Principal Flood Risk Consultant

Flexible UK Office Location (Hybrid Working Available)

Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd is seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Flood Risk Consultant to join our growing Flood Risk & Drainage team.

This is a senior technical leadership, project delivery and client-facing role responsible for leading the delivery of flood risk, drainage, hydrology, hydraulic modelling and wider water environment commissions across residential, commercial, mixed-use, infrastructure, energy and regeneration sectors throughout the UK.

The successful candidate will combine recognised technical expertise with strong project management, commercial, work winning and people leadership skills. Acting as a technical lead, Project Manager and Project Director, the role will support the continued growth of Waterman's flood risk, drainage and water environment services whilst mentoring junior colleagues and developing long-term client relationships. The role offers the opportunity to work on nationally significant infrastructure projects, major residential developments and complex multidisciplinary commissions.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Act as a recognised technical specialist and trusted advisor within Waterman's Flood Risk & Drainage and Water Environment teams.
• Lead the technical delivery, review and quality assurance of complex flood risk, drainage, hydrology and water environment commissions.
• Lead the preparation, review and technical sign-off (where appropriate under delegated authority) of:
• Drainage Strategies;
• Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) Strategies and Designs;
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs);
• Flood Consequence Assessments;
• Flood Warning and Evacuation Plans;
• Environmental Permit Applications;
• Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) Applications;
• Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessments;
• Environmental Statements and supporting planning documentation;
• Water Environment technical chapters for EIA projects.

Provide technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle from feasibility studies, due diligence and site identification through planning, detailed design and project delivery.

• National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF);
• Planning Practice Guidance;
• Flood Risk and Coastal Change policy;
• Flood and Water Management Act;
• Land Drainage Act;
• Environmental Permitting Regulations;
• Water Framework Directive requirements;
• CIRIA SuDS Manual;
• National SuDS Standards;
• Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authority guidance.

Direct and oversee hydraulic modelling, hydrological assessment and flood risk modelling studies and provide technical review of modelling outputs to inform planning and infrastructure decisions.

Lead the application of GIS analysis, hydraulic modelling techniques, hydrological assessments and flood risk datasets to support project delivery.

Provide technical leadership on:

• Surface water flood risk;
• Groundwater flooding;
• Ordinary watercourses;
• Main Rivers;
• Flood compensation and flood storage;
• Culverts and watercourse crossings;
• Water quality and water environment considerations;
• Environmental permitting and regulatory approvals.

Act as technical lead within multidisciplinary teams ensuring flood risk, drainage and water environment requirements are fully integrated with civil engineering, transport planning, environmental assessment, landscape architecture, utilities and planning disciplines.

Promote technical excellence through development of standards, guidance notes, best practice procedures and training materials.

Maintain awareness of emerging legislation, policy, modelling platforms, digital tools and industry best practice and disseminate this knowledge across the team.

Support innovation, research and development activities that enhance technical capability, efficiency and Waterman's service offering.

Mentor and technically develop graduate, consultant and senior consultant colleagues through project reviews, technical coaching and chartership support.

Project Delivery

• Act as Project Manager and Project Director on flood risk, drainage and water environment commissions.
• Manage a portfolio of projects and technical work streams concurrently.
• Ensure projects are delivered to agreed programme, budget and quality objectives.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams and specialist sub-consultants.
• Delegate work appropriately and provide technical direction to project teams.
• Undertake project planning, resource management and workload forecasting.
• Ensure technical deliverables are fit for purpose and suitable for issue in accordance with Waterman procedures.
• Support delivery of projects through feasibility, planning, detailed design and construction support stages.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with Waterman management systems, technical procedures and quality standards.
• Monitor technical, programme and commercial risks across commissions.
• Identify opportunities to improve project outcomes and client value.
• Support effective resource allocation and workload management.
• Escalate risks and compliance…