Location
Liverpool (Hybrid working model with options to work from other UK&I offices including Manchester, Leeds, Basingstoke, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cambridge, Nottingham, Bristol and Liverpool; other UK locations may be considered)

Hours
Full Time (Flexible hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance)

Salary
Competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your future and well-being

About the Role
Join AECOM’s dynamic Nature team as an Associate Director and lead ecology services on major infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland. You will be responsible for planning, managing, reporting, and defending technical ecology outputs to clients, project teams, and stakeholders through relevant planning regimes, including Development Consent Order (DCO) schemes. Supported by a full ecology team, you will select and coordinate multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-profile projects in sectors such as energy, water, renewables, defence, and transport. Your role will include acting as the ecology lead, providing technical advice, supporting project bidding and delivery, liaising with internal teams on scheduling and budgets, and mentoring ecology team members. You will be the main client contact, representing AECOM at meetings, site visits, and stakeholder discussions. This is an opportunity to contribute to impactful projects that uplift communities and enhance the environment while working within a forward-thinking and inclusive organisation. At AECOM, you will benefit from career development opportunities, technical practice networks, AECOM University, volunteering days, and a flexible hybrid working model designed to support your lifestyle and professional growth.

Experience
- Demonstrable experience in planning and delivering ecological services on UK or Ireland projects
- Experience working as ecology lead on major projects, ideally including DCO schemes and examination phases
- Proven ability to manage technical ecology outputs and client relationships
- Experience mentoring and supporting ecology team members

About you
- Confident and proactive with strong problem-solving skills
- Committed to innovation, continuous professional development, and health and safety
- Excellent communication and leadership skills, able to represent the company effectively to clients and stakeholders
- Enthusiastic about working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams and fostering an inclusive environment

Qualifications
- Membership of an appropriate professional institution (e.g., CIEEM) with evidence of working towards Chartered status
- Well-developed understanding of relevant wildlife legislation and ecological best practices
- Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, embracing diverse backgrounds and perspectives