Associate Director – Ecology Team Leader

Location: Manchester or Warrington (Hybrid Working)
Salary: £58,000 – £73,900 + Car Allowance
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Job Reference: 57149
Closing Date: 12th December 2026

Lead, Develop and Grow an Established Ecology Team

Are you an experienced Principal Ecologist or Associate Director looking to take the next step in your leadership career?

We're working with a leading multidisciplinary environmental consultancy seeking an Associate Director – Ecology Team Leader to oversee its regional ecology team across Manchester and Warrington.

This is an opportunity to combine technical leadership, people management and business development, working on a diverse portfolio of environmental, infrastructure and development projects.

You'll play a key role in shaping the team's future, supporting colleagues, managing resources and building strong client relationships.

What You'll Be Doing

Your focus will be on leading a successful ecology team while maintaining high standards of technical and commercial delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead, manage and develop a regional team of ecologists.

• Oversee team workloads, resource allocation, utilisation and project performance.

• Provide technical oversight of ecological surveys, assessments and mitigation strategies.

• Review Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), Environmental Statement chapters and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA).

• Manage project budgets, programmes and technical quality.

• Develop client relationships and identify new business opportunities.

• Support tenders, fee proposals and business development activities.

• Mentor colleagues and contribute to their professional development.

• Work alongside planning, engineering and environmental specialists on multidisciplinary projects.

What We're Looking For

We're keen to hear from experienced Principal Ecologists, Associate Directors or existing Ecology Team Leaders who can demonstrate:

• Strong ecological consultancy experience, including UK habitats and protected species.

• Experience managing and developing ecological teams.

• Technical expertise in EcIA, EIA, HRA and ecological mitigation.

• Strong project management and commercial awareness.

• Experience managing workloads, budgets and team resources.

• A track record of developing client relationships and securing work.

• Excellent communication, leadership and mentoring skills.

Experience with major infrastructure projects, Development Consent Orders (DCOs), NSIPs or protected species licensing would be advantageous.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Competitive salary of £58,000 – £73,900, depending on experience.

• Car allowance in addition to salary.

• Performance-related bonus opportunities.

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

• Generous annual leave with the option to purchase additional days.

• Comprehensive pension and employee benefits package.

• Ongoing professional training and leadership development.

• Opportunity to influence the direction and growth of an established ecology team.

• Exposure to major infrastructure and environmental projects across the UK.

• Supportive multidisciplinary working environment.

Interested in Finding Out More?

If you're an experienced ecology professional looking for a leadership opportunity that combines team management, technical delivery and business development, we'd be keen to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Embankment Group or submit your CV quoting Job Reference 57149.

All enquiries will be treated in confidence.