Associate Director - Water Quality

Ocean to Earth Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading international environmental consultancy in their search for an Associate Director – Water Quality. This is a newly created leadership role offering the chance to influence and shape the future of water quality services across the UK and internationally.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join a globally recognised consultancy with a strong reputation for delivering cutting-edge science and innovative solutions. Trusted by major multidisciplinary consultancies, corporations, and governments, they are known for their technical excellence, agility, and ability to solve complex environmental challenges.

As Associate Director – Water Quality, you will play a pivotal role in the leadership of the Water Sector, with responsibility for the operational delivery and growth of the Water Quality Division. This includes leading large-scale projects across freshwater, transitional and coastal environments, as well as expanding services linked to hydrometric and oceanographic data collection, bathing water investigations, and large monitoring programmes (including AMP8).

This role offers the opportunity to influence strategic direction, lead high-performing teams, and develop strong client relationships while driving forward both operational excellence and commercial success.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operational delivery of projects, ensuring technical excellence, quality, and efficiency.

• Manage and grow a portfolio of clients across the water sector, building trusted and long-term relationships.

• Oversee the design, implementation, and interpretation of expansive water quality data collection and survey programmes.

• Drive the financial health and commercial success of projects.

• Collaborate with the wider leadership team to shape strategy, unlock opportunities, and grow resource capability.

• Lead and inspire teams, embedding a culture of high performance, innovation, and continuous learning.

• Champion health, safety, and compliance standards across operations.

About You

We are looking for an individual with proven expertise in water quality consultancy and leadership within the sector. You’ll combine technical knowledge with strong client-facing skills and the ability to drive operational and commercial success.

Essential experience:

• Demonstrable leadership in consultancy or environmental services.

• Strong track record of delivering high-quality water quality projects, from design through to reporting.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Experience in managing multi-disciplinary teams and resources across multiple projects.

• Commercial acumen – experience of tendering, bidding, and delivering projects within budget.

• Strong industry links within the water sector, including freshwater, transitional, and coastal environments.

Desirable:

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline.

• Membership of a relevant chartered institution or professional body.

• Financial planning and budget management experience.

• Knowledge of the breadth of services offered within the wider water sector.

Why join?

This is more than just a leadership role – it’s a chance to help shape the future of a newly formed division within a respected international consultancy. You’ll work as part of a dynamic leadership team, with the autonomy to make real impact while benefiting from the scale, expertise, and collaborative culture of the wider group.

The organisation prides itself on its values of integrity, quality, care, fairness, forward-thinking, and positivity, and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Their flexible Ways of Working (WOW) approach ensures balance and support – empowering people to be their best, together.

Next steps

If you’re an experienced leader within the water quality sector and want to be part of an organisation that is growing, ambitious, and internationally recognised, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 To apply or for a confidential discussion, please contact Ocean to Earth Recruitment today.