Principal Consultant - Environmental Permitting

Principal Consultant - Environmental Permitting Company Description

At Ayesa, we engineer the future - combining sustainable design, digital innovation, and technical expertise to deliver real-world impact across the water, energy, waste, infrastructure, and development sectors.

Ayesa is a global engineering and technology group with more than 13,000 professionals across 20+ countries. In the UK, we deliver innovative and sustainable solutions across the infrastructure lifecycle - from strategy and design through to operation and compliance.

We're passionate about building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where every voice is valued, and every employee can thrive.

You'll join a collaborative, multidisciplinary team providing expert support across EPR (Environmental Permitting Regulations) in England and Wales and equivalent regimes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Principal Consultant to lead complex environmental permitting and compliance projects, guide clients through challenging regulatory frameworks, and play a key role in shaping our environmental service offering in the UK.

Position

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and deliver complex environmental permitting and compliance projects across multiple sectors.
• Prepare, coordinate, and review environmental permit applications and regulatory submissions.
• Develop consenting strategies, manage stakeholder engagement, and support environmental due diligence.
• Undertake risk assessments (e.g. H1, LandSim) and support operational compliance and surrender activities.
• Contribute to Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and Quality Management Systems (QMS) design, implementation, and auditing.
• Provide strategic advice to clients on complex, multi-regulatory requirements.
• Manage multi-disciplinary project teams and ensure quality assurance and delivery standards.
• Mentor and support junior consultants, fostering technical growth and knowledge transfer.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with clients, regulators (EA, NRW, SEPA, NIEA), and stakeholders.
• Act as a key point of contact for regulatory discussions and negotiations.

Business Development & Strategic Growth

• Identify and secure new opportunities within environmental permitting and compliance.
• Lead the preparation of proposals, bids, and technical scopes.
• Support Ayesa's UK growth strategy through thought leadership, client engagement, and service development.
• Help integrate permitting and compliance services with other Ayesa disciplines (e.g. EIA, hydrogeology, air quality, noise, and engineering).

Requirements

What You'll Need

• Degree in Environmental Science, Earth Science, Environmental Management, Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years' experience in environmental consultancy, regulated industry, or a regulatory body (e.g. EA, NRW, SEPA, NIEA).
• Proven experience with Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) and aligned regimes (IED, MCPD, Energy from Waste, etc.).
• Deep understanding of UK environmental legislation, compliance frameworks, and risk-based permitting.
• Strong technical writing, report production, and project management skills.
• Experience developing and implementing Environmental Management Systems (EMS).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Chartered status (e.g. CEnv, MCIWEM, MIEMA, or equivalent) or working towards.
• Experience with environmental consenting for multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with devolved UK permitting regimes and cross-border coordination.
• Knowledge of EHS auditing, NEBOSH Diploma, or equivalent qualification.
• Experience with environmental due diligence (ASTM Phase 1 and related standards).
• Background in the UK waste management / landfill industry or other regulated activities.

Other information

What's in It for You

Competitive Salary commensurate with experience

Hybrid Work Model (2-3 days from home)

Flexible Hours (37.5 hours/week; core 10-4 Mon-Thu, 10-3 Fri)

Sustainability & Innovation-Focused Culture

Inclusive and Supportive Team Environment

Generous Annual Leave, increasing with service

Ready to Engineer a Better Future?

If you're an experienced environmental professional ready to lead, mentor, and make an impact - we'd love to hear from you.

Ayesa is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value and celebrate diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background or neurodiversity. We believe that a diverse workforce fosters innovation and stronger outcomes. We are committed to inclusive hiring practices, providing reasonable adjustments for applicants and employees with disabilities, and ensuring equal access to opportunities for learning, development, and progression across our organisation.