Associate – Flood Risk & Drainage

Job Title: Principal / Associate Flood Risk & Drainage Specialist

Salary: £65,000 to £75,000 (dependent on experience)

Location: Basingstoke (London and Ipswich also considered)

Type: Permanent | Full-time | Hybrid

About the Role:
Our client is looking for an experienced Principal or Associate Flood Risk & Drainage Specialist to establish and lead its growing flood risk capability within the Environmental Services team.

This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of a developing service line, leading technical delivery across a range of infrastructure and development projects while helping to shape business growth, win new work and build a specialist team.

The successful candidate will act as the technical lead for flood risk and drainage, working closely with planning, ecology, geo-environmental, civil engineering and infrastructure teams.

About the Client:
Our client is a growing multidisciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy delivering projects across the infrastructure and construction sectors.

With expertise spanning rail, highways, defence, airports, ports, buildings and wider development, they are expanding their Environmental Services offering and investing in new technical capabilities. This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in that growth within a collaborative, director-led environment where ideas are valued and progression is encouraged.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of Flood Risk Assessments for planning applications across a variety of sectors.
• Produce drainage strategies and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) designs.
• Provide technical advice on flood risk legislation, planning policy and climate change requirements.
• Undertake and review hydrological and hydraulic assessments.
• Manage specialist subcontractors where required.
• Prepare foul drainage strategies and liaise with water companies and regulatory bodies.
• Support Environmental Impact Assessments and wider water environment studies.
• Develop the flood risk and drainage service offering.
• Build and maintain client relationships while supporting business development activities.
• Prepare fee proposals and contribute to bids and tender submissions.
• Manage project budgets, programmes and commercial performance.
• Recruit, mentor and develop future members of the flood risk team.
• Maintain high technical and quality standards across all project delivery.

What Our Client is Looking For:

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Water Resources or a related discipline.
• Significant consultancy experience in flood risk and drainage.
• Chartered, or working towards Chartership, with CIWEM, ICE or an equivalent institution.
• Strong experience delivering Flood Risk Assessments and drainage strategies for planning applications.
• Experience using InfoDrainage, MicroDrainage or similar drainage design software.
• Strong understanding of hydraulic modelling outputs.
• Excellent report writing and client communication skills.
• Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets and preparing fee proposals.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable experience includes:

• Coastal and tidal flood risk.
• Rail infrastructure projects.
• Hydraulic modelling software such as TUFLOW, Flood Modeller or HEC-RAS.
• Environmental Impact Assessment and Water Framework Directive experience.
• GIS software.
• Experience growing or leading a technical team.

What Our Client Offers:

• £65,000-£75,000 salary depending on experience.
• Hybrid working.
• Professional membership fees paid.
• Workplace pension.
• Diverse projects across infrastructure and development sectors.
• Opportunity to establish and lead a growing technical capability.
• Supportive, low-bureaucracy environment with direct access to senior leadership.

Eligibility:

• Right to work in the UK.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to travel to project sites and client locations when required.

Opportunity for Growth:
This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to move into a genuine leadership position. The successful candidate will have the autonomy to shape a growing Flood Risk & Drainage team, influence business strategy and play a key role in expanding the Environmental Services division, with a clear pathway towards Associate Director as the team grows.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.