Habitat Delivery

Summary

Join Environment Bank, a market-leading organization in rapid growth, as a Habitat Delivery Lead. You will spearhead the growth and development of the national Habitat Delivery team, managing and delivering an extensive habitat creation and enhancement program. This role requires strategic thinking, excellent communication, and the ability to lead a team to ambitious targets. You will build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate has proven experience in habitat creation projects and a passion for environmental restoration. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference in biodiversity conservation.

Requirements

• Relevant undergraduate / post graduate degree or equivalent
• Competent and experienced professional with extensive habitat creation, enhancement and management knowledge
• Demonstrable experience working with a diverse range of rural landowners in a professional capacity
• Team leadership skills with a proven ability to motivate, manage, delegate and supervise effectively
• Ability to prioritise workloads and work to high standards under pressure
• Excellent communication skills capable of building and maintaining strong relationships with team members, other colleagues, clients and stakeholders
• Experience of defining team level budgets and deploying resources effectively and profitably
• An entrepreneurial, creative approach to problem solving with an aspiration to grow the profile and performance of the business as a whole
• A full UK Driver's License

Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for achieving Environment Bank’s strategic outcomes for the annual programme of habitat creation and enhancement, including enabling infrastructure such as fencing, with a focus on high integrity, quality outcomes, safely, on time and to budget
• You will ensure that our habitat banks are established in line with the agreed proposals as defined by our teams of experts and co-created with our landowners
• Through your team of habitat delivery specialists, you will contribute to Habitat Management Plans (delivered by the ecology teams) to ensure their buildability and deliverability
• You will work closely with the ecology and land teams to ensure that our landowner relationships are maintained and sensitively managed during the habitat delivery phase
• You will manage and mentor a team of land management and project management specialists responsible for the establishment of our land portfolio of high integrity habitat banks
• Through your team of qualified Project Managers, you will oversee the efficient resourcing, planning and management of our annual capital works programme (which includes habitat creation, enhancement and infrastructure)
• This will include ensuring that all capital works are completed within the agreed delivery window (site dependent but typically 3 years)
• Manage, develop and expand our network of trusted contractors
• Oversee completion of capital works cost estimates at pre-acquisition stage to establish project budgets and inform future projects from updated take-off rates
• Review and manage capital works budgets, seeking cost savings and economies of scale benefits across the portfolio of sites (at least 20 new sites a year)
• Plan and manage supply of high quality materials (and associated supply challenges) at scale nationally (e.g. native seed mixes, native scrub and tree mixes)
• Through your team of Habitat Delivery specialists and Project Managers, you will ensure the safe, timely, practical and effective execution of our annual capital works programme
• Work closely with our ecology team to develop delivery methods and approaches that deliver the best outcomes for nature within budget
• Ensure national capital works delivery programme is on schedule and takes account of seasonal, consenting and contractual timing challenges

Preferred Qualifications

• NEBOSH/IOSH
• Contract/commercial/procurement experience highly desirable

Benefits

• Performance-based annual bonus up to 10% of salary
• Pension scheme with employer-matched contributions at 6% of salary
• 30 days of annual leave, plus paid bank holidays, birthday, and wellbeing day
• Option to purchase 5 additional days of annual leave after probation
• Remote and hybrid flexible working options
• Regional and departmental team co-working days
• Expenses-paid whole company meet twice a year
• Team fundraising and charity events
• Ongoing career development with training and mentoring
• Medical cash back scheme to cover everyday healthcare costs
• Employee assistance mental wellbeing support
• Enhanced sickness pay allowance