Ricardo Energy & Environment is a leading sustainability consultancy combining energy, climate change, environmental and chemical risk expertise with strong IT and economics capability. Operating across the world, we work in partnership with our customers to help transform the way they work, empowering business leaders with award winning consultancy advice. With unrivalled sector insight and a reputation for producing innovative solutions, we offer a stimulating and rewarding environment in which to work.

The Water and Environment practice of Ricardo Energy & Environment, offers a comprehensive range of specialist services within the environmental consultancy sector. Nationally and internationally recognised for our expertise in planning and overseeing complex and sensitive projects, our skills have been utilised by a wide range of clients within the public and private sectors including the European Commission, government, water companies and developers.

Purpose:

We are currently seeking to recruit an experienced Senior Consultant with a technical background of the water cycle (preferably hydro-geology or water quality) and a strong understanding of water and environmental policy especially (but not exclusively) relevant to the UK and EU to support our work with clients in the water, developer and public sectors.

This role is central to our business. We are working across the water industry providing advice related to drought planning, water resource management planning, support to PR19 and beyond together with the writing of WFD, HRA and SEA assessments. We also provide advice to Defra and to other policy makers and developers and are keen to continue to develop our work in the wider infrastructure sector. The successful candidate will be expected to provide high level technical advice, undertake, produce and technically review environmental assessments as well as building capacity within our current staffing resources. You must also be able to demonstrate the ability to win work and show an aptitude and enthusiasm to develop business opportunities and ideas both within our practice and by working with others across other practices within the business. We are keen to extend our overseas work as well as focusing on our core UK market so some non-UK expertise would support this role although not essential.

Key accountabilities:

You will provide technical advice to our team related to water and environmental policy. You will input into a range of environmental assessments where understanding water and environmental policy has an impact on water and terrestrial habitats. You will need to be able to work effectively with water companies, developers, design engineers, contractors, planner and other regulators to help achieve positive outcomes of our projects. You will project manage/co-ordinate a wide range of projects and have the responsibility of managing the technical work of more junior staff and sub-consultants as well as identifying and winning new business.

Key competencies and experience:

Essential

• Bachelors (2.1 or above) and ideally a post graduate degree with a strong background in water and environmental policy with an additional technical water-related background (e.g. geology, hydro-geology, water quality etc.)
• A strong understanding of the UK water industry, planners and policy makers requirements both current and under future predicted environmental scenarios
• Experience in supporting the preparation of proposals and tenders
• Proven experience of leading projects from a technical perspective
• Proven ability to mentor and support more junior members of the team
• Ability to generate new business areas
• Experience of project management
• A full UK driver’s license

Advantageous

• Experienced in winning work and demonstrable business development understanding
• Ability to develop client networks would be advantageous
• Experience of stakeholder engagement
• Experience of working both in the UK and world-wide

Skills and behaviours:

• Excellent team working
• Strong communication skills and a close attention to detail
• Enthusiastic and effective mentor
• Excellent report writing
• Bid-writing
• Ability to develop new work streams and generate innovative ideas
• Ambitious, enthusiastic and self-motivated to thrive in this busy and demanding environment
• Good IT skills in commonly used software, e.g. Microsoft Office, internet, email
• Self-organized

This is a fast-paced and challenging environment offering you the opportunity to make your mark. You will have support from the wider business for your career to develop into a wide range of future opportunities within Ricardo Energy & Environment.

In return for your commitment, drive and enthusiasm, we offer an attractive benefits package, a personal development plan, and the opportunity to make a difference in a challenging and rewarding field.

Ricardo Energy & Environment is an equal opportunities employer.