencing; including finding owners and occupiers of land.
Work closely with colleagues to secure land rights for major infrastructure projects across Northern Ireland.
Organise and attend site visits, meetings, and consultations with landowners and other stakeholders.
Record and update land ownership data and maintain a landowner and stakeholder communication database.
Build strong relationships through regular engagement and negotiation of land related agreements.
Agree and document access with landowners for non-intrusive and intrusive surveys.
Provide advice on agricultural and land management to facilitate project delivery.
Utilise statutory powers and other available mechanisms to acquire land (Necessary Wayleave or Vesting Order) to assist with the maintenance of existing electricity infrastructure and installation of new electricity infrastructure when consensual agreement cannot be obtained.
Collaborate with the engineering, environmental, and planning teams to ensure smooth project execution and delivery.
Assist the Senior Landowner Engagement Lead to implement the Landowner Engagement Strategy for each specific project within SONI, with responsibility for delivering assigned outputs and outcomes.
Ensure and maintain quality assurance on all documentation relating to project specific information to lands rights which is being issued to landowners.
Support community engagement initiatives and pre-application consultation programmes.
Apply knowledge and understanding of Northern Ireland and UK land management legislation to provide landowner, and agricultural best-practice advice to project staff, planners, legal advisors and consultants.
Use GIS software to capture and analyse project data.
What You’ll Need
Joining SONI as a Senior Landowner Relations Advisor, you’ll need:
Essential Degree or three years’ equivalent experience in agriculture, surveying or related fields.
Knowledge of Land and Property Rights Management, wayleaves and easement processes and associated legislation.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with at least 12 months’ experience in a customer-facing or stakeholder engagement-related role.
Ability to work collaboratively and manage multiple priorities.
Self-motivated, organised and detail-oriented
Proficient in Microsoft Office
Experience with GIS tools (ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro or Google Earth).
Full clean driving license and willingness to travel to sites.
Desirable: A relevant course completed in Agriculture at the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
Previous experience in landowner engagement, or in the energy sector.
Why join us?
Play a vital role in shaping sustainable energy projects that benefit communities and the environment. Enjoy a competitive salary, performance-related bonus, private medical cover, and pension matching. Benefit from flexible working arrangements, including hybrid options (3 days office / 2 days home). Enhanced holidays, maternity and paternity leave and wellbeing days. Access salary sacrifice schemes (such as cycle to work, EV scheme), free car parking, onsite EV charging and complimentary lunch. Access professional development opportunities and clear career progression pathways. We offer an inclusive culture that values diversity, supports flexible working and empowers you to grow. We know flexible working means different things to different people. Contact us if you’d like to talk about how this role could work for you. If you are seeking a challenging and impactful role within the energy sector, we’d love to hear from you. Join us in shaping the future of SONI and delivering a cleaner and more secure energy future for everyone living in Northern Ireland. Closing date for applications is 26 January 2026 SONI is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We particularly encourage women to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in our organisation. We know flexible working means different things to different people. Contact us if you’d like to talk about how this role could work for you. We have a duty to prevent illegal working and applicants must demonstrate they have a legal right to work in the UK. SONI is not providing sponsorship for this vacancy.