Associate Director

Join as an Associate Director in our Nature & Biodiversity team and thrive in a culture where wellbeing and tackling complex challenges is intrinsic. .
The role can be based from any of our UK offices (Bath, London, Leeds, Manchester or Edinburgh) with hybrid working.
The Nature and Biodiversity team forms an integral part of the business and helps to shape entire projects by being involved at the outset and putting strategies in place to protect the environment, determine biodiversity priorities and weave best practice and net gain into their fabric. Our focus on strategic level projects, results in a highly varied and interesting workload.
The team prides itself on the consistent use of best practice and the quality of its work. If you're looking to make a positive impact and create real change you will be rewarded with an excellent salary and access to extensive learning and development opportunities, generous pension contributions, private medical, life, dental and travel insurance, flexible leave, and more.
In this Associate Director role, you will be responsible for supporting the UK lead with the strategic growth of our UK Nature and Biodiversity team, as well as leading the delivery of some of our more complex ecological projects.
Additionally, you will be part of the wider senior leadership team, working with the Discipline Director to actively drive forward operational efficiencies, professional development and global strategy. As well as mentoring a small team of ecologists, this is an opportunity to collaborate across disciplines to provide holistic solutions to global climate issues and to expand our urban regeneration, biodiversity net gain and restoration, and strategic nature advisory work across the UK.
Whilst this role is primarily UK-focused, there is scope to lead the ecology component of international projects when UK team capacity allows. You will play a key role in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and internal teams by providing clear, up-to-date advice on planning legislation and its implications for project delivery, policy, and design, as well as proactively supporting work-winning and positioning the team as a valued source of insight on regulatory change.
Experience leading the technical delivery of complex UK projects and supporting others to do the same.
Skilled in managing multidisciplinary projects, engaging with clients, and achieving biodiversity-focused outcomes through collaborative design.
Demonstrated expertise in applying biodiversity net gain, nature-based solutions, and green infrastructure in planning and design.
Strong project management skills, including resource planning, budget control, and responsibility for team deliverables.
Experience contributing to work-winning activities, such as presentations and bids, and acting as a trusted advisor on policy and regulatory matters.
Previous experience of working on international projects would be beneficial, although not a requirement.
Leading, and supporting others to lead, the technical components of complex UK projects
Providing senior input into multidisciplinary projects, including leading client engagement and collaborating with design and multidisciplinary teams to maximise biodiversity outcomes.
Advising on the application and integration of biodiversity net gain, nature-based solutions, and green infrastructure.
Project management, including resource planning, managing budgets and team inputs, and being responsible for the team’s deliverables.
Taking a proactive role in work-winning by positioning the team as a trusted partner on regulatory and policy matters, and contributing to bids and proposals that showcase our expertise.
Providing hands-on mentoring and development to the UK sub-team, actively building a culture of knowledge sharing and technical excellence.
Maintaining and developing the highest standards of technical quality, continuously seeking to develop the discipline through innovation and creativity.
contributing to improving operational systems, championing continuous improvement, and supporting knowledge share and professional development within both UK and international teams.
Where UK team capacity allows, being the technical lead on internationally focussed projects (or supporting others to do so) including project management, and client and design team liaison as above.
Hybrid working arrangements.
~ Attractive salary and benefits package including, private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection.
~10% Car allowance
~ Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
~ Generous company pension scheme.
~ Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
~ Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
~A strong commitment to your continuous development. A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities. A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
~ Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us.