Technical Director - Nature Services

Location/s: London, Glasgow, Manchester; UK
Recruiter contact: Steven Johnston

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the division 
Environmental and social considerations are central to Mott MacDonald’s Purpose and its offerings across all sectors and territories. Our environment and social business provides essential services and innovative solutions which anticipate our clients' needs across all sectors.

Overview of the role
Developing robust solutions to ecological impacts and engaging with landscape specialists to promote ecological coherence and identity in masterplans and major developments is key for our holistic approach to environmental work. This strategic recruitment is required to maintain and improve our technical excellence, working closely with the Nature Services Lead and Ecology Practice Leader, and developing key areas of work for Ecology, particularly ecology and carbon strategies, ecology mitigation strategies, urban greenspace, green infrastructure, soil health and land management (working closely with our landscape specialists). You will have the opportunity to work on a range of projects of all sizes.

We are seeking someone who is able to generate respect and authority based on their sound technical knowledge, supported by considerable experience. You will contribute to the growth of our people, our environment business and our wider Biodiversity Practice.

We will give you an exciting space in which to develop. You will be visible within our business, working with other environmental team leads across the UK and our Nature Services experts and providing you with support and opportunities for your reputation to grow, allowing you to influence peers both internally and across the sector. No day is the same in Mott MacDonald, we thrive to give our ecologists a mixed experience of projects and tasks and challenge you to achieve the best of your ability. This ensures that we maximise your opportunities and training that develops your skills and our business. You will be working as part of our team with ecologists of all levels as well as collaborating cross-discipline with our environmental and engineering colleagues. We would like to discuss the role and your responsibilities once we know your key goals and aspirations.

Candidate specification
You will have both a personal and professional passion for environmental outcomes. You will have an excellent track record at delivering projects in a variety of sectors for a range of public and private sector clients.

Essential:

• A degree in Ecology (or a directly related subject). An additional higher degree would be preferable
• Full member of CIEEM or other institution relevant to your specialism, ideally Chartered or working towards Chartered Environmentalist/Ecologist
• Experience in leading ecological inputs into large-scale projects
• Excellent experience in the UK ecological consultancy market, with a strong external-facing, client-orientated approach
• Competent business development manager with excellent business development skills with drive and ambition to grow these key areas
• Proficiency in report writing skills across all aspects of ecology
• Excellent understanding of UK nature conservation legislation, Biodiversity Net Gain and Nature-Based Solutions

Desirable:

• Ability to work across environmental disciplines to develop robust solutions to ecological impacts, and to engage with landscape specialists to promote ecological coherence and identity in masterplans and major developments
• Experience of expert witness
• Experience in undertaking HRAs and ecological impact assessments for EIAs
• Able to work independently, take the initiative, make robust, defensible decisions and work to tight deadlines to meet client needs
• Create an open communication culture so that staff welfare is at the top of your priorities and you have the confidence of your team to solve any issues quickly
• Working with our leads to help develop our initiatives to improve our work and be technically excellent
• Looking at opportunities for innovative thinking and ways to improve our work
• Attention to detail and the ability to deliver contracts on time and to budget 
• Experience in the ecological consultancy market, with desirable experience of external-facing, client-orientated roles
• Willingness to mentor staff
• Willingness to travel throughout the UK and potentially internationally

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.