Principal Ecologist (EMEC)

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Generous employer pension contribution

Health payment plan

Personalised development programme

Multi-disciplinary business

Job summary

EMEC, a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust subsidiary, seeks a Principal Ecologist to lead the Ecology team and contribute to EMEC’s strategy and delivery on major projects. The role blends technical leadership with senior management responsibilities to ensure high-quality ecological work and team development.

You will guide ecological judgement, manage resources, and develop capabilities across the portfolio while supporting bid opportunities and client relationships.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in ecological consultancy and broad ecological knowledge.
• Experience leading and developing ecologists and building high-performing teams.
• Strong technical judgement and ability to review complex ecological work.
• Experience managing a portfolio of projects, resources and priorities.
• Good commercial awareness including budgets, forecasting and resource use.
• Experience contributing to tenders and new opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Ecology department and overall performance, quality, capacity and development.
• Line manage Senior Ecologists and support them to lead within the team.
• Develop the Ecology team's skills and training plans for future capability.
• Set priorities and create an environment for high performance and development.
• Plan resources against workload, pipeline, seasonality and future needs.
• Monitor and report department performance using KPIs across operations, commercial and people.
• Maintain technical quality of ecological work with support from specialists.
• Oversee delivery and commercial performance of the Ecology portfolio.

Skills

Team leadership

Ecological consultancy

Project management

Budgeting & forecasting

Client relationship management

Strategic thinking

Communication & influencing

Education

Degree in ecology or related field

Full membership of CIEEM

Job description

We are looking for a Principal Ecologist to lead our Ecology team and join EMEC's Senior Management Team. This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the overall performance and development of our Ecology service. You will lead an experienced team, maintain high technical standards and make sure we have the skills, capacity and processes needed to deliver consistently for our clients and develop our people. The role goes beyond technical ecology. Working closely with the Consultancy Director and other members of the Senior Management Team, you will contribute to the direction and management of EMEC and take responsibility for delivering agreed areas of our strategy and business plan. You will use project, financial and operational information to understand how the Ecology team is performing, anticipate future requirements and make decisions about priorities, resources and development. You will retain an important technical role, providing senior ecological judgement, oversight and quality assurance, particularly on complex or higher-risk work. However, we don't expect the Principal Ecologist to personally hold every technical specialism within the team. Our Senior Ecologists will take lead roles in particular technical areas and team leadership, allowing the Principal to focus on the overall quality, capability and performance of the Ecology service. You will also work closely with our Project Management and Land Management teams, helping EMEC make the most of its combined expertise and ensuring Ecology plays a strong role in our major projects and integrated delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Ecology department and take overall responsibility for its performance, quality, capacity and development.
• Line manage and develop our Senior Ecologists, supporting them to lead people and areas of technical expertise within the wider team.
• Lead the professional development of the Ecology team, ensuring people have clear development plans and access to training and experience, while building the skills and capability EMEC needs for the future.
• Set clear priorities and expectations for the team and create an environment in which people can perform well and develop professionally.
• Plan Ecology resources and capability against current workload, pipeline, seasonality and future business needs.
• Monitor and report on the performance of the department through appropriate operational, commercial and people KPIs.
• Maintain overall responsibility for the technical quality of EMEC's ecological work, supported by Senior Ecologists and technical specialists.
• Set and maintain high standards, ensuring the right technical, quality and delivery processes are in place and drive continuous improvement.
• Provide senior technical advice and judgement on complex, unusual or higher-risk work.
• Oversee the delivery and commercial performance of the Ecology portfolio and intervene where projects, resources or client delivery are off track.
• Work closely with Project Management and Land Management colleagues on major projects, tenders and integrated delivery.
• Support the development and maintenance of key client relationships and contribute senior ecological input to significant tenders and opportunities.
• Identify future skills, service and market requirements and develop the team's capability accordingly.
• Contribute actively as a member of the Senior Management Team to EMEC's strategy, business planning, organisational performance and decision-making.
• Take ownership of agreed strategic priorities and organisational improvements and ensure they are translated into delivery.
• Maintain appropriate professional, legal, quality, health and safety and environmental standards across the Ecology function., Due to the nature of our work, occasional evening and weekend working may be required. EMEC operates flexible working arrangements, including a system of TOIL and paid overtime where applicable.

Regular travel to project sites is required, including locations not accessible by public transport, so a driving licence is essential.

Requirements

• Substantial experience in ecological consultancy and a strong breadth of ecological knowledge.
• Experience leading and developing ecologists and creating effective, high-performing teams.
• Strong technical judgement and experience reviewing and assuring complex ecological work.
• Experience managing a portfolio of projects, resources and competing priorities.
• Good commercial awareness, including project performance, budgets, forecasting and resource utilisation.
• Experience working with clients and contributing to significant tenders and new opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of relevant wildlife legislation, planning policy, BNG and professional ecological practice.
• Experience reviewing and developing service lines, pricing, forecasting and budget control.
• The ability to use operational and financial information to understand performance and make decisions.
• Strong communication, judgement and influencing skills and the ability to work effectively with other senior leaders.
• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Full membership of CIEEM.

Employment checks - We are committed to safeguarding our employees; safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk; and mitigating the risk to our business of financial and/or data fraud. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre-employment checks with past employers; Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the eligible level; right to work checks and driving licence checks (where applicable).

We expect you to bring significant technical credibility, but we do not expect one person to be EMEC's leading specialist in every ecological discipline or to personally hold every protected-species licence. We are particularly interested in someone who knows how to build and use expertise across a team, maintain high standards while thinking strategically and develop capability for the future. Experience in business development along with protected-species licences, Chartered Ecologist or Chartered Environmentalist status, and recognised expertise in one or more ecological specialisms would be advantageous.

EMEC is an established environmental consultancy delivering ecology, land management and project management services across infrastructure, development and the public and private sectors. Our work ranges from specialist environmental consultancy to major multidisciplinary projects, bringing together our own teams, subcontractors and partners to deliver practical solutions for clients and lasting benefits for nature.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, all our profits go directly to supporting its work for nature.

Let's be honest, not all ecological consultancies are the same. At EMEC. we want to do the very best for nature and ALL of our profits are gift-aided to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to support conservation directly on the ground. We also want to do the best for you. Our benefits include:

Benefits

• Flexible working options
• Generous employer pension contribution
• Health payment plan
• Personalised development programme
• A multi-disciplinary business