Associate Director – Water Quality

APEM; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global environmental consultancy in the UK seeks an Associate Director for its Water Quality division. This senior role involves leading impactful environmental programmes and managing client relationships. Candidates should have strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, with a background in water or sediment quality. The position offers flexibility and diverse project opportunities, along with comprehensive benefits including private medical insurance and flexible working options.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Mental health support

Flexible working options

Income protection

Qualifications

• Significant experience in water or sediment quality project leadership.
• Track record of delivering complex environmental programmes.
• Strong client-facing skills and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of key water and sediment quality projects.
• Diagnose environmental issues and provide evidence-based solutions.
• Mentor junior colleagues and manage multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Leadership

Client Engagement

Communication

Team Management

Data Interpretation

Education

Relevant higher degree or chartership

Job description

About The Role

Are you an experienced water quality specialist looking for a leadership role with real flexibility? Do you thrive managing complex, multi-year programmes? Are you looking to work collaboratively with other scientific experts across other aquatic disciplines such as EIA, hydroecology or hydromorphology? Are you looking for a company that will allow you to shape a role around your own strengths, whether that’s team leadership, client development, or technical delivery?

We’re looking for an Associate Director to join our award-winning Water Quality division, a senior role that plays a vital part in delivering ambitious and impactful environmental programmes supporting our work in raising water quality. You’ll lead on delivery of key water and sediment quality projects, working with clients including water companies, regulators, and developers to diagnose environmental issues and provide clear, evidence-led solutions.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all job. If your passion lies in people leadership and team building, we’ll give you the platform to develop and mentor others. If you’re commercially minded, there’s plenty of opportunity to shape and grow client accounts. If you love delivery and data, you’ll have the space to focus on complex, high-profile programmes of work. Whatever your preference, we’ll shape the role to play to your strengths.

You’ll join a supportive and growing team that values expertise, autonomy, and collaboration. You’ll work alongside technical specialists and senior leaders across the group and play a key part in guiding the future of our water quality offer.

You’ll need to bring:

• Significant experience working in water or sediment quality, including project or programme leadership
• A strong track record of delivering complex and large-scale environmental programmes
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams or mentoring junior colleagues
• Excellent commercial and financial acumen
• A collaborative mindset and strong communication skills
• Experience working in a consultancy environment

It’s a bonus if you have:

• A relevant higher degree or chartership (or are working towards it)
• Business development experience, including leading or supporting tenders
• Strong data interpretation and reporting skills
• An interest in growing a team or building technical capabilities

At APEM, we balance technical excellence with flexibility and wellbeing. Whether you’re looking to lead, grow, specialise, or diversify, this role can flex with you.

You will be offered the chance to work on a variety of projects, many of our employees have worked on projects that have been of personal interest to them. We match this with a commitment to continuous development and learning to support your career. We also offer benefits to look after you, from private medical insurance for all employees, access to mental health first aiders and comprehensive income protection if you cannot work. We also offer superb flexible working options, balancing work with your life.

Next steps

We are focused on creating a diverse and inclusive team. If you can’t tick every box on our job description, then we are still keen to hear from you and are open to supporting your development. That may be working part time or supporting you to gain experience in a specific area – we are a growing company and are able to adapt roles to reflect individual skills.

If you think you have what it takes to join our fast-growing business, then please apply immediately on our website. All we need some basic information and your CV, we will review all applications quickly and will respond to all applications.

About Us

The APEM Group is a global environmental consultancy, we work with a range of clients including large corporations and governments to help them understand and solve a wide variety of environmental projects in the UK and globally. Our successful pioneering work has enabled us to grow and combine forces with other businesses who share our ethos and integrity. At our core, our people are working towards the protection of the environment across the globe.