Director, Ecology

LUC’s ecology team is passionate about creating opportunities for wildlife and people to thrive together.

With established teams in London, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow, we support a huge range of projects, at local and national levels. We’re enthusiastic about finding new ways to apply emerging ecological principals and methods to the most challenging of policy and development projects, and we have fun working together along the way.

In 2024 we will continue to support some of the most exciting projects in UK consultancy. Working alongside colleagues and partners, we will apply our skills to projects ranging from energy generation to historic building restoration, regenerative agriculture to strategic biodiversity enhancement plans. We will explore habitats from the Scottish and Welsh uplands to central London. We will search for protected species ranging from bats to osprey, via dormouse and otter.

Having adopted an exciting and ambitious new Strategy for 2024 – 2028, we plan further team growth, focussing on projects that offer the greatest opportunity to create better futures for people, nature and place. As such, we require a Director to join our London team to help grow and deliver our exciting and rewarding orderbook.

This role would suit a highly experienced ecological consultants with broad-ranging technical, commercial and leadership experience.

Responsibilities within the role will include:

• Contribution to team-wide strategy and resource development.
• Further development and delivery of our ecology services in London and the south east, with support from LUC’s Board Director for Ecology and other senior members of our London team.
• Working alongside LUC’s Ecology Leadership Team to inspire, motivate and lead our existing team of enthusiastic ecologists and ornithologists.
• Development and implementation of operational and scientific best practice in relation to ecological survey and assessment and team management.
• Delivery of a wide range of ecological consultancy projects, with full accountability for resourcing, delivery and financial performance.
• Representing LUC externally at industry and best practice events.

This role would suit candidates with some experience of habitat and species survey skills and would like to continue their professional development. The role is designed to ensure successful candidates have exposure to all aspects of consultancy, allowing them to develop their career potential.

The role will be based in LUC’s central London office.

A full-time role is based on 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday). However, LUC has a strong track record in flexible working and we have been recognised for our flexible working culture, so we are happy to discuss a range of flexible working options for this role, including part time hours (minimum 30 hours per week), if desired. LUC’s hybrid working policy would apply to the role.

Directors salaries exceed £67,500 (plus London allowance of £4,000 if applicable) depending on experience. We are happy to discuss further.

This is a great time to be joining LUC. Since its creation nearly 60 years ago, LUC has been driven by the belief that planning has a critical role to play in shaping the world around us for the better. LUC is playing its part in responding to the twin climate and biodiversity cries; our work has never been more critical or urgent.

Experience and qualifications

The successful candidate will complement our existing enthusiastic and dedicated ecology team. You will share our commitment to high quality science and be motivated to help grow and develop our business, as an equal partner.

Essential

• Educated to degree level or with equivalent level of skills and knowledge.
• Significant experience in a leadership role in ecological consultancy in the UK.
• Demonstrable experience in directing and managing complex ecological consultancy projects, for a range of client types and sectors.
• Demonstrable work winning and business development skills.
• Strong understanding of ecological survey and assessment methods in the UK.
• Strong understanding of ecological legislation and policy, and the development planning process in the UK.
• Good working knowledge of standard suite of MS Office tools.

Desirable

• Knowledge of English nature conservation legislation and policy.
• An understanding of the English development management process.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Please apply by uploading your CV and covering letter via the above link

LUC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. We value the differences, needs and contributions a diverse workforce represents, and we strive to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in all our people related activities.