Senior Consultant – Environmental Assessment & Planning

(Specialising in SA/SEA, HRA, Ecology, or Landscape)

Company Description

Lepus Consulting is a specialist environmental planning consultancy helping public sector organisations plan for growth, nature recovery, and environmental stewardship throughout the UK. We deliver statutory assessments including Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), green infrastructure planning, and biodiversity advice to support the preparation of local plans and planning policy.

As the planning system evolves and expectations around landscape, biodiversity, and environmental assessment continue to grow, we are expanding our team and looking for talented professionals who want to help shape the future of places.

We offer the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most interesting local authority planning and statutory environmental projects within a supportive and collaborative team. We encourage professional development, flexible working, and the opportunity to help shape the future direction of the business.

Why Join Lepus?

Lepus is committed to professional development and technical excellence. Through the Lepus Academy, staff have opportunities for structured training, technical masterclasses, and opportunities to develop expertise across environmental planning, statutory assessment, ecology, and landscape constraint mapping. 

We also operate the Leveret Scheme, supporting the development of graduates and early-career professionals through mentoring, practical experience, and exposure to a wide range of projects. Senior Consultants play an important role in helping to develop the next generation of environmental planning professionals.

Location & Flexible Working

Whilst Lepus is headquartered in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, we recognise that talented professionals are located throughout the UK. We are therefore open to applications from candidates across the country and are willing to consider home-based, hybrid, and flexible working arrangements for the right individual.

The Role

Reports to: Head of Team / Principal Consultant
Grade: 4–5
Direct Reports: Consultants, Graduates, and/or Interns (on a project basis)
Salary: Competitive, typically £34,000–£50,000 plus benefits, depending on experience and qualifications
Location: UK-wide (home-based, hybrid, or Cheltenham office)

Purpose

To lead the delivery of innovation of approach to environmental assessment and planning consultancy projects, providing technical expertise, project management, and client relationship management in areas such as SEA, HRA, biodiversity net gain (BNG), landscape assessment, and environmental planning policy. The Senior Consultant is responsible for delivering high-quality statutory work, supporting junior colleagues, and maintaining Lepus' reputation for technical excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Leadership & Delivery

• Manage assessment and local plan support projects from inception to completion, ensuring delivery on time, on budget, and to high standards.
• Act as project manager or technical lead on complex environmental planning assignments.
• Prepare, review, and quality-check environmental statements, sustainability appraisals, HRA reports, and technical planning outputs.
• Ensure strict compliance with UK planning regulations, statutory standards, and client requirements.

2. Client Engagement

• Serve as the day-to-day contact for local authority and private sector clients on projects.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, statutory consultees (e.g., Natural England, Environment Agency), and stakeholders.
• Support account management, including repeat business and client satisfaction.
• Represent Lepus at client meetings, planning workshops, and external forums.

3. Business Development

• Support bid preparation, client relationship development, and identification of new opportunities.
• Prepare case studies, marketing content, and technical insights for profile-raising activities.
• Identify new project opportunities within existing and new client accounts.

4. Teamwork & Leadership

• Supervise, coach, and mentor consultants and graduates, providing constructive feedback and support on technical assessment methodologies.
• Support the development of junior colleagues and contribute to a positive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.
• Support the Head of Team with resource planning and project allocation.

5. Professional Contribution

• Contribute to innovation in assessment methods, survey tools, and service offerings.
• Stay highly informed on UK planning policy, environmental regulations, and market developments affecting Lepus’ services.
• Work towards or maintain relevant professional accreditation (e.g., CEnv, MRTPI, MCIEEM, CMLI, MIEMA).
• Actively uphold Lepus’ values, standards, and ISO/QA systems.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant consultancy or local authority experience in environmental assessment, spatial planning, ecology, or landscape.
• Experience preparing, managing, or coordinating SEA, HRA, EIA, or LVIA for local plans or planning applications.
• Strong working knowledge of UK planning legislation and environmental assessment regulations.
• Proven ability to manage projects, budgets, and statutory deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to produce persuasive, technically accurate, and legally robust outputs.
• Experience in client engagement and an appreciation of business development principles.

Desirable

• Chartered status with a relevant body (CEnv, MRTPI, MCIEEM, CMLI, MIEMA) or working towards it.
• Experience managing small project teams.
• Specialist skills such as GIS (QGIS/ArcGIS), spatial data analysis, or environmental modelling.
• Recognised contribution to the profession (e.g., publications, presentations).

Success Measures

• Statutory assessment projects delivered successfully (time, budget, quality, client satisfaction).
• Positive and enduring client relationships, with repeat work secured.
• Strong team contribution, including mentoring junior staff on planning and assessment technical skills.
• Progression toward or achievement of professional accreditation.

Role Variations & Professional Pathways

Senior Consultant roles at Lepus may focus on a particular discipline, such as spatial planning, ecology, heritage, sustainability appraisal, or landscape consultancy. Where applicable, Senior Consultants are expected to align their professional development with the recognised standards and frameworks of their discipline (for example, CIEEM for ecologists, RTPI for planners, IHBC for heritage specialists, or the Landscape Institute for landscape consultants).

This ensures that career progression and technical expertise are benchmarked against industry standards, supporting individual growth, professional recognition, and Lepus’ commitment to high-quality, accredited services.

Apply to: [email protected]