Senior, Principal or Senior Principal Landscape Architect/Planner in Manchester

The landscapes we design today will shape how communities experience the world around them for generations to come. At Stantec, we take that responsibility seriously. As one of the world's most sustainable companies, our Landscape Architecture team works at the intersection of environmental ambition and practical delivery, and right now, we are looking for experienced Landscape Architects who want to do some of the most meaningful work of their careers. If you are passionate about the role landscape planning and design play in addressing climate change, and you are ready to bring that passion to projects that genuinely matter, we would love to hear from you.

About The Role

We are recruiting at Senior, Principal, and Senior Principal Landscape Architect levels, with flexibility to be based in our Manchester, Warrington, or London offices, with hybrid working as standard. Your work will be primarily focused on the water sector, where we are currently leading some of the most exciting and innovative schemes across the UK and Ireland. These include flagship projects of national importance, from the design of wetland areas and habitat improvements to Sustainable Drainage Systems and stormwater interventions that deliver real benefits for local communities.

Day to day, you will take the lead across a wide variety of project types and scales, providing landscape planning and design input at all pre- and post-planning stages. You will cultivate strong relationships with clients and project teams, contribute to fee proposals, manage discipline tasks and undertake field and visual survey work across the UK. As a senior member of the team, you will also have the opportunity to influence how the team grows and evolves, helping to shape its direction whilst developing your own expertise within a Registered Practice of the Landscape Institute.

Your Impact

The projects on your desk will not be ordinary. Whether you are guiding a major infrastructure scheme through the planning process or designing a wetland that will become a community asset for decades, your judgment and creativity will be central to outcomes that matter well beyond the drawing board. You will also play an important role in developing the people around you, supporting colleagues and collaborating across disciplines within a team that believes great places are built by people who genuinely care about them.

About You

You hold a degree or equivalent in Landscape Architecture or a related subject, and you are ideally a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. You bring demonstrable experience preparing LVIAs and appraisals for UK planning applications, and you have a strong working knowledge of environmental planning, current UK planning legislation and EIA regulations. You are a confident communicator who understands client needs, thinks creatively and gives pragmatic advice that holds up under the pressures of time and budget. You are equally comfortable liaising with a broad range of stakeholders and managing your own workload with the discipline that complex projects demand. Most importantly, you are a genuine team player. You enjoy supporting the people around you, you thrive in a collaborative environment, and you are motivated by the idea of creating exceptional places that leave a lasting legacy for people, communities and the environment.

Why Join Us

• We put people first: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.
• We are driven to achieve: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named 'Best Place to Work' and 'International Consulting Firm of the Year' at the NCE Awards 2024.
• We do what is right: industry-leading training and development, as well as paid professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan to support you in becoming chartered with ICE.
• We are better together: A supportive and collaborative team environment, an Early Careers peer group, and a wider ERG network.
• Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK - we want you to be part of it!
• Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard, as well as discounted gym membership and lots more.
• Hybrid/Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible work.

About Stantec

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities. Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients’ vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today’s challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our ecology and meet the needs of future communities.

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. Building an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports, and develops world-class talent is a crucial key to our success.

If you are excited by this role but worry that your experience doesn’t exactly align, we encourage you to apply. At Stantec we want you to perform your best at every stage of the recruitment process and are committed to ensuring it is accessible to all. If you need any support or require adjustments to be made then please contact careers.UK@stantec.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.