Associate Surveyor, Land Rights - Ardent

Joshua Robert Recruitment Limited; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive salary

Hybrid working policy

Private healthcare through Benenden

Wellbeing and mental health support

Cycle to work scheme

Career development and training

Job summary

Ardent is seeking an experienced Associate – Land Services (Land Rights) to join its East of England team in Cambridge. You will lead land rights delivery on major infrastructure programmes, working with clients, landowners and multi-disciplinary project teams.

The role carries commercial responsibility, requires strong stakeholder negotiation and a track record in DCO/CPO processes. Chartered MRICS/FAAV is preferred, with potential to progress toward Associate Director.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading land rights delivery on major infrastructure projects.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills across landowners and clients.
• Experience with DCO/CPO processes and land compulsion frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead land acquisition strategy and land rights delivery on major infrastructure programmes.
• Represent Ardent on client projects, managing interfaces across land, legal, engineering and consenting.
• Lead negotiations with landowners and their representatives.
• Secure easements, wayleaves and access rights.
• Mentor and develop junior colleagues as the regional team grows.

Skills

Land rights delivery

Stakeholder negotiations

DCO/CPO experience

Project leadership

Education

MRICS or FAAV preferred

Job description

Joshua Robert is delighted to be working with Ardent to recruit an experienced Associate – Land Services (Land Rights) to join its growing East of England team in Cambridge.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Land Rights professional to play a key role in building Ardent's presence across Cambridge and the wider East of England.

The successful candidate will provide senior land rights and technical leadership across major infrastructure programmes, with exposure to projects spanning the solar, wind, transport and utilities sectors.

This is a delivery-led position with genuine commercial responsibility. You will work closely with clients, landowners and multidisciplinary project teams, providing technical leadership across land, legal, engineering and consenting interfaces.

The role will suit someone with the confidence and judgement to represent both Ardent and client land teams, while building constructive relationships with landowners and their representatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead land acquisition strategy and land rights delivery on major infrastructure programmes across the East of England
• Represent Ardent on client projects, maintaining high standards and managing interfaces across land, legal, engineering and consenting
• Lead negotiations with landowners and their representatives
• Secure easements, wayleaves and access rights
• Manage complex land acquisition and land rights workstreams
• Provide advice to senior project and client-side stakeholders
• Contribute to bids and business development activity to support regional growth
• Build your own professional network across the region
• Spend time in both the Cambridge and London offices during the early stages of the role
• Mentor and develop more junior colleagues as the regional team grows

About Ardent

Ardent is an infrastructure and regeneration specialist focused on delivering life-improving change for communities and future generations.

With more than 35 years' experience, Ardent has established itself as a market leader in Land Assembly & Compulsory Purchase and Development Consent Order (DCO) land advice.

The business has the largest team of CPO surveyors in the UK and Ireland and has:

• Submitted more than 100 DCOs
• Been involved in more than 150 major DCO, CPO and TWAO projects
• Acted as the property expert at more than 100 DCO examinations
• Supported 15,000 new homes
• Powered 15 million homes through Ardent projects

Ardent is now investing heavily in its regional growth, with the East of England representing a key part of its long-term strategy.

This is an opportunity to join one of Ardent's newest regional teams at an early stage and play a meaningful role in shaping its continued development.

About You

We are looking for an experienced land professional with a strong background in land acquisition and land rights across major infrastructure projects.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience leading land acquisition strategies on major utility, energy, transport or linear infrastructure projects
• DCO, CPO or equivalent statutory acquisition experience
• CPO experience under the Electricity Act would be advantageous
• Strong understanding of land acquisition and access processes, including easements, wayleaves and rights over land
• A proven track record of leading complex stakeholder and landowner negotiations
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and external supply chains
• Strong programme, cost and risk management capability
• Experience managing land risk registers, trackers and project reporting
• Confidence advising and collaborating with senior project and client-side stakeholders
• An understanding of planning, consenting and environmental processes within infrastructure development
• Chartered status (MRICS, FAAV or equivalent) is preferred but not essential
• Experience at Associate level, or the potential and ambition to step up into the role
• The potential to progress towards Associate Director

A background in energy, utilities and linear infrastructure is ideal. Rural practitioners and candidates with transferable land rights experience from telecoms will also be considered.

You will also need a commercial mindset, with the ability to identify opportunities with existing and prospective clients, alongside a genuine interest in helping to build and shape a growing regional team.

Why Join Ardent?

Ardent places genuine emphasis on career development, with structured training, professional development and a strong track record of promoting from within.

Several of Ardent's current senior leaders began their careers as graduates or junior surveyors and have progressed through to Senior Associate Director and Director level.

For someone joining the East of England team during its build-out phase, there is a genuine opportunity to grow alongside the region and take on increasing responsibility as the team develops.

You will also have exposure to a broad range of significant infrastructure and regeneration projects, including major schemes across energy, transport, utilities and regeneration.

Benefits Include

• Highly competitive salary, positioned ahead of the market
• Car allowance
• Standard bonus scheme linked to business and team financial performance
• Hybrid working policy
• Private healthcare through Benenden Health
• 24/7 GP and mental health support
• Physiotherapy and cancer support
• Wellbeing care and discounted health and lifestyle benefits
• Cycle to work scheme
• Regular company and social events
• Charity and community involvement
• Broad exposure across sectors and major projects
• Collaborative, values-led culture
• Strong investment in training and career development

Interested?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Land Rights professional looking to take the next step in their career, take ownership of major infrastructure programmes and play a key role in the growth of Ardent's East of England team.