Senior Ecologist
Location: Worcestershire
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Benefits: 5% matched pension, private health plan, bonus, 25 days holiday (+1 per year up to 5 years), TOIL up to 2 days/month, flexible/hybrid working, structured professional development
Hybrid working, looking at a minimum of 1 day per week on site.
About the Employer
Our client is a leading UK ecological consultancy, known for technical excellence and delivering specialist advice to residential, infrastructure, utilities, and commercial clients. They support professional growth, foster a collaborative and solutions-driven environment, and have a growing profile in complex UK-wide projects.
The Role
We are seeking a hands-on, commercially astute Senior Ecologist to join an established consultancy team in a remote-first capacity. The successful candidate will lead and deliver a diverse range of ecological projects, oversee project management from proposal to completion, and provide authoritative input for multidisciplinary schemes.
Key responsibilities include:
* Managing and delivering multiple ecological projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and to exacting standards.
* Acting as the principal point of contact for clients, maintaining and growing long-term relationships, and identifying opportunities for new or repeat business.
* Leading, mentoring, and line-managing junior ecologists, undertaking quality assurance for technical outputs and supporting skills development within the team.
* Overseeing and conducting detailed field surveys (habitat, protected species, etc.), as well as complex data analysis, technical report writing, and mapping.
* Advising clients and project teams on ecological mitigation, strategic planning, and biodiversity net gain, ensuring compliance with the latest statutory and best practice requirements.
* Representing the consultancy at meetings with clients, stakeholders, and statutory agencies, and providing expert input for planning applications, Environmental Statements, and technical reviews.
* Contributing to business development, proposal preparation, fee quotations, and project tendering in support of the employer's continued growth.
Essential Skills & Experience
* Proven experience leading and delivering ecological projects within a consultancy environment.
* Expertise in habitat and protected species surveys, UKHAB classification and reporting, and technical report production.
* Excellent client-facing, communication, and project management skills, with a strong focus on commercial awareness and delivery.
* Comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge of UK and European wildlife legislation and planning policy.
* Ability to effectively manage, mentor, and develop junior team members.
Desirable
* Chartered body membership (e.g. CIEEM) or actively working towards chartership.
* Protected species survey licences.
* Proficiency in GIS/digital mapping and strong analytical capabilities.
* Successful experience supporting business development and service growth within ecological consultancy.
Why Apply?
* Take a leadership role on landmark and technically challenging ecological projects nationwide.
* Be part of a consultancy known for best practice, innovation, and a supportive team culture.
* Structured progression pathways, including opportunities for specialist or project delivery leadership roles.
* Flexible, hybrid working and a strong benefits package.
Ideal Candidates
* Experience within UK ecological consultancy, balancing project, technical, and commercial responsibilities.
* Senior professionals seeking to deepen their specialist expertise or to take greater responsibility for team and project leadership.
* Strong communicators, relationship builders, and people who enjoy collaborative, high-standard, client-focused consulting.