Principal Archaeology & Built Heritage Consultant

Headland Archaeology; Manchester; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive paid subsistence when in-s

Employee assistance and health support

Paid accommodation when working away

Use of cutting edge technology on site

Job summary

Headland Archaeology invites applications for a Principal Archaeology & Built Heritage Consultant based in Manchester. You will lead Historic Building Recording and Buildings Archaeology projects, shaping strategy, and mentoring junior staff.

As part of the Consultancy team within the RSK Group, you will engage with clients and conservation authorities, ensuring high-quality outputs and adherence to budgets and timescales. A driving license and willingness to travel are expected.

Qualifications

• A relevant academic or professional qualification in architectural history, buildings archaeology, archaeology or a related subject, or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant professional experience in historic building recording, buildings archaeology or a closely related area, including the investigation, analysis and interpretation of historic building fabric.
• Experience of leading and designing historic building recording or comparable Built Heritage projects and producing high-quality outputs.
• Strong knowledge of British architectural history and related subject areas.
• Excellent research and analytical skills with archival, documentary and physical evidence use.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with clients, stakeholders and non-specialist audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead historic Building Recording and buildings archaeology projects from scoping to publication.
• Interpret historic buildings through physical fabric, documentary and archival research.
• Design programmes of building recording, review project designs and scopes of work.
• Produce and review high-quality Historic Building Recording reports and outputs.
• Provide specialist Historic Building Recording advice to heritage projects and major infrastructure works.
• Coordinate project teams and external specialists, including clients and stakeholders.
• Manage fee proposals, budgets and project programmes.
• Provide technical leadership for Historic Building Recording within Headland.

Skills

Project leadership

Written communication

Analytical skills

Team collaboration

Education

Architectural history / buildings archaeology qualification

Tools

UK planning & conservation policy

Job description

Principal Archaeology & Built Heritage Consultant

Application Deadline: 2 October 2026

Department: Consultancy

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Manchester

Compensation: £49,280 - £55,956 / year

Description

Locations: Hereford, Manchester, Helsby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Silsoe, Cleckheaton. Contract Type: Permanent, subject to 6-month probation period. Closing Date: 5pm 2nd of October 2026.

Headland Archaeology is offering an opportunity for an experienced and motivated consultant to join our Team.

Why Should You Apply?

We are a privately owned archaeological business, part of the RSK Group, a leader in integrated environmental, engineering, and technical services. We provide heritage services to the development and construction sectors in UK and across the world.

The Headland Archaeology Consultancy Team prides itself on offering independent excellent technical advice to clients and colleagues rooted in years of experience in the sector. We tell clients what they need to know, rather than what they want to hear.

With offices in England and Scotland, we offer our employees:

• Unique knowledge and expertise. For the past 30 years, Headland has provided not only business-focused archaeology but also people-focused business. We are highly respected within our industry for our achievements in innovation, tailor-made development coaching and training, and our expertise in commercial archaeology.
• Strong pioneering spirit. Our corporate culture is characterised by a healthy appetite for originality and development.
• Stable company with excellent growth. Over the years, we have demonstrated steady, positive economic development and formed successful partnerships.
• Good work environment. You will be surrounded by colleagues who are pleasant, professional, and enthusiastic about their work.
• Opportunity to influence. You get to work in an open climate, close to decision makers and with the possibility of making a difference.
• Part of RSK group. You will have further opportunities to become involved in nationally and internationally prominent projects with exciting prospects for career development. The group has c.17000 employees and c.230 environmentally lead companies.

The Role

We are looking to appoint an experienced Built Heritage specialist at Principal level to lead and develop Headland Archaeology’s Historic Building Recording and buildings archaeology capability.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced buildings archaeologist, architectural historian or built heritage professional to take technical leadership of a growing area of our consultancy work and contribute to some of the UK’s most significant heritage and infrastructure projects.

The successful candidate will lead the investigation, recording, analysis and interpretation of historic buildings and places, working from initial research and project design through field investigation, assessment, analysis, reporting and publication.

You will work closely with colleagues across Headland’s Consultancy team and the wider RSK Group, alongside archaeologists, built heritage specialists, landscape specialists and other environmental disciplines. You will also engage directly with clients, Conservation Officers, statutory consultees, academics and other specialist contributors.

As a Principal-level appointment, you will provide technical leadership and quality assurance, manage complex projects and programmes of work, mentor and develop junior colleagues and help shape the future development of Headland’s Historic Building Recording service.

An important part of the role will be supporting the development of our graduate and early-career Built Heritage staff, sharing your expertise and helping build a strong and sustainable buildings archaeology specialism within the wider team.

Key responsibilities

You will lead and contribute to a varied portfolio of Historic Building Recording and Built Heritage projects. Responsibilities will include:

• Leading historic Building Recording and buildings archaeology projects from initial scoping and project design through investigation, analysis, reporting, publication and archive.
• Investigating and interpreting historic buildings through the integration of physical fabric, documentary and archival research, and wider archaeological and historical evidence.
• Designing appropriate programmes of building recording, research and analysis, and preparing and reviewing Written Schemes of Investigation, Project Designs, research frameworks and scopes of work.
• Producing and technically reviewing high-quality Historic Building Recording reports and other Built Heritage outputs, including contributions to professional and academic publication.
• Providing specialist Historic Building Recording advice to wider heritage projects, including built heritage and setting assessments, major infrastructure projects and interdisciplinary programmes of archaeological and landscape research.
• Leading and coordinating project teams and specialist contributors, including external specialists, academics and subcontractors where required.
• Building effective relationships with clients, Conservation Officers, statutory consultees and other heritage stakeholders, providing clear and proportionate technical advice.
• Preparing and reviewing fee proposals, scopes and budgets, and managing projects to agreed technical, programme and commercial requirements.
• Providing technical leadership for Historic Building Recording within Headland, including developing standards, methodologies and guidance and identifying opportunities for innovation and service development.
• Mentoring, training and providing technical direction to graduate, junior and other colleagues, helping to build Headland's Historic Building Recording capability.

