Lead Environmental Consultant in Knutsford)

Ad Warrior Ltd; Knutsford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consultancy in Knutsford is looking for a Lead Environmental Consultant to manage environmental services for clients in renewable energy and related sectors. You will provide regulatory advice, guide permit applications, and oversee environmental assessments. The role requires a relevant degree, significant consultancy experience, and excellent communication, leadership, and IT skills. This position offers a competitive salary, profit-related bonus, pension, and other benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Profit related bonus payment (10%)

Pension (5% employer and 5% employee)

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Birthday day off

Private medical insurance

Employee assistance programme

Free on-site parking

Reimbursement of professional membership fees

Long service awards

Qualifications

• Significant relevant experience in a consultancy environment.
• Professional affiliation with or membership of an appropriate body.
• Must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Manage environmental consultancy services across industries transitioning to net-zero.
• Provide regulatory advice and support clients in implementing requirements.
• Lead the application process for environmental assessments.

Skills

Regulatory advice

Environmental legislation knowledge

Leadership skills

Customer focus

Communication skills

Time management

IT skills (Office 365)

Education

Degree in a relevant environmental discipline

Job description

Lead Environmental Consultant

Knutsford, Cheshire

Stopford have a fantastic opportunity for a Lead Environmental Consultant, with responsibility for managing its environmental consultancy services across industries transitioning to net‑zero, including renewable energy generation, power to liquid processes and the nascent hydrogen sector.

The Role of Lead Environmental Consultant

Reporting to the Consultancy Group Director, you will have expertise in impact assessment and environmental regulation. The role provides an excellent opportunity to apply and further develop your skills across the low carbon economy and to be actively involved in shaping and promoting Stopford's environmental activities across their client base and its application to Stopford's own technology.

The Lead Environmental Consultant will take the lead on:

• Provision of regulatory advice – supporting clients to understand legislative and regulatory requirements and provide support, when required, to implement regulatory requirements, such as IED (Industrial Emissions Directive) and BAT (Best Available Techniques).
• Advising on permitting requirements – lead the application process or support the application by provision of assessments such as SWIP (Small Waste Incineration Plant), MCP (Medium Combustion Plant).
• Scoping, preparing and submitting environmental assessments for planning applications, permit applications or to meet other regulatory requirements such as air quality, containment review or flood risk. This will often involve managing specialist sub‑contractors to undertake these activities.

Other key responsibilities include:

• Act as Technical Advisor on all environmental matters.
• Liaise directly with clients as requested and where necessary maintain client confidence.
• Ensure key performance indicators are in place, managed and reported on.
• Line management responsibilities ensuring that everyone is contributing to the ambition of Stopford whilst adhering to the values.
• Management of resources to ensure projects can be delivered on time and within budget.

About you

• You will have a degree in a relevant environmental discipline.
• Excellent knowledge of environmental legislation and policy.
• Professional affiliation with or membership of appropriate body.
• Have significant relevant experience in a consultancy environment or other relevant industry experience.
• Experience of providing competent advice to clients and colleagues.
• Must be customer focused by striving for excellence through understanding, anticipating and meeting the needs of others.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Exceptional time management skills, including the ability to manage/deliver several projects at once.
• Excellent leadership skills.
• Strong IT skills with a knowledge of Office 365 including One Drive and Sharepoint.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain security clearance of at least Security Check level (SC clearance) for this role.

The Company

Stopford is an international energy and environmental engineering company, our professional services span Consultancy, Technology and Innovation and Project Delivery. We are an industry leader with a portfolio spanning research and development through to design and commissioning of process, power, and renewables technology. With a worldwide clientele in emerging and existing industries, we provide a full range of project management and engineering services.

Employment at Stopford brings many benefits including:

• Competitive salary
• Profit related bonus payment (10%)
• Pension (5% employer and 5% employee)
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Additional day off to celebrate your Birthday
• Private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme
• Free on‑site parking
• Reimbursement of professional membership fees
• Long service awards

Please go to our website for a full job description to familiarise yourself with all of the responsibilities, skills and experience required before you apply.

Please note that we do not accept applications from agencies, and you must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

We look forward to receiving your CV for the post of Lead Environmental Consultant.

Closing date

14 January 2026

Stopford reserves the right to bring forward the closing date if we receive a suitable number of quality applications from which to make a shortlist. Therefore, we would recommend that you apply as soon as possible.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we are unfortunately not able to respond to each applicant. If you have not been called for interview within 3 weeks of the closing date, you should assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.