Lead Ecological Assessor - BNG Ecologist

Location:

Garforth, Leeds; remote/hybrid working considered and occasional travel essential for site or client meetings.

Salary:
Competitive

Contract:

Full-time, Permanent Nature Assurance is a newly formed company seeking designation as a Responsible Body under the Environment Act 2021, overseeing conservation covenants that secure habitat creation and long-term management (typically 30 years) for Biodiversity Net Gain and wider nature recovery.

We are seeking an experienced, professionally accredited ecologist to be our Lead Ecological Assessor and hold senior technical authority for our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) work across England. Ecological judgement is the core of what a Responsible Body does, and this role is where it sits. You will be the ecologist who decides whether a proposed habitat creation or enhancement scheme is credible, achievable and worth securing for the long term.

No ecological assessment, Biodiversity Metric calculation or Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is approved without your sign-off.

This is a senior role with line management responsibilities. You will approve ecological assessments, Biodiversity Metric calculations and HMMPs, and provide technical oversight and mentoring to our Ecological Assessor team. Essential to this role:
Full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (MCIEEM or FCIEEM), or an equivalent professional body, at a grade that allows you to sign off technical work as a competent ecologist. This is a requirement of the role, and we cannot consider applications without it.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead on the assessment, monitoring and long-term success of habitat creation and enhancement projects while working within a quality-driven and evidence-based organisation.

Key Responsibilities Approve ecological assessments, Biodiversity Metric calculations, HMMPs, monitoring methodology and monitoring reports.

Provide technical oversight, mentoring, and approval for Ecological Assessor(s), ensuring quality and consistency across all technical outputs.

Undertake technical approval of habitat assessments and Biodiversity Metric calculations at key project stages.

Work closely with the Director of Operations to review conservation covenants, providing technical recommendations.

Set and maintain technical standards, methodologies and best practice for habitat assessment, Biodiversity Metric application and monitoring plan design across the organisation.

Undertake and quality-assure ecological site assessments, habitat condition surveys, and BNG monitoring surveys where required.

Ensure technical compliance with current legislation, guidance, and recognised industry standards, and with the organisation’s quality management system.

Keep up to date with, and disseminate across the team, developments in ecological guidance, legislation, BNG methodology, and best practice.

Essential Experience The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate:

Substantial ecological consultancy or habitat management experience.

Proven, independent experience delivering and approving Biodiversity Net Gain assessments and Biodiversity Metric calculations.

Experience in habitat assessment, monitoring plan design and Biodiversity Metric application.

Experience providing technical sign-off, quality assurance, or supervisory oversight of ecological work; experience in a supervisory or technical sign-off capacity is strongly preferred.

Strong, expert-level working knowledge of UKHab and the Statutory Biodiversity Metric.

Strong technical report writing and quality-assurance skills.

Excellent organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.

Ability to work independently, exercise sound professional judgement, and make…