Principal Ecologist

Job Title: Principal Ecologist
Hours: 37
Salary: HC09 £40,778 - £45,092 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 05/07/2026

The Role

Are you passionate about protecting nature and shaping how places grow at a strategic level? We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Principal Ecologist to lead our ecological work, drive biodiversity recovery, and ensure sustainable development across Herefordshire.

This is a key role where you’ll act as one of the Council’s principal advisers on ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain to Planning Services, influencing decisions at the highest level and helping to respond to the ecological emergency with ambitious, evidence-based solutions.

What will you be doing?

• Lead and manage a team of ecologists, supporting their professional development and ensuring high-quality, consistent advice across the service.
• Oversee and co-ordinate ecological input to planning, including major and complex applications, while shaping strategic approaches to ecological issues.
• Act as one of the Council’s lead technical advisers on ecology, providing expert advice internally and externally, including to Planning, Members, partners and stakeholders.
• Play a central role in delivering biodiversity net gain and wider nature recovery ambitions.
• Represent the Council at planning appeals including hearings, inquiries and public forums acting as an expert witness when required.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams, developers, statutory bodies and environmental partners to conserve and enhance the natural environment across the county.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives, including development of nature recovery and ecological strategies, and support funding and project delivery opportunities.

You’ll also deputise for the Natural Environment Team Leader when required and play an important role in shaping service delivery, performance, and continuous improvement.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues across Planning, Environmental and Energy Management, Highways, Parks and Legal Services, as well as with external partners including Natural England, the Environment Agency and local wildlife organisations.

About You

You will have:

• A minimum qualification of a BSc (Hons) in Ecology or equivalent.
• Full member of CIEEM or capable of meeting this status.
• Significant demonstrable experience of providing technical advice for Ecology and Habitats Regulations Assessment in relation to major and/or complex planning applications.
• Experience of and / or willingness to lead on assessing the ecological impacts of nutrients of both projects and plans.
• To contribute to developing strategic solutions, working in partnership with other interested parties.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of applying UK and EU wildlife regulation and ecological best practice, supported by a working knowledge of planning policy.
• Experience of managing networks; with working knowledge of partnering and contract management.
• Experience of line managing staff.
• Experience of dealing with multiple work streams and working to tight deadlines.
• A full driving licence and the ability to travel throughout the county and undertake site visits, including over rough terrain.

If you’re ready to step into a senior leadership role, inspire others, and make a lasting impact on the natural environment, we’d love you to join our friendly and committed team. Help us shape a thriving, resilient environment for the future.

You will also share our commitment to safeguarding children, young people and adults with care and support needs.

We Offer

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Salary range of £40,778 - £45,092
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Clear opportunities for professional learning and career development
• 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 10 additional days
• Flexible working options, including agile working arrangements
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 access to support
• Contribution towards professional membership fees (where role‑related)
• A wide range of savings and discounts through our employee benefits scheme

Why Choose Us?

Herefordshire is big hearted, welcoming and friendly. We have strong and independent communities and idyllic countryside, situated in the South West Midlands and bordering Wales. The county sits between Worcestershire and the Malvern Hills to the east, and Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) in Wales to the west.

Historically Herefordshire has been the gateway to the Marches. We embrace partnership working. We are a member of the Marches Forward Partnership, which is a cross border collaboration between Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Powys and Shropshire who are collectively working to secure funding to invest in the region.

The council priorities over the next four years are set out in the Council Plan, with four main areas;

People: We will enable residents to realise their potential, to be healthy and to be part of great communities who support each other. We want all children to have the best start in life.

Place: We will protect and enhance our environment and ensure that Herefordshire is a great place to live. We will support the right housing in the right place, we will support access to green spaces and we will do everything we can to recover the health of our rivers.

Growth: We will create the conditions to deliver sustainable growth across the county; attracting inward investment, building business confidence, creating jobs, enabling housing development along with providing the right infrastructure.

Transformation: We will be an efficient council that embraces best practice, delivers innovation through technology and demonstrates value for money.

Don’t meet all parts of the job description?

Herefordshire Council is committed to strengthening a diverse and inclusive work environment which reflects the communities of Herefordshire. If you are looking at the next stage of your career and have a broad base of fieldwork experience, we can provide supportive and welcoming opportunities to help you develop your professional, management & supervisory skills.

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [email protected].

Creating an inclusive workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

For more information on our Employee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

How to apply

To apply for a position, please upload an up-to-date CV and complete the application form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role.

For more information or to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please contact: Richard Vaughan, Head of Environment on [email protected]

Be sure to include reference to the job description and person specification or role profile! If you are successfully shortlisted, Hoople Resourcing will contact you via email to arrange your interview and/or assessment. They will confirm the date, time and location of your interview, so please keep an eye on your email inbox - check your spam/ junk folder too. Good luck, we’re looking forward to meeting you!