Pamela is a Project Director in our Planning team. Since joining MKO in 2015, Pamela has progressed from Project Planner to Project Director and leads our Housing and Public Infrastructure Planning team.
Can you share a little about your background and what brought you to MKO?
With over 15 years of planning experience, spanning local authorities in Ireland and Scotland, private consultancy, and now my role as Project Director at MKO, my career has been shaped by a passion for place-making, sustainable development and working collaboratively to deliver meaningful change.
I started my professional journey with graduate and student roles in Kilkenny, North Tipperary, and the Heritage Council, before moving into planning roles in the UK. Working with Moray Council exposed me to strategic and retail planning. Later, working in a private consultancy in Belfast, I had the opportunity to contribute to major regeneration and masterplanning projects, further deepening my expertise in socio-economic impact assessment and community engagement.
In 2015, I joined MKO, a move that was driven by more than just career progression. I was genuinely drawn to MKO’s multi-disciplinary approach, where planners, ecologists, and environmental specialists work side-by-side. This collaborative model allows for richer, more integrated solutions, particularly in complex projects, including renewable energy developments, public realm strategies and large-scale housing schemes. It also aligns closely with my values as a planner: that good planning is not done in isolation, but through meaningful collaboration across disciplines and communities.
Since joining MKO, I’ve managed diverse projects from Large-scale Residential Developments (LRDs) and brownfield masterplan development to award-winning community regeneration plans. I continue to be inspired by the impact our work can have, whether it’s re-imagining post-industrial landscapes or shaping future-ready urban communities.
How has your career progressed since joining MKO?
When I first joined MKO as a Project Planner, I was already bringing experience from both local authorities and private consultancy, but I was eager to take on more complex challenges and work within a multidisciplinary team. What I didn’t fully realise then was just how much my career would grow, not only through the projects I worked on, but through the support systems and culture that MKO fosters.
Over time, I progressed to Senior Planner and, more recently, Project Director within the Planning team. Each step came with greater responsibility and more opportunities to lead. My focus has increasingly shifted toward large-scale residential and public infrastructure projects – everything from Strategic Housing Developments to educational and greenway projects. A recent highlight was working on the new Learning Commons for the University of Galway, a forward-thinking facility designed to support evolving learning styles and student needs. I’ve also had the privilege of contributing to greenway trail development, helping to transform former industrial sites into vibrant public amenities with long-term community and environmental benefits.
One of the most rewarding parts of my journey has been the way MKO actively supports career progression through its Career Development Management (CDM) process. It’s not just a framework, it’s a living part of our culture. I was encouraged early on to participate in leadership training, including the Emerging Managers course, which helped me develop both the confidence and practical skills necessary to lead teams and projects more effectively.
What kind of training, mentorship, or leadership development opportunities are available at MKO that have directly impacted your professional journey?
One of the things I value most about working at MKO is the real, ongoing commitment to professional development at every level. Every six months, we have CDMs, which are not just check-ins but thoughtful conversations about where you’re going, what skills you want to build, and how MKO can support that. These feed directly into goal setting through Personio, our HR platform, giving a clear structure to personal and professional growth
Beyond that, there’s a wide range of training opportunities available. We regularly attend and contribute to weekly cross-company knowledge shares, and MKO has developed its own bespoke learning portal, MKO Academy, which offers targeted, high-quality training materials across disciplines. MKO also actively supports involvement in professional organisations, such as the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). We encourage and mentor junior staff on their journey to becoming chartered with both institutes, and it’s something our team takes great pride in supporting.
That spirit of sharing knowledge extends outside the company too. Myself and several of my colleagues regularly guest lecture at third-level institutions, including the Planning Masters programme at the University of Galway. It’s something I really enjoy, giving back to the next generation of planners and sharing real-world insights from projects we’re passionate about.
From our Graduate Careers to the support we give to students on placement, and our strong mentoring culture, there’s a clear through-line at MKO: we grow together. Whether you’re just starting out or stepping into a leadership role, there’s always something new to learn, someone to learn from, and the support you need to move forward.
What excites you most about the variety of projects you get to work on at MKO?
One of the things I love most about my role at MKO is the variety and complexity of the projects I get to work on. Every day brings something different, from large-scale residential schemes to tourism initiatives and transformative educational spaces. A big part of my work focuses on residential development, where I lead on a range of projects for both national and local house-builders. I’ve worked with Cairn Homes on high-density, mixed-use schemes with hundreds of apartments and with local developers.
Beyond housing, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to the future of education infrastructure, something I find especially rewarding. I’ve supported campus development projects for the University of Galway, Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and South East Technological University (SETU), helping to shape learning environments that support innovation, accessibility, and long-term growth.
