Associate Director Ecology - UK Wide

At Jacobs, we are challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

We have an exciting leadership opportunity for an Associate Director of Ecology to develop and shape an award-winning dedicated technical team, build upon the existing extensive project portfolio and lead the team to change. We deliver some of the most challenging, diverse and innovative infrastructure projects. Presently, we are engaged on a variety of large projects including water infrastructure, highway and rail schemes, energy infrastructure for clients such as Anglian Water, National Highways, National Grid, Network Rail, Thames Water, The Environment Agency, Transport Scotland and a number of local authorities.

The successful person will join a respected and ambitious company with excellent career prospects both locally and internationally. We actively support the professional development of staff, through our Global Career Framework, Chartership Academy Programme, Employee Networks and our Community of Practice networks, which connect us to over 600 Jacobs ecologists globally. We have ecology teams based in offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Peterborough and Winnersh and would welcome applicants to all.

The role will include:

• Responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the team - join the management team for the wider terrestrial ecology team and business leadership responsibilities in the wider UK ecology group.
• Being the first point of contact - provision of high quality, expert advice to both clients and stakeholders.
• Extensive engagement - with clients, customers and environmental regulators.
• Support the growth, development and resilience of the team - through enthusiastic line management, empathic leadership and individuals’ personal development.
• Leading from the front - demonstrate your technical skills, contributing to Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitat Regulations Assessment, providing expert advice and managing the UK terrestrial ecology team.
• Develop networks across disciplines - many of our projects are complex in nature and you will be required to work with other disciplines to create effective solutions.
• Creating an environment accessible to other specialists is essential to our project success.
• Contribute to the identification, bidding and winning of work – working with the Water, Energy and Environment business unit Sales team.
• Engagement with Jacobs wider corporate functions - to promote the capabilities of your team is an exciting component to the role, lifting our profile both internally and externally.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A background in terrestrial ecology with extensive years of relevant industry experience.
• Chartered membership of a professional body (or experience to obtain chartership).
• Confident to take on a mentor role to junior staff.
• Flexible approach to working, with occasional travel required across the UK and Ireland.
• A ‘hands on’ work ethic and good self-awareness.
• Ability to adapt to working on a wide range of projects.
• Innovative scoping of ecological input to projects.
• Working knowledge of protected species licensing and the Biodiversity Net Gain process.
• Understanding of project consenting and construction.
• Effective stakeholder and regulator engagement.
• Experience of planning inquiries and Examinations.

In addition to the benefits you’d expect, UK employees also receive:

• Up to 10% company contribution into their pension.
• Reimbursement towards relevant professional development and memberships.
• Support to their local communities through our Collectively program which incorporates matched-funding, paid volunteering time and charitable donations.
• Opportunity to buy/sell annual leave.

Wellbeing support and resources:

• Free employee medical cover and digital GP service.
• Mindfulness Platform.
• Dedicated Workplace Support.
• 11 Counselling Consultations, Confidential information & counselling service provided by Optum.
• Emotional Wellbeing Solutions is a free confidential information and counselling service available 24/7 via phone or online.
• Experienced consultants are available to discuss finance, legal, family matters and counselling can be provided for personal support.
• Online demand fitness platform provided by Daily Burn.
• Personalised financial planning and support provided by Origin, with access to dedicated certified financial planners.

Fertility And Family Benefits And Support:

• Enhanced parental leave pay.
• Fertility healthcare and family-forming benefit provided by Carrot.
• A free parental success solution and neurodiversity training benefit provided by RethinkCare Family.
• Bridge the Gap is our parental transition programme which aims to make Jacobs employer of choice for working parents.

Work-life balance and flexibility is a key focus area for Jacobs. We’re happy to discuss the different working patterns we offer:

• Hybrid working.
• Part-time role.
• Flexible working hours including compressed hours, and Annualised hours contract.
• Ability for employees to take time off in lieu.

Our Culture:

Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and diversity. We put people at the heart of our business and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

We aim to embed inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected, and if we are diverse, we’re more creative. We accept people for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, mental health, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain diverse talent. For greater online accessibility please visit www.vercida.com to view and access our roles. As a Disability Confident employer, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process, please contact the team. Your application experience is important to us and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. We welcome feedback on our recruitment process.