Senior Surveyor - Infrastructure & Land

Ardent; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

GP & mental health support

Wellbeing benefits

Cycle to work

Training & development

Social events

Job summary

Ardent is seeking an experienced Senior Surveyor to lead complex land acquisition across major infrastructure projects in the East of England. You will own end-to-end deal delivery, negotiate terms, secure easements and capabilities while coordinating with landowners, agents and professionals.

The role requires strong technical judgement, excellent project controls and the ability to manage large workstreams with minimal supervision.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex land acquisition on utility, energy, transport or linear infrastructure projects.
• Proven Heads of Terms negotiation experience.
• Strong knowledge of easements, wayleaves, leases and land acquisition.
• Experience with DCO or CPO documentation.
• Confidence engaging directly with landowners, agents and stakeholders.
• Chartered status (MRICS or equivalent) preferred but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Independently deliver complex land acquisition matters on major infrastructure projects.
• Negotiate Heads of Terms and secure easements, wayleaves, leases and land acquisitions.
• Engage directly with landowners, agents and other stakeholders.
• Prepare and manage DCO and CPO documentation.
• Take ownership of significant workstreams and drive them through to completion.
• Build relationships with clients, landowners and advisers.

Skills

Land acquisition

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

DCO/CPO documentation

MRICS (preferred)

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join Ardent at an important stage of its regional growth. The successful candidate will take ownership of complex land acquisition matters across major infrastructure projects throughout the East of England.

This is a hands-on delivery role, suited to someone who can take complex land matters and run with them. You will be responsible for negotiating Heads of Terms, securing easements, wayleaves and leases, and dealing directly with landowners, agents and other key stakeholders.

You may also work as part of a client's land team alongside land, legal, engineering and consenting colleagues, while reporting to Ardent's Senior Associate Director and Regional Head for the East of England.

The role will suit someone who combines strong technical judgement with excellent project controls and is comfortable managing significant workstreams with minimal supervision.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently deliver complex land acquisition matters on major infrastructure projects
• Negotiate Heads of Terms and secure easements, wayleaves, leases and land acquisitions
• Engage directly with landowners, agents and other stakeholders
• Prepare and manage DCO and CPO documentation
• Take ownership of significant workstreams and drive them through to completion
• Build strong relationships with clients, landowners and professional advisers
• Develop your own network across the region
• Spend time in both the Cambridge and London offices during the early stages of the role
• Support and develop more junior colleagues as the regional team grows

About Ardent

Ardent is an infrastructure and regeneration specialist focused on delivering life-improving change for communities and future generations.

With more than 35 years’ experience, Ardent has established itself as a market leader in Land Assembly & Compulsory Purchase and Development Consent Order (DCO) land advice.

The business has the largest team of CPO surveyors in the UK and Ireland and has:

• Submitted more than 100 DCOs
• Been involved in more than 150 major DCO, CPO and TWAO projects
• Acted as the property expert at more than 100 DCO examinations
• Powered 15 million homes through Ardent projects

Ardent is now investing heavily in its regional growth, with the East of England representing a key part of its long-term strategy.

This is an opportunity to join one of Ardent’s newest regional teams at an early stage and play a genuine role in shaping its continued development.

About You

We are looking for an experienced land professional with a strong track record of independently delivering complex acquisition matters.

You will ideally have:

• Experience independently delivering complex land acquisition matters on utility, energy, transport or linear infrastructure projects
• Proven Heads of Terms negotiation experience
• Strong working knowledge of easements, wayleaves, leases and land acquisition
• Experience of DCO or CPO documentation
• Confidence engaging directly with landowners, agents and other stakeholders
• Compensation and valuation awareness
• The ability to manage significant workstreams with minimal supervision
• Chartered status (MRICS or equivalent) is preferred but not essential
• Experience within energy, utilities or linear infrastructure would be advantageous
• Rural practitioners and candidates with transferable land experience from sectors such as telecoms will also be considered.

Most importantly, you will have the ambition to progress and a genuine interest in helping to build and shape a growing regional team.

Why Join Ardent?

Ardent places genuine emphasis on career development, with structured training, professional development and a strong track record of promoting from within.

Several of Ardent’s current senior leaders began their careers as graduates or junior surveyors and have progressed through to Senior Associate Director and Director level.

For someone joining the East of England team during its build-out phase, there is a genuine opportunity to grow alongside the region and take on increasing responsibility as the team develops.

You will also have exposure to a broad range of significant infrastructure and regeneration projects, including major schemes across energy, transport, utilities and regeneration.

Benefits Include

• Highly competitive salary
• Standard bonus scheme linked to business and team financial performance
• Private healthcare through Benenden Health
• 24/7 GP and mental health support
• Physiotherapy and cancer support
• Wellbeing care and discounted health and lifestyle benefits
• Cycle to work scheme
• Regular company and social events
• Charity and community involvement
• Broad exposure across sectors and major projects
• Collaborative, values-led culture
• Strong investment in training and career development

Interested?

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Senior Surveyor looking to take ownership of complex infrastructure land matters while playing a key role in the growth of a new regional team.