Senior Consultant in London

Volterra Partners is a specialist socio-economic consultancy. For over 25 years we have provided the evidence behind some of the UK's most significant planning applications, investment cases and economic strategies. Our work sits across three connected practice areas:

• Development, property and regeneration: advising on schemes including Battersea Power Station, the Truman Brewery, Olympia London and Cambridge Science Park.
• National infrastructure: from pioneering the wider economic benefits methodology for Crossrail, to current work in green energy, rail, ports and national freight.
• Strategy, appraisal and evaluation: economic strategies, business cases and funding bids for local authorities and combined authorities across England and Wales.

This means we work making the case for complex development, but also for the infrastructure it relies on and the government bodies that can make it happen. A mixed-use regeneration scheme, a major infrastructure proposal and the local authority economic strategy shaping both can all sit within our portfolio at the same time. We understand how the different parts of the system interact, and we bring that understanding to every commission.

We are a small, intellectually curious team and that is deliberate. Senior people stay close to the work, methods are built around the question rather than taken off the shelf, and the analysis we produce can be read and challenged by anyone. We are looking for a Senior Consultant ready to take on genuine responsibility within that environment, across projects that genuinely matter.

The role

As a Senior Consultant, you will lead project delivery and play an active part in growing the business. You will manage several projects simultaneously, mentor junior colleagues and act as a key point of contact for clients.

Project work:

• Leading technical, quantitative analysis
• Qualitative research and background reading
• Report writing and direct client liaison
• Developing and refining project methodologies
• Undertaking innovative research into socio-economic impact
• Writing proposals and helping to win new work for the business

Management and leadership:

• Managing three to five projects at a time, ensuring deadlines are met and quality is consistently high
• Managing and mentoring one to two consultants per project: setting internal milestones, providing technical training and supporting their professional development and day-to-day wellbeing
• Acting as a key client contact and collaborating effectively with wider project teams, including other consultancies
• Contributing to senior team meetings and helping to shape business strategy, including resource planning, company-wide initiatives and our approach to team wellbeing

What we can offer

• 25 days annual leave, with additional days for long service, up to five days carried over to the next holiday year and the option to buy up to five extra days. We also gift days over the festive period.
• A generous discretionary biannual bonus scheme
• Flexible working with two days working from home each week and up to 15 days working away from the office each year (anywhere in the world, subject to conditions)
• Flexible Fridays with the option to finish early all year round
• Training and development opportunities driven by your needs
• A supportive, sociable team with regular work events

What we are looking for

Essential:

• 2:1 or 1st class degree (or equivalent) in a numerate or social science subject: economics, mathematics, PPE, politics, real estate, urban development or geography
• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Strong written and spoken English
• Commercial awareness and strong communication skills
• Competence with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Proven ability to manage your own workload and prioritise across multiple competing projects
• Eligible to work in the UK

Desired:

• Experience in the development and/or policy industries
• Experience managing staff, stakeholders and projects, ideally in a consultancy setting
• Experience with formal assessment guidance such as the HM Treasury Green Book, WebTag or EIA guidance, and business case writing
• Competence with GIS software
• Competence with AI

Don't meet every requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from ethnic minorities are less likely to apply if they do not meet every criterion listed. At Volterra, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be exactly the right candidate.

How to apply

Please send the following items to with SENIOR CONSULTANT in the subject line by 5pm on Monday 31st August 2026:

• Your CV
• You do not need to provide a cover letter.
• Your answers to the questions below
• Confirmation that you have the right to work in the UK without requiring employer sponsorship

Tell us about a piece of analysis you have done that required you to work carefully with data, assumptions and evidence. What was the question, how did you approach it, and how did you make sure your conclusions were clear and defensible? (max 300 words)

Describe a time when you had to turn complex or imperfect evidence into a clear recommendation for a client or decision-maker. How did you decide what mattered most, and how did you communicate the conclusion clearly to a non-technical audience? (max 300 words)

Choose a development, regeneration, infrastructure or local economic issue that interests you. Why does it matter, what do you think is often misunderstood about it, and what kind of evidence or analysis would help improve decision-making? (max 300 words)