Ecology & Biodiversity Manager

The opportunity

We are a purpose-led organisation that places diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Our Responsible Business practice group comprising 150+ people bring themselves to work each day to make a difference; to create a low carbon resilient world, shaping cities and building thriving communities, and helping our clients to realise their ambitions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified ecologist to join Mace’s Responsible Business team and support key consultancy projects across all sectors.

You will support innovative and technically challenging low carbon projects, working with sustainable and pioneering clients looking to deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain, nature-based solutions, BREEAM Outstanding and natural capital reporting on their projects.

Project: This role will suit someone with an in-depth understanding of ecology and a broad understanding of sustainability in line with current and future built environment trends. We want the candidate to inspire, challenge, guide and help us to deliver our sector-leading sustainability targets outlined in our 2026 business priority, Pursue a Sustainable World.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Carrying out Phase One Preliminary Ecology Appraisals, Defra Biodiversity Net Gain assessments, Environmental Benefits from Nature (EBN) calculations and BREEAM reports for key clients including the Department for Education (DfE) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) – excluding Phase 2 ecology surveys.

• Involvement in early design layout workshops with design teams, applying the mitigation hierarchy principles so biodiversity is considered early in site layout development

• Supporting Mace colleagues with the commissioning of ecology surveys, including preparing technical scopes for sub-consultants and developing strong working relationships with them.

• Carrying out technical assurance reviews of ecology reports such as Phase 2 Ecological Surveys, Habitat/Landscape Management Plans, Construction Environmental Management Plans etc.

• Advising clients on how they can deliver their strategic ecology priorities, including writing policies and developing portfolio/estate-wide strategies with them.

• Working with construct project teams to deliver best practice in terms of protecting and enhancing ecology and supporting them with specific ecology queries – translating technical requirements into layperson language to ensure all stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities.

• Supporting Mace’s wider Pursue a Sustainable World target to deliver 500ha of Biodiversity Gain by 2026 and the development of a bespoke BNG calculator tool for tracking projects.

• Supporting work-winning through bids, solutioning, client liaison and raising Mace’s profile externally. This will include the development of Mace’s service offers around natural capital reporting and nature-based solutions.

• Delivering high-level training and coaching to the wider team and mentoring junior team members.

• Potentially carrying out SITES assessment on new construction projects.

About you

We are seeking someone with a passion to deliver ambitious sustainability results, excited by the prospect of working with pioneering clients and delivery teams. You are someone who has the following:

Your experience should be able to demonstrate a practical understanding of factors affecting ecology in relation to construction and the built environment, including acting in an advisory capacity to provide recommendations for ecological protection, enhancement, and mitigation measures. Examples of relevant experience would include carrying out ecological impact assessments, Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA), Phase 2 habitat and fauna surveys including reports, habitat creation, stakeholder engagement with the Regulator, local authorities, and wildlife groups.