Principal Water Environment Specialist
Meet Our Recruiter
About the Role
Ocean to Earth Recruitment is working with an established multidisciplinary environmental consultancy to recruit a Principal Water Environment Specialist.
This is a senior, hands-on opportunity for an experienced water professional who wants to combine technical delivery with team leadership, client management and the opportunity to help develop and grow an established Water Environment service.
You will lead a varied portfolio of UK projects, providing specialist water environment advice across planning, environmental permitting, sustainable design, construction and operational delivery.
The Role
As Principal Water Environment Specialist, you will take technical and project leadership across a broad range of water-related work, including:
- Hydrology and hydrological assessments
- Flood Risk Assessments and modelling
- Sustainable drainage systems and drainage strategies
- Water and sediment quality
- Water Framework Directive Assessments
- Hydromorphology
- River and wetland restoration
- Water resource usage and resilience
- Water monitoring programmes
- Environmental permitting and consenting
- Water environment inputs to Environmental Statements
Projects span a diverse client base including water utilities, government bodies, renewables, infrastructure, development, defence, sport and charitable organisations.
You will work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues across ecology, landscape, environmental assessment and permitting, developing practical solutions that balance environmental protection with successful project delivery.
Project & Client Leadership
You will act as a key technical adviser to clients and lead projects from inception through to completion.
Your responsibilities will include managing project scope, budgets, programmes, resources and technical quality, as well as leading meetings with clients, regulators, planning authorities and other stakeholders.
You will prepare and oversee high-quality technical outputs including Flood Risk Assessments, Drainage Strategies, Water Framework Directive Assessments and Environmental Statement chapters.
Lead & Develop a Team
A key part of this appointment is the opportunity to lead and develop an in-house Water Environment team.
You will mentor colleagues, support their professional development and help strengthen the consultancy's technical capability.
There is also genuine scope to influence the future direction of the Water Environment service, identify new opportunities, develop client relationships, prepare fee proposals and lead bids.
This would particularly suit someone who enjoys remaining technically involved while taking greater ownership of people, projects and the growth of a specialist service.
About You
We would like to hear from experienced UK water environment professionals who can demonstrate:
- Chartered status, such as C.WEM, C.Eng or equivalent
- A postgraduate qualification in a relevant water-related discipline
- 10+ years' relevant UK water environment experience
- Strong technical expertise across water environment projects
- Experience leading and developing technical colleagues
- Project and budget management experience
- Technical review and quality management experience
- Strong client and stakeholder communication skills
- Experience preparing fee proposals and contributing to business development
- Knowledge of UK planning, environmental permitting and consenting processes
You may come from a particular technical specialism within the water environment sector, but you should be comfortable overseeing multidisciplinary water projects and providing confident, evidence-based advice to clients.
Salary & Benefits
£44,000 to £58,000 depending on experience, plus:
- Discretionary annual profit-share bonus
- Private healthcare
- Employee Health Cashback scheme
- 36 days' annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
- Up to five days' external CPD allowance each year
- Internal training, mentoring and work-shadowing
- Professional membership fees
- Free office parking
- Access to gym facilities and discounted fitness classes
- Access to a wild swimming lake and sauna
- Regular social and networking events
Interested?
This is an excellent opportunity for an established water environment professional who wants more than a purely technical Principal role. You will have the opportunity to lead people, develop client relationships and play a meaningful part in shaping the continued growth of a specialist Water Environment service.
For a confidential conversation or to apply, please send your CV to: