County Ecologist (West Sussex County Council)

We're looking for an experienced ecologist to provide expert ecological advice to the County Council, support the planning process, and help deliver nature recovery across West Sussex.

Location: County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working Interview date: w/c 7 th December 2026

As the organisation's County Ecologist, you will provide professional leadership and specialist advice on ecology, biodiversity, Biodiversity Net Gain and nature recovery across a diverse portfolio of planning, infrastructure and corporate projects. As the Council's principal ecological adviser, you will help ensure that environmental considerations are effectively integrated into decision-making across the authority.

You will provide authoritative ecological advice to the County Council in its roles as County Planning Authority and Highway Authority, supporting the determination of planning applications, infrastructure delivery and the Council's wider statutory responsibilities. Working closely with colleagues, developers, consultants and partner organisations, you will help identify practical solutions that balance environmental protection with sustainable growth and service delivery.

The role has an important part to play in supporting the delivery of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Biodiversity Net Gain and the Council's statutory biodiversity duties. You will contribute to the development of policies, projects and initiatives that help shape the future management, enhancement and recovery of West Sussex's natural environment.

You will represent the County Council at meetings, develop productive relationships with partners and stakeholders, supervise the work of specialist staff where appropriate, and provide professional guidance, mentoring and support across the service. You will work alongside colleagues covering ecology, landscape, arboriculture, archaeology and the historic environment to deliver high-quality professional advice.

The role requires travel to sites and meetings across the county, including occasional visits to remote locations and inspections of buildings and structures. You will need to be comfortable working both in an office environment and on site, while maintaining high professional standards and delivering robust, evidence-based advice.

What are we looking for?

As the successful County Ecologist, you will have extensive ecological knowledge and experience, combined with the ability to apply sound professional judgement to complex issues. You will be a confident communicator, able to work effectively with colleagues, developers, consultants, communities and partner organisations to deliver practical solutions and positive environmental outcomes.

You will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• Strong ecological and environmental expertise, with the ability to analyse complex information, evaluate evidence and provide clear, robust and proportionate professional advice.
• The ability to think strategically, anticipate issues and make informed decisions, particularly in relation to planning and development, biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity Net Gain and nature recovery.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to represent the County Council's interests and explain complex ecological issues to specialist and non specialist audiences.
• The ability to organise and prioritise your workload, manage competing demands and meet statutory and organisational deadlines, while maintaining high professional standards.
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues, stakeholders and partners, providing support, guidance and mentoring where appropriate.
• Integrity, professionalism and a commitment to delivering a high-quality ecological service.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Descriptions attached.

The reference number for this role is 271

• Location South East England (including London)