Heritage Director

We are seeking a Heritage Planning Director to lead and grow our national heritage planning service, from one of our Manchester, Reading or London Offices (other office locations can be discussed). At Stantec, we believe that heritage is not simply about preserving the past, it is about managing change and shaping sustainable, thriving communities for the future.

As our UK portfolio expands across conservation, regeneration, development, energy and infrastructure, we are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Heritage Planning Director to lead and guide our technical direction, strengthen market presence, and embed heritage led approaches across multidisciplinary projects.

This is a strategic leadership role with significant opportunity to influence business growth, enhance technical quality, and champion the value of heritage across the built and natural environment.

Our UK business is delivering some of the most complex and high profile regeneration and development and infrastructure programmes. From urban regeneration and masterplanning to high profile planning and listed building applications, strategic land promotion and renewable energy, heritage is central to unlocking value responsibly and sustainably.

Your Impact

• Lead, grow and promote Stantec's UK heritage capability across built heritage, historic landscapes, and archaeology within a global consultancy
• Provide technical, commercial and strategic oversight across complex and high profile projects
• Drive work winning, client engagement, and market positioning
• Embed heritage services across planning, environment, infrastructure, and buildings teams within the wider business
• Champion excellence in quality assurance, technical review, and delivery standards
• Ensure financial accountability, including oversight of forecasting, profitability, and resource planning
• Develop and mentor a high performing national team based in Manchester, Reading, and London
• Promote the team's expertise internally across the business and externally through industry networks

About You

You are an established heritage leader with the strategic vision, commercial acumen and technical authority to drive a nationally recognised heritage planning service. You bring a collaborative leadership style, strong external profile and a commitment to high quality, commercially sound project delivery.

Strategic Leadership

• Proven ability to shape and implement an innovative, forward thinking national heritage growth strategy aligned to Stantec's UK business plan
• Excel in identifying market opportunities and positioning teams for success across development, infrastructure, public sector, energy, and regeneration sectors
• You are confident representing and advocating for the value of heritage internally across a multidisciplinary business

Business Development

• You have a proven track record in securing, leading and delivering major, complex and high profile projects
• Demonstrable experience of building long term, trusted client relationships across public and private sectors
• Experienced in promoting yourself / teams / historic environment through thought leadership, professional engagement and industry networks

Technical Excellence

• Demonstrable experience in providing solutions focused advice on heritage planning, EIA, design development, and the assessment and management of heritage assets, historic landscapes and archaeological matters
• Experienced in leading constructive engagement with statutory bodies and stakeholders, navigating complex issues from project inception through determination and delivery
• You set and uphold high technical standards, ensuring robust quality assurance, and you are confident acting as technical signatory for key deliverables

Commercial & Financial Leadership

• You bring sound commercial judgment and understand how to structure programme and resource projects to deliver high quality outcomes within agreed budgets
• Experienced in managing scope and maintaining oversight of project performance to ensure predictable, profitable delivery, while providing effective resourcing and support to balance workload, capability and utilisation, enabling strong client service and financial results

People Leadership

• Have experience of leading and mentoring multi skilled teams, supporting growth, development and professional accreditation
• You foster an inclusive, collaborative culture, and champion strong team performance across multiple office locations

Skills and Qualification

• Significant experience within the UK planning and development sector
• In depth knowledge of UK heritage legislation, policy and guidance, and how these apply across development, infrastructure, and regeneration
• Proven ability to provide constructive design and mitigation advice across archaeology, built heritage and historic landscapes, including a proven track record of successful negotiation with decision makers
• Excellent communication skills with a passion for innovation and high quality outcomes
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience of delivering profitable growth and supporting efficient, well managed project delivery
• Demonstrable success in winning and leading complex, high profile, multi disciplinary projects
• Exceptional written skills, with experience as an expert witness and in representing clients across a variety of consenting regimes (including planning and listed building consent, appeals, enforcement matters, local plan examination, and DCO processes)
• A relevant degree and/or post graduate qualification in built heritage, archaeology, urban design or a related discipline
• Chartered status such as IHBC, CIfA, RTPI or equivalent
• An established client network and strong industry reputation

Why join us?

• People culture: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed
• Award winning workplace: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named 'Best Place to Work' and 'International Consulting Firm of the Year' at the NCE Awards 2024
• Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK & Ireland - we want you to be part of it
• Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more
• Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working
• Professional development: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.