Heritage Director in High Wycombe

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Heritage Director. At Stantec, we believe that heritage is not simply about preserving the past; it is about shaping sustainable, thriving communities for the future. As our UK portfolio continues to grow across infrastructure, regeneration, energy and urban development, we are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Heritage Director to lead and expand our heritage offering nationally. This is a strategic leadership role with significant opportunity to influence growth, shape our technical direction, and embed heritage thinking across multidisciplinary projects. Our UK business is delivering some of the most complex and high‑profile development and infrastructure programmes. From city centre regeneration and transport corridors to renewable energy and major planning applications, heritage is central to unlocking value responsibly and sustainably.

Your Role

• Lead and grow Stantec’s UK heritage capability
• Provide technical and strategic oversight across major projects
• Drive work‑winning and client engagement
• Integrate heritage services across planning, environment, infrastructure and buildings
• Build and mentor a high‑performing national team

This is a visible leadership position with the autonomy to shape a national discipline within a global consultancy.

About You

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a national heritage growth strategy aligned to Stantec’s UK business plan. Identify market opportunities across transport, energy, regeneration and local authority frameworks. Position Stantec as a trusted heritage advisor at Director level.
• Business Development: Lead bids and proposals for major infrastructure and development projects. Build long‑term client relationships across public and private sectors. Collaborate with planning, EIA and engineering leaders to secure multidisciplinary work.
• Technical Excellence: Provide expert advice on heritage planning, EIA, listed buildings, conservation areas and archaeological matters. Act as technical reviewer and signatory for key deliverables. Ensure quality, compliance and innovation in assessment methodologies.
• People Leadership: Lead, mentor and grow a distributed team of heritage professionals. Support succession planning and capability development. Champion a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Skills And Qualifications

We are looking for a recognised heritage leader with:

• Extensive consultancy experience within the UK planning and development sector
• Strong commercial acumen and experience delivering profitable growth
• Demonstrable success in winning and leading major projects
• In‑depth knowledge of UK heritage legislation and policy
• Chartered status (IHBC, CIfA, RTPI or equivalent)
• Established client network and industry reputation

You will be confident operating at senior leadership level, comfortable engaging with executive stakeholders, and motivated by building something with long‑term impact.

Why join us?

• People culture: We’re proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.
• Award winning workplace: 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.
• Growth: We’re on an exciting growth journey across the UK & Ireland – 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.
• Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work‑life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.
• Professional development: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions.

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 economy 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 [email protected] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.