Principal Environmental & Sustainability Consultant

Mott MacDonald; Altrincham, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking consultancy dedicated to improving society through innovative environmental solutions. As a Principal Environmental & Sustainability Consultant, you'll lead impactful projects across various sectors, advocating for sustainability and social outcomes. This role offers the chance to work with a diverse team of professionals, contributing to the management of environmental workstreams throughout the project lifecycle. With a commitment to excellence and digital innovation, this position provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of environmental consultancy while enjoying a supportive and inclusive work environment.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Health cash plan

Wellbeing support program

Flexible holiday options

Enhanced family leave policies

Professional development opportunities

Employee saving schemes

Annual bonus schemes

Qualifications

• Chartered professional with expertise in environmental assessment and sustainability.
• Proven experience in client-facing roles and managing environmental projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead EIA screening and scoping, producing environmental reports.
• Manage resources and finances on environmental projects.
• Mentor and manage team members in environmental services.

Skills

Environmental Assessment

EIA

Sustainability Strategy

Client Liaison

Project Management

Multi-disciplinary Team Leadership

Education

Chartership through IEMA, IES, CIWEM

Job description

Principal Environmental & Sustainability Consultant

Altrincham, United Kingdom / Birmingham, United Kingdom / Brighton, United Kingdom / Cambridge, United Kingdom

Mott MacDonald
We’re a global engineering, management, and development consultancy. Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities, and employee opportunities. A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs. We are proud to be one of Glassdoor’s top employers to work for in the UK, as well as being recognised as a Top Inclusive Company in the UK.
Our values: Progress, Respect, Integrity, Drive, Excellence.

About the division
Environmental and social considerations are central to Mott MacDonald’s Purpose and its offerings across all sectors and territories. Our environment and social business provides essential services and innovative solutions which anticipate our clients' needs across all sectors.

Overview of the Role

Are you passionate about delivering innovative environmental solutions and shaping the future? Mott MacDonald’s Environment, Nature, and Consents business is looking for an experienced Principal Consultant to contribute to a growing pipeline of exciting opportunities.

Our Environmental & Sustainability Services (ESS) team consists of over 100 environmental and sustainability professionals located across 18 offices throughout the UK and Spain. ESS is involved in a diverse range of projects across various sectors, including energy, ports/marine, defence, water, rail, and urban development projects, for a variety of clients including local authorities, government agencies, utility companies, Network Rail, National Grid, contractors, and many more.

We lead the coordination, delivery, and management of environmental and sustainability workstreams at all stages of the project lifecycle, from business case development and optioneering through to supply chain procurement and construction. Our team members are pivotal in advocating for environmental and social outcomes on projects and embedding sustainability into the decision-making process, working closely with environmental technical specialists, stakeholders, design teams, and clients.

This UK-based role could be based out of any of 20+ offices, with a preference for Altrincham, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Reading, Southampton, with potential opportunities for travel both within the UK and internationally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading EIA screening and scoping, the production of Environmental Statements and other environmental reports.
• Coordination of technical input from multi-disciplinary specialists.
• Managing programmes, resources, and finances on environmental projects.
• Undertaking business development and proposal writing for environmental services, either as stand-alone services or as part of integrated services offered by Mott MacDonald.
• Client liaison and engagement with stakeholders.
• Mentoring and line management of environmental team members.
• Opportunities to develop an environmental technical specialism, in addition to environmental coordination are available.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Chartership through a relevant organisation (IEMA, IES, CIWEM or similar).
• Highly experienced in environmental assessment, EIA, SEA, relevant UK environmental planning legislation and/or ESG, sustainability strategy and appraisal development for infrastructure projects and national and local sustainability priorities.
• Experience of working in a client-facing environment with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders to deliver positive outcomes.
• Well organised with strong planning and management skills, with the ability to produce high-quality deliverables and manage budgets and programmes.
• Experience working in diverse multi-disciplinary teams and leading teams to produce environmental and sustainability deliverables to a high standard.

Desirable Experience:

• Bid/tender delivery experience including development of cost and quality responses.
• Experience of working on TWAO and/or DCO schemes, and experience of the Water, Defence, Energy, marine or rail sectors, would be beneficial.
• People management experience and supporting staff development including progression with professional qualifications.
• Confident delivery of environmental and sustainability workshops or training, both online and in person.

If you meet most of what we are looking for, please apply. We understand not everyone will meet all the requirements, but you might also have the skills we didn’t know we need.

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills, and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at [e-mail] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Happy to talk Flexible Working and how we can support your responsibilities beyond the workplace.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and Wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial Wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced Family and Carers Leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and Development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, Communities, and Social Outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.