Your newpany
My client is proud to be leading the way in the Utilities and Infrastructure sector, helping to bring the UK and Ireland closer to Net Zero every day. Their teams of land, environmental, and geospatial specialists work together to secure the consents needed to deliver critical infrastructure projects.
Theirprehensive services include land access and assembly, agricultural liaison, planning, ecology, environmental impact assessments, and geospatial mapping—each playing a vital role in enabling sustainable development.
Your new role
Their day to day work is varied working on permitted development projects through to large infrastructure projects through protected landscapes in some of the most remote parts of the country. They are one of the largest suppliers of land and property services to the offshore wind market and currently provide environment and planning services to a range of utilities providers. They work with their clients helping them deliver improved water quality in our rivers and all kinds of renewable energy technologies including solar, BESS, onshore wind, hydrogen and many more - so we can all look forward to Net Zero and a brighter sustainable future!
1. Lead the department and a small team with big plans for growth, where you will be given the opportunity to develop your career and help shape the future of the ecology team.
2. Author a range of typical ecology reports (PEA/EcIA/EIA/HRA/BNG/LEMPs/CEMPs) – EIA/HRA expertise and peer review reports highly desirable for Principal/ Associate roles
3. Work with internal and external teams liaising with senior colleagues helping to provide advice to clients
4. Assist in negotiations with Natural England, County Ecologists, Local Authority planning officers, and stakeholders
5. Engage in development and design proposals, including advising on appropriate site location and construction methodologies, assisting with gaining the necessary consents and licenses in order to deliver projects
6. Work within the team to provide ecological advice and provide innovative mitigation solutions enhancement and consideration across a range of sites and schemes
7. Liaise with clients, consisting of engineers, developers and landowners, providing ecological advice on how to facilitate development on their project
8. Help to provide all the necessary assistance to unlock utility project development in SSSI, SAC, SPA, RAMSAR including applying for SSSI Assents and other permissions
9. You’ll gain the experience and knowledge to be able to feed into Environmental Impact Assessment Screening, Scoping and chapters working with internal and external specialists and environmental stakeholders
10. Provide advice on the need for HRAs and be able to lead on their preparation andpletion with limited input from others
11. Travel to meetings, client offices and site surveys across multiple projects
12. Contribute to the development of the team through providing in-house training and support to junior team members (line management experience desirable for Principal/ Associate roles)
13. Prepare fee proposals, tender applications, and manage project finances
14. Lead and manageplex ecological projects as part of a diverse portfolio of projects
15. Design, procure and manage a range of protected species surveys and mitigation through in-house ecologists and our sub-consultant network
What you'll need to succeed
16. Hold a BSc and/or MSc degree in Ecology or closely related subject
17. Have, or be eligible, for CIEEM membership
18. Have sound knowledge of the UK planning system and environmental legislation
19. Be proficient in BNG assessments, and able to interpret and evaluate the Biodiversity Metric to deliver pragmatic solutions to clients (experience in securing off-site BNG solutions highly desirable)
20. Able tomunicate effectively with clients and colleagues, and lead negotiations with Natural England, County Ecologists, Local Authority planning officers, and stakeholders
21. Hold protected species survey licences (great crested newts and bats highly desirable)
22. Bepetent in UK Habitat Classification and habitat condition assessments (FISC level 4 highly desirable but not essential)
23. Be able to design and implement ecological mitigation project, and habitat creation/ enhancement for BNG
24. Befortable working independently and as part of a small team looking to expand across the UK. Some level of overnight amodation may be required.
25. Hold a full UK driving licence, insured for business purposes, and be willing to travel for client meetings and site surveys
What you'll get in return
26. Annual bonus scheme
27. 25 days annual leave plus 1 day to celebrate your birthday
28. Vitality Health Membership (including Private healthcare, subsidised gym membership and other discounts)
29. Flexible working through our ‘Flexible Advantage’ supporting working families & your work/life balance
30. Pension Scheme via The Peoples Pension
31. Life insurance (4x Base Salary)
32. Free on-site parking in non-city centre offices
33. Cycle to work scheme
34. 26 Weeks paid Maternity Leave
35. 2 Weeks paid Paternity Leave
36. BHN Extras – provides discounted gift cards for hundreds of popular retailers
37. Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme (provided by Octopus Electric Vehicles) effective at 1 years’ service
38. Sabbatical Policy effective at 3 years’ service
39. Professional development – paid study leave
40. Military service paid leave ( days per year)
41. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) plus wider Mental Health & Wellbeing support
42. 2 xpany-wide events every year, in addition to multiple office socials throughout the year