Principal Consultant

Role: Principal Consultant

Location: Leeds with travel as required (we offer Hybrid working Policy)

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Directorate: Land Referencing

Salary: Negotiable DOE

Company Overview:

Ardent is the UK’s leading provider of land, consent management and stakeholder engagement services to support major infrastructure and regeneration projects from concept to delivery.

We are Project Managers, Chartered Surveyors, Transport Planners and Land Referencers, based in London, Birmingham, Warrington, Leeds, Glasgow and Dublin and supporting projects throughout the UK and Ireland.

Established in 1992 to provide a 'one stop shop’ for land and property matters for major infrastructure projects, our client portfolio includes some of the biggest players across our four core sectors of transport, renewables, utilities and regeneration.

We are passionate about delivering life-improving change for communities and future generations and we are proud to play a key role in facilitating and delivering the UK and Ireland’s net zero agenda, improving connectivity, enabling the repurposing of high streets and town centres and delivering new homes for the people who need them most.

We are problem-solvers, can-doers and solution-drivers working collaboratively with our clients to provide proactive and strategic advice to identify and mitigate risks, deliver efficiencies and, ultimately, achieve deliverable consents and build projects that positively impact people’s lives and the world that we live in.

We are are looking for a Principal Consultant to lead and manage a team of Land Referencers in our Leeds office.

Technical Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required:

• Able to build relationships with clients in a professional manner.
• Proactive in seeking to develop strong people management skills.
• Ability to identify the need for new resource within your team with consideration for the wider resource requirements of the Directorate. Capable of sourcing candidates for these positions by building networks within the industry.
• Effective programme management to ensure delivery of projects working with Ardent's financial systems, identifying areas of escalation if required.
• Takes active part in cash / debt collection for own projects and routinely provides costs estimates and manages financial aspects of projects.
• Demonstrates an ability to win repeat business from existing clients.
• Assumes responsibility for project management of projects and client relationships when opportunities arise.
• Ensure that the Directorate complies with Company policy and processes, demonstrates respect to Corporate Services and drives these behaviours within the Directorate.
• Contributes to winning work on a regular basis, through producing winning tenders (subject to Director sign off).
• Lead on 'Lessons-Learnt' sessions to develop understanding of issues across the wider team, identifying project risks. Raising the awareness and quality across the directorate.
• The ability to work within parameters of delegated authority within the project to ensure open thinking while managing levels of decision making.
• Listen to suggested solutions by all members of the team and have the ability to analyse suggestions.
• Demonstrates an ability to deliver all technical elements of the project understand and advising internally and externally.
• Identifying differences between scope and client requests. Raising potential variations with the client and FD.

Key Business Skills:

People

The role is accountable for the following:

Demonstrates the ability to manage and resolve conflicts diplomatically, finding common ground among team members and/or other stakeholders. Develop the ability to align communication efforts with the organisation's goals and strategies. Engages their team as a Leader/Line Manager, living out the Ardent vision and understanding all elements of being an effective Line Manager and Leader. Embracing a coaching and learning culture, role modelling those behaviours, actively engaged as a Coach.

Quality

The role is accountable for the following:

Develops skills in assessing client needs and understanding their objectives in order to proactively advise on next steps and/or to foresee and mitigate risks or identify opportunities. Provide guidance and advice to clients in a technical capacity. demonstrating leadership traits including taking ownership of tasks and challenging inappropriate behaviours and inefficient workplace practices. Display confidence in reporting to clients and inputting to client meetings in a manner that fosters client confidence and helps to develop a positive working relationship.

Growth

The role is accountable for the following:

Demonstrates proficiency in identifying and qualifying potential leads or prospects for the organisation's services. Develop understanding of the needs / objectives of clients and prospective clients, and contribute towards Key Account Management strategies Learning to manage and track leads through the sales pipeline, from identifying opportunities to securing instructions

H&S/SV

The role is accountable for the following:

In the role of a line manager, encourage best practice health & safety behaviours within your team, ensuring that all near misses and accidents are reported promptly.

Promote a culture of wellness within your team to identify health and wellbeing early, and proactively engage with People & Culture to address any concerns.

Encourages regular communications on Health & Safety issues and performance within your teams.

Responsibility for ensuring team members have the right PPE and resources when working out on site

Finance

The role is accountable for the following:

Demonstrates ability to manage the financial aspects of a project to achieve commercial objectives. Demonstrate ability to prepare and assess financial reports and statements to analyse the commercial performance of individual projects and to identify opportunities to improve commercial performance. Review and approve timesheets and expenses of more junior colleagues / reports, where appropriate, and take responsibility for ensuring their time is recorded accurately and descriptions are clear. Demonstrate aptitude to take on Project Account Management responsibility and perform that role effectively in the context of small projects, involving a single Directorate

Behavioural Skills Required (Based on our Values) :

Thirst for Knowledge (We embrace opportunities to learn and improve for personal and professional growth) - Demonstrate a strong commitment to the development of yourself, and your people, for your role in a growth company and future role. Coach and mentor others (or actively engage with your Coach) to have a deep understanding of their knowledge and experience. Actively supporting with areas of development and career goals, extending beyond a technical remit and actively developing your business knowledge on an on-going basis.

Own It (We do what we say we will. We own our individual actions, are accountable for them and take pride in adding value) - Act like it matters, take pride and caring about the outcome of people in your team, or who you work with, and your clients objectives.

Be the Difference (Focus energy to make things happen. Be beyond process. Stand up, Stand out) - Be confident in your decisions and implementing them, taking into account the wider structure and objectives of the business, working with or alongside peers across the business. Be more than any other competent person in your role.

Enjoy the Journey (Have fun, be engaged and be proud to be Ardent) - Translating goals and visions of the business into meaningful objectives for your team in a positive and engaging manner (delivering excellence in your own objectives), demonstrating your commitment to Ardent and the wellbeing and development of your team and colleagues. Understand the needs of your people and colleagues to have, purpose/fulfilment, personal growth, engagement, team culture and fair pay.

Adapt (We drive change and innovation to deliver growth and new opportunities in an ever-changing world) - As a growth company Ardent is all about change. You must be a change maker. Demonstrate ability to drive and/or implement change to enable Ardent to continue to excel. Listen to your team and people you work with to actively search for opportunities to create change. Exhibit a resilient attitude, communicate key information in a clear and engaging way to influence others .

Ardent is an equal opportunities employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of race, colour, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability status or other legally protected characteristics.

With people at the core of our business, we offer employees an unrivalled career opportunity rather than simply a job. In a fast growing organisation, we train, develop and support our staff to grow and achieve their career goals. This is supported by a number of initiatives to look after the wellbeing of our employees whilst allowing employees to work flexibility and maintain a positive work life balance.

We offer an attractive benefits package to include :-

Hybrid working

Smart Working Policy

Medical health plan

Career progression

Coaching

Cycle to Work

Electric Car Scheme

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

For more information, please see our services page on our website at

Interested? Get in touch

Should you be interested in hearing more about the position or wish to send your cv in to people@ardent-management.com or contact Stuart Thomas stuartthomas@ardent-management.com