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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team in aquatic ecology projects, ensuring effective solutions and client engagement.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking company dedicated to creating a sustainable world through innovative environmental projects.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working options, 25 days leave, competitive pension, and support for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on communities while developing your leadership skills in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Degree in ecology or biological sciences; consultancy experience and knowledge of wildlife legislation required.
- Other info: We value diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.
Role Overview
The Associate Director role within Aquatic Ecology is an opportunity to develop and shape a dedicated technical team, and build upon the existing extensive project portfolio, both in the UK and internationally.
Experience in engagement with clients, customers and environmental regulators is essential. Many of our projects are complex in nature and you will be required to work with other disciplines to create effective solutions. As well as driving delivery of our current portfolio you will contribute to the identification of opportunities and bidding for work.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership across the Ecology team to deliver expertise in aquatic ecology investigations across all project stages, from bidding / feasibility / optioneering, extensive field survey programming, detailed design and assessment.
- Act as technical lead for the production of consent related technical assessments such as Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA) and Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessments.
- Business development, client liaison and establishing new clients.
- Growing, leading, and developing teams and supporting and training junior staff.
Key Competencies and Experience
- A degree in a relevant subject, such as ecology or other biological sciences, and / or a relevant postgraduate qualification.
- Demonstrable commercial consultancy experience and have Full Membership of CIEEM and / or Chartered Ecologist status.
- Extensive knowledge of UK and EU Wildlife Legislation, planning policies, licensing requirements and best practice survey techniques.
- Demonstrable experience working on large scale environmental projects.
- Willingness to undertake line management responsibilities and a business leadership role.
- Strategic mindset able to contribute to wider team leadership.
- Confident to take on a mentor role to junior staff.
- Flexible approach to working, with inquisitiveness and willingness to learn.
- Ability to adapt to working on a wide range of projects.
Skills and Behaviour
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; be able to produce and review meticulous and accurate technical reports.
- Excellent team working skills are therefore essential together with strong communication skills.
- Be able to represent Ricardo and its clients to key stakeholders, including wide-ranging technical engagement and consultation with regulators, local authorities, NGOs and the general public.
Desirable
- Post graduate qualification (Masters or Doctorate).
- Advising and managing consenting applications such as planning, Development Consent Orders, HRA, WFD and Environmental Permits.
- Experience in Project Direction and technical reviews.
Working with Ricardo
You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.
We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.
Work Life Balance
We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We\’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.
Benefits
We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health.
Our core benefits include 25 days\’ annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion statement
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person\’s potential, and we\’ll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a \’disability confident\’ employer.
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Associate Director - Aquatic Ecology employer: Ricardo
Contact Detail:
Ricardo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director - Aquatic Ecology
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the aquatic ecology field. Attend industry conferences, workshops, or webinars to meet potential colleagues and clients. Building relationships can lead to valuable insights and opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with current UK and EU wildlife legislation and planning policies. This knowledge will not only enhance your expertise but also demonstrate your commitment to the role during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills by volunteering for team projects or mentoring junior staff in your current role. Highlight these experiences when discussing your suitability for the Associate Director position.
✨Tip Number 4
Research StudySmarter's recent projects and initiatives in aquatic ecology. Being well-informed about our work will help you engage meaningfully during interviews and show your genuine interest in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director - Aquatic Ecology
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in aquatic ecology, project management, and client engagement. Use specific examples that demonstrate your leadership skills and technical expertise.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that clearly outlines your motivation for applying to the Associate Director role. Emphasise your experience with environmental regulations and your ability to lead teams effectively.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: In your application, ensure you mention your degree in ecology or biological sciences, as well as any postgraduate qualifications. If you have Full Membership of CIEEM or Chartered Ecologist status, make this prominent.
Showcase Communication Skills: Since excellent communication is key for this role, provide examples in your application that demonstrate your written and verbal communication skills, particularly in stakeholder engagement and team collaboration.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ricardo
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
As an Associate Director in Aquatic Ecology, it's crucial to demonstrate your technical knowledge during the interview. Be prepared to discuss your experience with aquatic ecology investigations, including specific projects you've led and the methodologies you employed.
✨Highlight Client Engagement Experience
Since client liaison is a key responsibility, share examples of how you've successfully engaged with clients in previous roles. Discuss any strategies you've used to establish new client relationships and how you've managed expectations throughout project delivery.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership abilities, so be ready to talk about your experience in mentoring junior staff and leading teams. Provide examples of how you've supported team growth and development, and how you approach line management.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Relevant Legislation
Knowledge of UK and EU wildlife legislation is essential for this position. Brush up on relevant laws and regulations, such as the Habitats Regulations and Water Framework Directive, and be prepared to discuss how you've applied this knowledge in past projects.
