Natural Capital Assessment Lead

Due to sustained and strong growth in our Environment and Consents business, we are seeking an experienced individual to join our team of over 400 environment professionals. Applicants are invited to lead the ongoing development of Wood’s natural capital assessment (NCA) offering, which forms an integral part of our new Green Infrastructure Service. This service supports the delivery of Environmental Net Gain, alongside Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and green infrastructure design.

We are looking for a confident and inspiring professional who has broad understanding and experience of undertaking natural capital assessments within at least one of the following contexts:

• Informing strategy or policy development
• Maximising value as part of green infrastructure design for major new developments
• Informing land management decisions
• Environmental assessments
• Corporate accounting

You will work on projects across a variety of sectors, requiring engagement with cross disciplinary teams. We would expect the successful candidate to take a key role in business development and project management. The appointment would be at Principal Consultant or Associate Director level, depending on experience.

We can be flexible on location in order to secure the best person for the job, and can offer locations across the UK, including London, Reading, Bristol, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Glasgow. Working alongside Sustainable Infrastructure, our Environment and Consents business offers a broad range of services including ecology, planning, environment impact assessment and water management to support critical infrastructure, thriving cities and cleaner protected environments. Through our work we provide high quality technical services and advice to a wide range of high-profile customers in the UK and internationally, including government departments and agencies, energy, water, transport, nuclear, mining, commercial and oil and gas sectors. You will contribute to a diverse range of projects likely to be associated with the energy, water and government sectors or major infrastructure developments.

Your work will be varied but will include technical, management and commercial responsibilities. Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the continued development of our natural capital assessment service and play a key role in shaping and delivering our holistic integrated green infrastructure offer to clients.
• Playing a leading role in project delivery, including managing the interface with clients and internal stakeholders.
• Supervising, coordinating and reviewing the inputs of others within the business to deliver high quality technical outputs that meet client requirements.
• Working with senior colleagues across Environment and Consents to develop business opportunities and prepare successful proposals.
• Managing or directing projects effectively, balancing programme, budget and quality requirements, and ensuring that the highest health and safety standards are adhered to.
• Playing a key role in growing Wood’s technical capability, knowledge and innovation base to develop new services for our clients.

Qualifications

Skills / Experience:

• Extensive relevant professional experience working on projects related to ecology, planning, EIA or water management, at least some of which should have been in consultancy.
• Demonstrable experience of leading technical inputs for successful project delivery of natural capital/ecosystem services assessments in the context of informing strategy or policy development; maximising value as part of green infrastructure design for major new developments, land management decisions, environmental assessments, or for corporate accounting.
• Excellent understanding of natural capital initiatives such as Natural Capital Committee, Natural Capital Protocol, policy guidance such as Enabling a Natural Capital Approach and the draft Environment Bill is essential. Experience in the use of natural capital tools is also important.
• Experience in the valuation of benefits for natural capital accounting would be advantageous.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Successful track record in managing client and stakeholder relationships.
• You should have practical project management experience, including management of project teams, and be comfortable managing challenging projects.

Valid UK Driving Licence

Qualifications:

• A first degree in a relevant ecological, environmental, geographical, science, planning or engineering discipline is essential.
• An M.Sc or PhD in a relevant discipline is desirable.
• Chartership via CIWEM, ICE or other relevant professional body preferred.

Company Overview:

Wood is a global leader in engineering and consultancy across energy and the built environment, helping to unlock solutions to some of the world’s most critical challenges. We provide consulting, projects and operations solutions in more than 60 countries, employing around 40,000 people.

Diversity Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer that recognises the value of a diverse workforce. All suitably qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective criteria and without regard to the following (which is a non-exhaustive list): race, colour, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other characteristics in accordance with the relevant governing laws.