Elizabeth Ambrose Smith
Northampton,Northamptonshire
Summary
Career Summary
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Development Manager – Onshore Wind
RWE
05.2022 - Current
- Successfully gained Sec 36 ECU consent for Lorg Wind Farm in January 2026. (63MW)
- Experienced in discharging planning conditions with LPA’s
- Working alongside BESS / SOLAR team to coordinate extension projects.
- Leading Devex proposals to AG Board for Capex expenditure/ FID.
- Negotiating Option / Lease Agreements for onsite landowners and off-site access.
- Negotiating Grid Wayleaves
- Highly experienced in late stage project development / handover to construction.
- Submissions into AR6 , AR7 and preparing for AR8 CFD
- NESO reform – submitted Scottish sites into Gate 1 / 2 process.
- Stakeholder Management – liaising with Landowners, LPA’s, ECU, Grid , Community Councils , Anti Groups
- Manage budgets and delivery of Onshore Wind Projects.
Wayleaves Officer
Vodafone Ltd
07.2018 - 05.2022
- Worked on Helios Project
- Negotiating legally binding wayleaves and consents.
- Liaising with external legal and surveying professionals to achieve consent.
- Arranging access for build teams to complete the works.
SEN 1-2-1 Teaching Assistant
Guilsborough Primary School
02.2016 - 07.2018
- SEN 1-2-1 teaching assistant ( mainly Maths & English ) with a pupil with Special Needs.
- Active member of P.T.A
Senior Project Manager / Acted UK Onshore Development Manager
E.ON Climate & Renewables
04.2008 - 06.2015
- Maid lead in asset sale ( circa £20 million )
- Heavily involved in the due diligence exercise, review of Asset Purchase Agreement, financial disclosures, re-negotiations with landlords to allow changes to existing lease agreements.
- Discharging Planning conditions for all 3 Wind Farm sites.
- Acted UK Onshore Wind Development Manager for EC&R managing team of 12 in 2010
- Gained consent for Winwick , Kelmarsh & Chiplow Wind Farm through the PI process.
- Experienced in formulating development investment proposals, ensuring accurate and up to date financial models, managing budgets and forecasting outturn figures.
- Previous responsibility for the management of the development teams budget reporting as a whole.
- Experienced in the preparation and review of databooks and due diligence virtual rooms.
- Developing key relationships with other areas of the E.ON business in order to aid and influence the preparation of project databooks and financial aid.
- Working closely with procurement to formulate specifications and complete tender assessments for external contracts and turbine contracts
UK Project and Development Manager
Volkswind UK Limited
06.2007 - 03.2008
- Role involved the set up of the UK arm of Volkswind and seeking new wind farm opportunities on entering into the UK market.
- Responsible for identification and legal completion of Watford Lodge wind farm, Northamptonshire.
- Identification and development of new site opportunities to start the UK portfolio and managing a strategy for continued growth.
- Analysing constraints in the design process.
- Negotiate heads of terms, exclusivity agreements, options and leases in the origination process.
- Consult and build relationships with Local Planning Authorities and manage external planning consultants to secure planning consents.
- Manage external consultants in relation to environmental. aviation and planning work.
- Influence key stakeholders throughout the consultation process.
- Liaise with REC regarding grid connection solutions and consents.
- Formulating specifications and dealing with tender assessments for external acquisition and design contracts.
- Attend public meetings and exhibitions.
- Liaising with other functions in Germany regarding design and construction.
Senior Acquisition Controller / Network Deployment Manager
Ericsson Services Limited
10.2001 - 06.2007
- Network Deployment Manager in October 2005 for West Midlands and North Wales Region.
- Involved project managing the delivery of 200 + telecoms sites from start to finish across all disciplines from Network Planning through to Construction and leading a team of 15.
- Seconded onto Project Buzz in December 2006.
- Undertook extensive due diligence work based in Ericsson’s Dublin office for the purchase of large commercial asset.
- Management of the regions budget ( circa £16 million ) and to analyse costs accrued against the budget to ensure costs are kept within agreed limits / budget constraints.
- Responsible for putting together Ericssons 2 year financial plan.
- To ensure Finance is raised for all external suppliers prior to commencement of works and all finance is goods receipted in SAP a timely fashion to ensure accurate reporting.
- Ensure projects are on target by promoting effective communication within the Teams, both orally in terms of regular pro-active review meetings / brainstorming / presentations and in writing via producing reports / presentations.
- Liaise with external contractors on a daily basis to deliver construction projects and ensure a smooth transition of sites from acquisition into construction.
- Liaise with customer legal counsel / external solicitors on a daily basis to ensure Legal matters are dealt with both effectively and efficiently.
- Ensure data integrity in SAP and Business Objects to enable accurate reporting / forecasting to the business.