Tourism and placemaking have also been exciting parts of my work. One standout project has been the Yew Point eco-village, a nature-focused destination connected to the Hodson Bay Hotel, where sustainability, design, and visitor experience all come together. Another highlight was working on a collaborative masterplan for Killary Adventure Centre, commissioned by Fáilte Ireland. This project was particularly interesting as it included a benchmarking study of best-in-class adventure and eco-tourism sites across Europe, and we partnered with landscape architects to bring the vision to life.
This variety of work is exactly what keeps things fresh and motivating. No two projects are the same, but they all require thoughtful planning, collaboration across disciplines, and a shared goal of creating places that work for people and the environment.
Can you describe a typical project you lead at MKO? What level of autonomy do you have in shaping its direction and how do you ensure its successful delivery?
When people think of planning, they often picture the finished product, new homes, thriving communities, or vibrant mixed-use spaces. But long before construction begins, there’s an entire process of strategy, coordination, and consultation happening in the background.
It usually starts with a planning strategy conversation. I’ll work with the client to understand their goals and ambitions for a site. Often, the first step is a feasibility study to determine whether the site is viable for development, and what kind of scheme might work. If the site shows promise, we’ll move forward together, evolving that initial idea into a full development project. At that stage, I advise the client on what additional expertise we’ll need, anything from a hydrologist or tree surveyor to an ecologist, traffic consultant, or architectural specialist. With the help of my team, we coordinate bringing those professionals on board at the right time, ensuring the project stays on track.
A big part of our work involves coordination and communication. On a typical project, I lead fortnightly design team meetings, which my team helps to organise and document. These sessions are where we track progress, resolve issues, and keep the project moving forward. My team and I also review technical reports, provide feedback and work closely with sub-consultants to ensure everything feeds into a coherent and robust planning application.
We also manage pre-application consultations and stakeholder engagement, which means connecting with local authorities and other stakeholders. This input helps to shape a stronger, more informed application. When it’s time to submit, my team takes the lead to upload all the documents to the Planning Portal. We also take care of budget management, monitoring work in progress, keeping an eye on timelines, and making sure invoicing follows the agreed payment plan. My team plays a vital role in supporting this, giving me the time and space to focus on strategic planning and client communication.
Once the application is lodged, we keep the applicant informed at every step. My team helps to track submissions, summarise third-party observations and manage follow-up queries. If an appeal is needed, I advise on strategy and next steps. Even after planning permission is granted, we continue working with the client, managing post-consent compliance and coordinating with the local authority to ensure conditions are met. While I lead the project from a planning perspective, none of this would be possible without the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork of the planning team around me.
As a senior team member, how do you contribute to the growth and development of more junior team members at MKO?
One of the most fulfilling parts of my role at MKO is the opportunity to mentor and support junior members of the planning team. I still remember how valuable it was early in my own career to have people around me who took the time to share their knowledge, give honest feedback, and help me build confidence. Now, I try to offer that same support to others.
We have a strong culture of on-the-job learning, and I work closely with junior colleagues through weekly one-to-one meetings, where we chat through their current projects, answer questions, and troubleshoot any challenges they’re facing. These sessions are a great way to stay connected, but also to create a space where learning can happen in real-time and in a supportive environment.
I also spend time reviewing reports, offering feedback and suggestions, not just on what to improve, but explaining the why behind decisions so they can build up their own judgement and skills. It’s all part of encouraging independent thinking while still being available as a sounding board.
For those working towards chartership with the IPI or the RTPI, I help guide them through the process, from reviewing submissions to sharing insights from my own chartership journey. We talk about the competencies they need to demonstrate, how to frame their experience, and how to approach their assessments with clarity and confidence.
Ultimately, mentoring isn’t just about checking in or offering advice, it’s about building trust, recognising potential, and helping people see where they can go next.
For someone looking to build a long-term career at MKO, what opportunities for progression does MKO offer?
If you’re someone who’s thinking about building a long-term career in planning, one of the things you’ll really appreciate at MKO is the clear structure and support that’s in place to help you grow.
MKO has a well-defined progression framework within the planning team, which really helps you see what the next step looks like. Our structure moves from Graduate Planner, to Practitioner, then Project Planner, Senior Planner, Principal Planner and ultimately Project Director. At each level, there are clear expectations and opportunities to take on more responsibility, develop new skills, and lead bigger and more complex projects.
We have twice-yearly CDMs where you can talk openly about your ambitions, interests, and areas you want to build on. Those conversations feed into goal setting in our HR platform, so you can track your progress and see how your work aligns with your long-term development.
I’ve personally benefitted from that structure and support, and I’ve seen so many colleagues do the same. If you’re looking for somewhere that values progression, has a roadmap to help you get there and surrounds you with people who genuinely want to see you succeed, MKO is a great place to be.