Location
UK and Ireland offices including Manchester, Leeds, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cambridge, Nottingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and other UK locations may be considered.

Hours
Hybrid working model offering flexibility to work from office or home to suit you and the job requirements.

Salary
Competitive salary and benefits package tailored to support your future and well-being.

About the Role
Join AECOM’s dynamic Nature team as Technical Director and lead the ecology function across the UK and Ireland. You will provide technical leadership on ecological assessments and project management, ensuring delivery of high-quality projects on time and budget. Your role will balance client engagement, project delivery, work winning, and team mentoring. You will lead ecological inputs on large infrastructure projects across sectors including energy, water, renewables, defence, and transport, as well as smaller local projects. Key responsibilities include producing and reviewing ecological assessments such as Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Protected Species Baseline Reports, Ecological Impact Assessments, Habitats Regulations Assessments, and Biodiversity Net Gain calculations. You will manage stakeholder consultations, lead bids and tenders, and foster innovation and technical development within the team. This role offers opportunities to support innovative survey techniques, data capture, and leadership development within a supportive mentoring and coaching environment. Become part of a team of around 150 ecology professionals, including national and global leaders, working collaboratively to create sustainable environmental legacies. AECOM provides a flexible, inclusive, and forward-thinking workplace with career development, technical networks, and volunteering opportunities to help you grow and thrive.

Experience
- Proven experience leading and managing biodiversity assessments for major planning applications and Development Consent Order submissions.
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects, budgets, stakeholder engagement, and bidding/tendering processes.
- Experience reviewing and verifying technical ecological work and supporting team members.

About you
- Strong technical expertise in ecological assessments and project management.
- Excellent communication and client-facing skills.
- Leadership qualities with a passion for mentoring and coaching colleagues.
- Innovative mindset with a commitment to embedding research and new techniques.
- Enthusiastic about working in a collaborative, inclusive environment that values diversity and supports career growth.

Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent qualification in ecology or a related subject.
- Membership of a relevant professional institution and working towards or holding Chartered Ecologist or Chartered Environmentalist status.
- Excellent knowledge of biodiversity legislation, policy, and reporting standards.