- Minimise churn in early stages of rollout process to ensure capex expenditure is minimised.
- Achieved Outstanding in my Individual Performance within Ericsson for my contributions within Network Rollout in 2005.
- Received ESL Applause for instigating and leading the team to be the only sub-regional room in the country to hit / exceed demand in all areas of the demand model at the end of 2006.
- Invited on to the Ericsson fast track project managers scheme.
Senior Acquisition Manager
02 - Northampton
03.2000 - 10.2001
- Initially worked on National Microcell project where I was solely responsible for all Microcell delivery in the Midlands and South Region.
- Successful management of several firms of external acquisition and planning agents both in the Midlands and London area.
- Developing and promoting site sharing opportunities within the business.
- Formulating budgets.
- Securing planning consents.
- Received a Movers and Shakers award from the CEO of 02 for work involved in securing the Special Events at the Belfry for the Open Golf Tournament.
- Ensure projects are on target by promoting effective communication with the Teams.
Site Acquisition Surveyor
Walker Packman
09.1998 - 03.2000
- Set up Acquisition Department in Central London and developed business with 02.
Site Acquisition Surveyor
WS Atkins
09.1997 - 09.1998
- Negotiations of HOTS and Legal Agreements with Site Providers / Agents on behalf of Vodafone.
- Liaise with Power companies regarding power solutions and wayleave consents.
- Part 1 Compensation claims on behalf of Highways Agency. ( Noise Assessment work )
Graduate Mineral Surveyor
GVA Grimleys
06.1996 - 09.1997
- Mineral Rating and Valuation work, Environmental Appraisals and Land Surveys.
- Initiated diary of work experience towards RICS accreditation.
Education
BSc( Hons ) - Surveying for Resource Development
University of Glamorgan
01-1996
HND - Land Administration
Sheffield Hallam University
01-1993
A Levels - Geography & English Language
Glossopdale Community College
01-1992
GCSE’s -
Hadfield Comprehensive School
01-1990
Skills
- Project Management
- Sec 36 ECU Consent
- Submissions (AR6, AR7, AR8)
- Site Finding
- FID (Final Investment Decision)
- Early Construction Process
- Negotiation (HOTS, Option & Lease Agreements)
- Planning Consent
- Planning Inquiry Management
- Asset Sale Management
- Team Management
- Stakeholder Influence
- Telecommunications Experience
- Network Deployment
- Due Diligence
Custom
- Project managed and successfully gained Sec 36 ECU consent for Lorg Wind Farm (63 MW) in 2026-01-01.
- Submissions of AR6, AR7 and current AR8 preparations.
- Responsible for submitting Scottish sites onto the NESO reform process and managing Gate 1 / 2 offers.
- Highly experienced from site finding through to FID and early construction process.
- Negotiating HOTS, Option & Lease Agreements.
- Project managed and successfully gained planning consent for Winwick, & Kelmarsh Wind Farm in English planning system.
- Managed successful Planning Inquiry for Chiplow Wind Farm in English planning system.
- Main PM lead on Asset Sale team disposing of assets c £20 million.
- Acted UK Onshore Wind Development Manager for EC&R managing team of 12 members of staff through the acquisition - planning and construction stages of several wind farms.
- Influencing key decision makers and stakeholders throughout the development and planning process in order to gain consent.
- Over 10 years telecommunications experience in project delivery.
- Network Deployment Manager responsible for the delivery of over 200 sites in the West Midlands and North Wales Region.
- Extensive due diligence experience in both the telecommunications and renewables industry.
Timeline
Project Development Manager – Onshore Wind
RWE
05.2022 - Current
Wayleaves Officer
Vodafone Ltd
07.2018 - 05.2022
SEN 1-2-1 Teaching Assistant
Guilsborough Primary School
02.2016 - 07.2018
Senior Project Manager / Acted UK Onshore Development Manager
E.ON Climate & Renewables
04.2008 - 06.2015
UK Project and Development Manager
Volkswind UK Limited
06.2007 - 03.2008
Senior Acquisition Controller / Network Deployment Manager
Ericsson Services Limited
10.2001 - 06.2007
Senior Acquisition Manager
02 - Northampton
03.2000 - 10.2001
Site Acquisition Surveyor
Walker Packman
09.1998 - 03.2000
Site Acquisition Surveyor
WS Atkins
09.1997 - 09.1998
Graduate Mineral Surveyor
GVA Grimleys
06.1996 - 09.1997
BSc( Hons ) - Surveying for Resource Development
University of Glamorgan
HND - Land Administration
Sheffield Hallam University
A Levels - Geography & English Language
Glossopdale Community College
GCSE’s -
Hadfield Comprehensive School