Technical Director - Ecology

Technical Director-Ecology-Scotland Based Glasgow/Edinburgh/Inverness What is the Purpose of the role? AsTechnical Director - Ecology, you will lead our Scottish terrestrial ecologyteam, comprising 15 professionals across Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness.This role is pivotal in shaping the strategic direction, technical excellence,and operational performance of the ecology function in Scotland. You willoversee a diverse team ranging from graduates to Associate Directors, ensuringhigh-quality is delivery across a broad portfolio of projects. Your day-to-day willbe varied-ranging from writing technical reports and responding to planningapplications, to developing fee proposals and presenting to statutoryconsultees. You'll be expected to manage your own workload and that of yourteam, balancing routine tasks with high-impact problem-solving. A strongunderstanding of the Scottish planning system and statutory requirements isessential, especially for defending planning applications. You'll be a visibleleader, engaging with internal and external stakeholders, and acting as asubject matter expert across multidisciplinary projects. You will be responsible for 15 staff across 3offices, managing 150-170 active projects in Scotland, ranging from £3,000 to£500,000 In the shortterm,you'll establish leadership across the Scottish ecology team, build keyrelationships, and support recruitment to address current resourcing gaps.You'll also begin contributing to project delivery and strategic planning. Over themedium term,you'll drive team performance, meet utilisation targets and lead delivery ofhigh-value projects. You'll introduce fresh ideas, enhance client engagement,and support business growth through tenders and technical leadership. In the long term, you'll shape thestrategic direction of ecology services in Scotland, influence business KPIsincluding profitability and staff retention, and play a key role in expandingour client base and project portfolio. What are your CoreCapabilities? AtRPS Tetra Tech we recruit using core capabilities which are the key areas ofskills, responsibilities, and experience required to successfully perform aspecific role. As we strive to find the best fit for this position,we are seeking individuals with a minimum level of expertise. But we'll let youin on a secret: there's no such thing as the 'perfect' candidate. If you feelyou meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you. Technical Delivery You'll be expected to be technically excellent with a deep understandingof the Scottish and UK ecology market and have led the ecology aspects oflarge-scale projects. Key reporting skills should include EIAR, HRA, and an understandingof NPF4 and the emerging BNG market within Scotland. Experience of the DCOprocess or Public Local Inquiry would be desirable. You will be required to review technical reports from staff within theScotland team and wider GB business, provide due diligence input to clients andquality assure the input from staff into multidisciplinary projects. Mentoring juniorstaff within the ecology team is a fundamental principal of their training, andthe candidate will, as part of the Senior Ecology Team, provide input to theinternal training programme with a chosen specialist. Financial Management The post holder will beaccountable for the financial health of the Scottish ecology portfolio. Thisincludes overseeing project budgets ranging from £3,000 to £500,000, ensuringprofitability, and managing cost control. The role requires a strong grasp ofcommercial principles, including revenue forecasting, margin protection, andscope management. You'll be expected to makeinformed decisions on bidding for work and risk management, always keeping thebroader business objectives in view. Your performance will directly influencekey business metrics such as DSO, profit margins, and overall financialsustainability. Project Management You willmaintain strategic oversight of approximately 150-170 active projects per yearwithin the Scottish business, ensuring quality, compliance, and timelydelivery. While day-to-day project management is handled by the suite of seniorstaff within the team, you will be expected to understand the details of allmajor projects and provide senior-level input when needed. Your roleincludes supporting fee proposals, managing client expectations, and ensuringthat technical outputs meet both legislative requirements and client needs.You'll also be involved in solving complex, non-standard problems, applyingecological expertise to deliver innovative, compliant solutions. A strong understanding of the Scottish planning system andstatutory requirements is essential TeamLeadership Leading a team of 15 ecologists across three offices, you'll foster aculture of collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. The team has awell-balanced pyramid structure, and your leadership will be key to maintainingengagement, performance, and retention. You'll be responsible for recruitment to meet the increase demand andworkflows from our existing client base, and for developing staff throughtraining, mentoring, and involvement in strategic initiatives. Your leadershipstyle should be hands-off but responsive, knowing when to step in to guidedecisions and when to empower autonomy. You will represent the Scottishecology team at the Senior Ecology Team meetings and be supported in your roleby this group of individuals and Senior Directors. StakeholderRelationship Management This role demandsstrong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain relationshipswith a wide range of stakeholders. Internally, you'll be a subject matterexpert, collaborating across disciplines and contributing to regionalleadership discussions. Externally, you'llengage with statutory consultees, clients, and partners, often representing thebusiness in high-stakes planning and consultation scenarios. A strong network ofindustry contacts and a deep understanding of the Scottish planning system willbe essential to success. Training, Qualifications, orEquivalent Work Experience Must hold Chartered Ecologist (CEcol) qualification OR be willingto work towards achieving this as soon as possible. This qualification will besupported by RPS Tetra Tech. It would be beneficial to have a protected species license,experience of mitigation on large scale infrastructure projects, and arecognised specialism that will add value to the team's ability to win anddeliver work for existing and new clients. LI-LB1 LI-HYBRID LI-REMOTE

Location: Glasgow, Scotland, GB

Posted Date: 11/14/2025