Overview

Capita Property and Infrastructure are seeking to appoint a Consultant Ecologist who will be expected to assist with and add value to the delivery and development of the company’s professional ecological service, which offers ecological advice and assessment on development proposals and infrastructure schemes, habitat creation and management schemes, including habitat and species surveys and production of reports. The service is delivered both as stand-alone skill and as part of multi-disciplinary projects. The role requires a critical approach to mitigation advice and input to design and project management skills for ecological projects.

The Consultant Ecologist will be expected to assist the Principal with the management of the team’s activities, including the preparation of bids for ecological work. In particular, once established in the role and subject to performance, the successful candidate will be expected to progress rapidly toward making a substantive contribution to  the refocusing of the service offering, with attendant opportunity for promotion from Consultant Ecologist where applicable.

About Capita | Local Government, Health & Property

Capita Local Government Health & Property is part of Capita plc, the UK’s leading provider of business process management and integrated professional support service solutions, with 68,000 staff across the UK, Europe, South Africa and India.

We are one of the UK’s largest and most diverse multidisciplinary consultancies in the design, management, infrastructure, real estate, civil engineering, environmental management and transport sectors. We are also the market leader in strategic public-private partnerships with local government clients.

We have over 4,000 staff based in 60 UK & Ireland offices offering a vast range of professional and technical expertise across an unrivalled number of services. The breadth and depth of our experience ensures that we are able to add value to any project, regardless of size, complexity or sector.

The key responsibilities of the post include:

Undertaking ecological survey and reporting; providing ecological advice; assisting in the day to day management of team activities.

The role demands a balanced approach towards ecological risk management, benefitting both the needs of the client and nature conservation interests.

The post requires excellent report writing skills and a responsibility to assist with the effective management of a variable portfolio of work and inputs from sub-consultants and other members of the wider project team.

Your experience/qualifications will include:

BSc/MSc in ecology, biology, conservation or other relevant discipline or equivalent
Full membership of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
An understanding of ecological risk management
Commercial awareness and an understanding of the of bidding and job winning process
Excellent communication and project management skills
Proven experience in managing and undertaking habitat surveys and protected species surveys, with excellent identification and botanical skills
Hold, or be working toward, protected species licences and have experience in preparing licence applications (GCN, Dormouse and/or Bat)
Experience in the design, specification and site implementation of ecological mitigation
A minimum of three years’ experience in the provision of ecological advice in the consultancy sector
Sound knowledge and understanding of ecological legislation and current best practice / policy
Good presentation and training skills
Excellent report writing and review skills
Knowledge of habitat creation and management techniques
What’s in it for you?

At Capita, training and development aren’t optional extras: they’re how we do our job.  We will motivate you to perform at your peak, recognising your achievements and rewarding them appropriately.  As well as a generous basic salary we also give you 20 day’s holiday, company pension scheme and access to voluntary benefit options including; child care vouchers, share save scheme, life assurance, holiday buy and many more designed to suit your own personal lifestyle.  All of this, in a professional but fun environment.