Principal Ecologist - London

Are you an experienced ecologist with a strong business acumen looking for a new challenge?

As a dynamic and growing business, we are looking for a self-motivated and positive-minded Principal Ecologist to join our friendly team in one of our regional offices. The successful applicant would be involved in all areas of our work, managing a team of ecologists to find ecologically smart, commercially efficient and cost-effective solutions for projects on a variety of scales.

Day to day, you would be managing individual contracts and supporting staff, drafting high quality reports and reviewing technical work, whilst supporting clients and their design teams to identify solutions to their problems. We're keen to continue to grow our business, and you would therefore support the delivery of our business development strategy by costing and tendering for work, increasing invitations to bid, and finding new ways for the business to diversify and thrive.

This role would provide you with an opportunity to gain exposure to a wide variety of interesting projects and clients and develop skills in all aspects of consultancy work. We would like to offer you the chance to help shape the future of our business as well as your own career.

About Temple

Temple is one of the UK's leading independent infrastructure and property consultancies, specialising in environment, planning and sustainability.

We are a purpose and people led organisation and as a B Corp we are part of a movement committed to transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet

With a team comprising many recognised industry leaders, we work with inspirational clients on their organisations, on their challenges and on exciting, innovative, complex and globally relevant projects, programmes and schemes.

We provide a bespoke professional service to clients so that they can make the right decisions and achieve the best outcomes. We do this by leveraging our experience and breadth of skills alongside our insights, commitment, and ethical approach to everything we do.

To be considered for the role, you will:

• Hold an appropriate degree qualification;
• Have a minimum of 8 years' relevant work experience;
• Have excellent knowledge of UK and European environmental legislation;
• Have excellent fieldwork and report writing skills including protected species surveys, EPSM applications, ES chapters and ecological management plans;
• Be able to critically review own output and possess a minimum 5 years' experience in reviewing others' work;
• Be competent in the survey of and mitigation for 2 or more of the following key protected species: bats, badgers, breeding birds, dormouse, great crested newts, reptiles, and water voles;
• Hold an EPS and/or conservation licence for one or more of the above species groups, and preferably be a Registered consultant on the class license scheme for one or more of the above species groups:
• Have proven project and staff management experience;
• Be confident and able to manage own workload, be proactive in managing projects and be able to delegate to and provide support to junior staff as appropriate;
• Be proficient in customer service and the ability to deliver and lead training events and workshops, both internally to Temple and externally to clients and other stakeholders;
• Hold full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and preferably CEcoL ;
• Have proven qualities of a proactive self-starter with an ability to use own initiative when appropriate;
• Have a full clean UK driving licence.

We also have a specific requirement for an experienced ecologist with experience in high level reptile mitigation.

Applications are particularly welcome from ecologists who have botany as a specialism and are, or could be certified at FISC level 4 or above.

The company is defined by our unique culture - one that puts people at the core of everything we do. We strive to create a friendly and supportive working environment, encouraging staff to take advantage of every opportunity for professional development and assisting them in their career progression. Joining Temple is a chance to be part of close-knit, fun, openminded and driven team that really cares about what they do and prides itself on the quality of their work.

What's in it for you?

• Competitive salary on a scale commensurate with experience;
• TOIL (time off in lieu) policy and flexible approach to working hours to ensure a healthy work-life balance.
• 26 days annual leave (& bank holidays) plus an additional day for each year of service up to 29 days
• Enhanced maternity pay;
• Opportunities for career development across the business;
• Auto-enrolment pension scheme (after 3 months' service);
• Cycle to work scheme;
• Socials, games nights and volunteering days through our staff engagement and development initiative;
• Fun, friendly, and forward-thinking co-workers;
• Fantastic training

Equal Employment Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, Temple is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Temple.

Temple is an accredited Investors in People organisation.