Principal Ecologist (Team Leader)

We are looking for someone with the drive and ambition to lead a small ecological team across
the south-east of England. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to guide the
direction of the ecology side of the business and to expand the team and client base.

Location: Home-based: Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, or Kent

Reporting to: David Archer, Director

Salary & Benefits: £50,000 – £55,000 DOE Home based (so your day starts
from the moment you leave your home for surveys, or log on to your computer, no unpaid
commute!) + flexible working pattern + full-time or part-time + contributory pension + 25 days
holiday + time off in lieu for out-of-hours survey work (which is additional to rest time built
around surveys to ensure safe working) + sick pay + generous CPD
allowance + paid professional membership subscription + £26pcm tax free home working allowance.

Background: DAA is a small but expanding company with a multi-disciplinary
approach, covering ecology, arboriculture and landscape. Our business model is based on
employing highly qualified and experienced consultants who are home-based across the south and
south-east, supported by high quality IT systems and a friendly virtual team environment (Teams
meetings, support and mentoring). We aim to provide a high quality, timely and effective
consultancy to our clients who are predominantly in the planning and heritage sectors. Typical
clients range from single householders to mainstream housing developers, planning consultants,
architects, heritage landowners as well as utilities contractors. The size of projects range
from single dwellings to 200+ residential units and heritage site work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Devising, managing and undertaking a wide range of ecological surveys including UK Habitats
  Classification and protected species surveys and mitigation.
• Overseeing and carrying out desk studies, consultations, research, data management and
  analysis and report writing.
• Preparing protected species mitigation licences, and ideally being the Named Ecologist on
  these for bats in particular.
• To project manage small, medium and large contracts and work with clients to ensure they
  have the necessary information when they are ready to submit a planning application.
• To attend design team meetings and on-site meetings with planning consultants, LPA officers
  etc as required.
• To prepare Ecological Impact Assessments and ideally carry out Habitats Regulations
  Assessments.
• To manage project-based finances including providing the information needed to the accounts
  department for invoicing and maintaining commercial awareness at all stages of the project.
• To liaise with internal team members regarding landscape and arboricultural issues and
  external team members in the wider design team.
• Conduct/manage a wide range of Phase 2 surveys, including regular out-of-office hours in
  line with the latest survey guidelines.

Essential Qualifications and Experience:

1. A minimum of four years’ full-time ecological consultancy experience, including extensive
   experience of Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, commercial bat surveys and Ecological Impact
   Assessment.
2. At least two protected species licences, including a level 2 class licence for bats.
3. Full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
4. Experienced line manager
5. Experienced at managing small-medium sized projects including client management, quote
   preparation and budgeting and report writing/reviewing.
6. Excellent report writing and reviewing skills and the ability to turn around high-quality
   reports in good time.
7. Strong commercial awareness.
8. Sufficient botanical knowledge to carry out UK habitat condition assessments with species
   lists.
9. Biodiversity Net Gain experience, including use of the latest Defra Metric.
10. Sound knowledge of current UK legislation and best practice policy.
11. Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work, with business use insurance.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience:

1. Undergraduate degree in Ecology or other relevant environmental discipline.
2. QGIS mapping skills.
3. Named ecologist on Mitigation Licences from Natural England, ideally for bats and/or great
   crested newts.
4. Experience of bat call analysis using Kaleidoscope, BatExplorer or equivalent software.

Person Specification:

1. Highly motivated
2. Personable with good client management skills
3. Approachable
4. Good team player, relationship builder