Principal Ecologist

Your new company
My client's team brings together a wide range of experience and specialisms to provide a comprehensive range of services. The team is dynamic and is selected specifically for each project to ensure a bespoke innovative solution to each challenge.
They are a new, refreshing consultancy but with a solid background in both large and small consultancies and experience with a wide range of clients. Their mantra is that if they cannot solve the problem, they know someone that can.
My client was established in 2015 and they have had consistent growth ever since. They were nominated for the 2021 CIEEM best small consultancy.
Your new role
They give their Principal Ecologists' autonomy to deliver projects themselves from quoting to invoicing in a nurturing environment. This role routinely involves conducting:

• Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (habitat surveys and condition assessments)
• Biodiversity Impact Assessments
• Protected and priority species surveys
• Preparing quotations and tenders
• Business development
• Ecological Impact Assessments and further detailed assessments.

This would be perfect for someone wanting to challenge themselves and develop well-rounded consultancy skills, albeit specialists are also welcome, as they are happy for team members to carve a niche for themselves and put their mark on the place, for this level, they'd be happy to consider opening new offices built around the right candidate. They work hard to ensure team members achieve a work-life balance, so they have caps on the numbers of nights away or antisocial hours worked.
What you'll need to succeed

• Genuine and demonstrable enthusiasm for ecology and the environment;
• Experience of line managing or providing guidance to junior members of an ecology team;
• Survey licence for one or more protected species e.g. bats/ newts or a demonstrable specialist in other taxa (botany, inverts);
• Experience of habitat surveys (Phase 1 or NVC/UK Habitats) and/or protected species surveys;
• Experience of designing and implementing mitigation;
• Experience of providing technical review of ecological reports;
• Motivated to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Good communication skills with colleagues, clients and third parties;
• Full or chartered member of CIEEM (or eligible if not currently held); and
• Full driving licence and use of a car.

Desirable skills:

• Experience of sales/ business development, or willingness to learn;
• Experience of EcIA, BREEAM or biodiversity net gain;
• Advanced skills in one or more specialist ecological area e.g. bats;
• Demonstrable enthusiasm/ skills in one or more specialist ecological area e.g. bats, newts, botany;
• Degree or equivalent in an ecology related discipline;
• Experience of using QGIS or ArcGIS (training provided if not);
• Have held European Protected Species Mitigation (EPSM) licences for protected species e.g. great crested newt or bats; and
• Hold specialist mitigation class licences such as Bat Low Impact Class licence or Badger class licence.

What you'll get in return

• Competitive Salary: £41,000 - £50,000 p/annum DOE
• Flexible working - office days on Friday, otherwise can be home-based, 7.5 hour days with overtime returned via a TOIL system;
• Apple computer and IPhone;
• Professional memberships paid for;
• Unlimited in-house and external training budget;
• Colleague nominated bonus scheme;
• Generous pension;
• Unlimited annual leave and flexible approach to work time, balancing a healthy work life balance.

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

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