The successful candidate will initially have the opportunity to contribute to a significant programme of analysis and publication relating to historic buildings and places, with themes including agricultural architecture, wartime buildings and monuments, entertainment and leisure landscapes, railway heritage, medieval and post-medieval landscapes, and the relationship between historic buildings and their wider setting.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential criteria

You will have:

• A relevant academic or professional qualification in architectural history, buildings archaeology, archaeology or a related subject, or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant professional experience in historic building recording, buildings archaeology or a closely related area, including the investigation, analysis and interpretation of historic building fabric.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and designing historic building recording or comparable Built Heritage projects and producing high-quality technical and/or published outputs.
• Strong knowledge of British architectural history, together with specialist expertise in one or more relevant subject areas.
• Excellent research and analytical skills, including experience of using archival, documentary and physical evidence to develop robust interpretations of historic buildings and places.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical matters clearly to clients, colleagues, stakeholders and non-specialist audiences.
• Experience of providing technical leadership and quality assurance, including reviewing the work of others and managing or coordinating specialists and project teams.
• Experience of working collaboratively on multidisciplinary projects and engaging effectively with clients, Conservation Officers, statutory consultees and other heritage professionals.
• Experience of writing setting assessment, Built Heritage Statements, Conservation Area Appraisals and heritage impact assessment and contributing to Environmental Impact Assessments.
• A sound understanding of the UK legislative, planning policy and professional framework relevant to historic buildings and the wider historic environment.
• Experience of scoping and commercially managing projects, including preparation of fee proposals, budgets and programmes.
• Experience of mentoring, training or developing less experienced colleagues.
• A full, valid driving licence and willingness to travel to sites, archives and meetings and to work away from home for short periods where required.

For appointment at Principal level, MCIfA and/or an appropriate level of IHBC membership would normally be expected, or you should be able to demonstrate equivalent professional standing.

Desirable criteria

You may also have experience in one or more of the following:

• Major infrastructure or other large multidisciplinary heritage projects.
• Leading the analysis and publication of substantial programmes of Historic Building Recording.
• Agricultural buildings and landscapes.
• Military, wartime or aviation heritage.
• Railway heritage.
• Industrial buildings and landscapes.
• Entertainment, leisure or institutional architecture.
• Historic landscape analysis.
• Commissioning and managing specialist academic or professional contributors.
• Developing technical standards, methodologies, guidance or training.
• Public engagement and communicating buildings research to wider audiences.
• Professional or academic publication.
• Providing specialist advice at public inquiry, examination or comparable formal proceedings.

About you

We are looking for someone who combines strong technical knowledge with enthusiasm for understanding buildings and the people, activities and landscapes that shaped them.

You may come from a commercial archaeology, architectural history, Built Heritage consultancy, academic or conservation background. What matters most is that you can demonstrate a strong understanding of historic buildings, rigorous research and analytical skills and the ability to lead high-quality professional work.

You will be comfortable taking responsibility for technically complex projects while also working collaboratively with colleagues from different disciplines.

You will enjoy sharing your knowledge and developing others and will want to play an active role in shaping Headland’s Historic Building Recording capability.

Benefits

Working at Headland

Headland Archaeology is a Registered Organisation with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and is committed to delivering high-quality professional archaeological and heritage services.

You will join our established Consultancy team and work with colleagues across Headland and the wider RSK Group on a varied portfolio of projects.

We are committed to creating a culture of trust, fairness and opportunity and to providing training and development that enables our colleagues to fulfil their potential.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Suzanna Joy at [e-mail]

Benefits we offer you:

• Competitive paid subsistence when applicable
• Employee assistance and health support scheme
• Paid accommodation when working away
• Use of cutting edge technology on site, e.g. paperless systems, iPads etc.
• Ongoing regular training in various areas e.g. Health & Safety, Technical areas and transferable skills
• Annual profit discretionary bonus & performance-related bonus schemes, T&Cs apply
• Annual pay review
• 35 days annual leave, rising based on service length
• Extra annual leave purchase scheme
• 5%-6% employer contribution to pension scheme
• Income Protection Policy, after a year with Headland
• Life Assurance Policy, insuring you 4 times your annual salary, after a year with Headland
• Regular performance, wellbeing & professional development check-ins
• Referral scheme with generous fee
• A support group of 30+ Mental Health First Aiders
• Regular offers through RSK Group (e.g. Tastecard, Gym membership discount, Holidays and Entertainment)
• Employee Assistance Programme (advice on finance, mental health etc)
• Paid CIfA membership
• Cycle to work scheme

Headland is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Headland Archaeology is committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. If you have a disability or need any adjustments to enable you to take part in the interview, please contact us at [e-mail] so we can make suitable arrangements.