Principal Environmental (EIA) Consultant – UK wide

Overview

As a Principal EIA Consultant, you will lead environmental teams across sectors to shape project designs from feasibility to handover. You’ll work with multi-disciplinary groups to improve environmental performance and community outcomes on infrastructure and development schemes. You drive strategic bidding, client relationships, and innovative techniques like Digital EIA, influencing how projects integrate sustainable design and environmental gain. This role offers high-impact leadership with a focus on delivery, quality, and business development. Join a collaborative, forward-thinking team tackling complex, high-profile projects at scale.

Pay / Benefits

• work-life balance
• hybrid working
• inclusive culture
• Thrive wellbeing programme
• Virtual GP
• Gymflex scheme (up to 40% off gym memberships)

Responsibilities

• Lead large, complex projects across multiple sectors, overseeing technical, quality, commercial, and health and safety performance
• Provide environmental advice to clients, project managers, and colleagues
• Lead bidding, project delivery, and financial management; develop proposals for complex opportunities
• Coordinate with diverse environmental specialists and engineering teams to promote sustainable design
• Develop and implement innovative techniques (e.g., Digital EIA, Technical Excellence, Future Ready EIA)
• Build client relationships and identify opportunities for resourcing, programming, and strategy development
• Drive marketing, cross-selling, and business development activities including presenting at conferences
• Support team development, promote inclusive culture, and align with health, safety, and wellbeing values
• Contribute to WSP business strategy and personal and team goal achievement

Key requirements

• Degree in environmental field with relevance to EIA
• Chartered Environmental Status and Full membership of a professional body (IEMA) or equivalent
• Excellent experience of EIA and processes with ability to work with limited supervision in multi-disciplinary teams
• Strong knowledge of environmental and planning legislation
• Clear verbal and written communication including report writing and review with high attention to detail
• Experience in large-scale infrastructure projects (rail, highways, energy, commercial/residential)
• Comprehensive project management skills including commercial, risk, forecasting, and quality assurance

• proactive
• leadership
• strong communication
• EIA processes
• environmental legislation knowledge
• planning and permitting coordination

…