Principal GIS Consultant

GIS Recruiter Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental consultancy in the UK is looking for an experienced GIS Consultant to manage and lead GIS components across diverse projects. This role involves engaging with clients, mentoring junior team members, and ensuring high-quality outputs. Candidates should have a degree in GIS or a related field and extensive experience with ESRI software, especially ArcGIS Pro. A flexible work environment, including options for part-time hours, is available, along with a competitive salary range between £39,000 and £46,000 FTE depending on experience.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Employee Ownership Trust participation

Diverse project portfolio

Qualifications

• Proven expertise in GIS analysis and project leadership.
• Strong knowledge of ESRI software products, especially ArcGIS Pro.
• Experience in consulting contexts, applying GIS to environmental issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead GIS components across various projects.
• Engage with clients and stakeholders effectively.
• Oversee junior team members and ensure output quality.

Skills

GIS analysis

Project management

Data processing and analysis

Communication skills

Education

GIS or related degree

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

Excel

Python

FME

Job description

About the role

We are seeking an experienced GIS Consultant who will be involved in all stages of project development, from tendering through to completion. The successful candidate will be part of a friendly, experienced, and highly supportive team of visualisation and GIS specialists committed to high quality professional work with a strong emphasis on delivering effective, innovative solutions. They will participate in all aspects of the work carried out, including leading GIS work, assisting with generating new business, client liaison and line management.

Work includes a diverse portfolio of projects including:

• Sustainability appraisals
• Open space assessments
• Green Belt assessments
• Renewable energy projects

We are looking to hire an experienced GIS professional to help provide support for an expanding team. The applicant should have experience in leading the GIS component of projects, and engagement with colleagues, clients and stakeholders. They should have a strong interest in staying at the forefront of GIS methods and technologies.

We are looking for someone who will champion the intelligent use of GIS across all our projects.

Role responsibilities

• Lead the GIS component of projects across a wide range of LUC disciplines
• Engage with project clients and their stakeholders
• Line manage junior colleagues
• Help to ensure the quality of our outputs is of the highest standard
• Help with the delivery of the team-wide strategy
• Contribute to business development activity, with support from senior colleagues
• Contribute to tender responses and fee proposals
• Keep at the forefront of GIS methods and technologies
• Contribute to knowledge management and knowledge sharing across the team and the wider business

This is an opportunity to work for a sincere, employee‑owned company with strong values and a particular focus on addressing the climate emergency.

LUC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we actively encourage applications from under‑represented groups.

The role includes the opportunity to share and participate actively in the management and ownership of the business through the Employee Ownership Trust, which places full ownership of the company with the employees.

The role is based in LUC’s offices in Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, or Sheffield. We work in a hybrid model with people being in the office a minimum of two days per week. There will also be travel required to visit sites, client offices and other office locations.

A full‑time role is based on 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday). However, LUC has a strong track record in flexible working, and we have been recognised for our flexible working culture, so we are happy to discuss a range of flexible working options for this role including part time hours (minimum 30 hours per week) if desired.

Salary

Salary : £39,000 – £46,000 FTE, Dependent on experience (plus London allowance of £4,000 if applicable).

Experience and qualifications

We are looking for someone with a proactive, enthusiastic, organised and effective approach to their work, and with an appetite for diverse projects. The candidate should have the ability to work efficiently and respond quickly to meet deadlines, whilst working on several projects simultaneously. They should have the ability to communicate complex issues clearly. It would be beneficial if the candidate also had some experience of line management or providing guidance to more junior colleagues.

Essential

• GIS or related degree, or a blend of knowledge and qualifications reflecting a similar level of expertise.
• Practical experience in a consultancy or other non‑academic context in data processing and analysis using GIS and Excel.
• Experience of applying GIS analysis to landscape, planning, ecology or wider environmental issues.
• Experience of leading GIS projects, or the GIS component of wider projects.
• Extensive experience of ESRI software products, particularly ArcGIS Pro and AGOL, including the Spatial Analyst extension.
• A proactive, enthusiastic, organised and effective approach to your work and an appetite for diverse projects.
• Experience of delegating to, and quality assuring the work of, colleagues.
• The ability to work efficiently and respond quickly to meet deadlines, whilst working on a number of projects simultaneously.
• Experience of monitoring project budgets and time inputs.
• Good knowledge of using UK environmental and Ordnance Survey datasets. Excellent report writing skills including the ability to communicate complex issues clearly.

Desirable

• Experience of line management.
• Knowledge of other GIS or CAD software.
• Knowledge of graphics packages (Photoshop, InDesign, etc).
• PostgreSQL databases
• Python scripting, including ArcPy
• R programming language
• FME or ESRI Data Interoperability Extension
• Experience of manipulating Remote Sensing data.
• Experience of managing GIS‑led projects.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK. Please apply by uploading your CV and covering letter via the above link.

About LUC

LUC is an award‑winning environmental consultancy that aims to make a difference. With nearly 60 years of experience, we want to make an impact: delivering better futures for nature, people, and places.

Our holistic services support clients in tackling complex land use problems on projects at every scale. Our expert teams collaborate across disciplines to create cities, towns and landscapes for a more sustainable future.

We are employee‑owned, which means we invest in our people and operate with kindness. Our creative, forward‑thinking professionals are passionate about addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.

We’re leading the way in driving lasting and positive change.

Our Mission is to deliver better futures for nature, people and places.

Just like our founders, we’re dedicated to leaving this world in a better place. And we believe we have the power to create a positive legacy through all our projects. We do this by guiding our clients, as well as influencing national and local policy. Of course, we recognise that change is inevitable. But we also recognise that cities, towns and landscapes of the future must work to help nature recover and to create a fairer society for all.

We are committed to creating beautiful, inclusive places that support the health and wellbeing of the people and environments impacted by such inevitable change. Our values are what make us. They reflect our heritage, express the attitudes of our people, and capture what our clients tell us we’re like to work with. Our values are timeless, informing the actions of every generation of LUC.