Position Summary
KBD is experiencing sustained growth and are seeking a strategic and outcome-driven Principal Terrestrial Ecology Specialist to join our team.
In this leadership role you will help drive forward our delivery of ecological consultancy, both in leading fieldwork on baseline assessments to inform research or impact assessment. You’ll manage your own projects from inception to completion, have responsibility for people and larger/more complex project management, including technical, commercial and business development activities.
This role requires an in-depth knowledge of one of the terrestrial groups (e.g. botany, habitats, mammals, birds, reptiles, etc.) or an holistic understanding of desert ecosystems ecology. Excellent report writing skills and full command of English are mandatory requirements. Your ecological knowledge, integrity and attention to detail will allow you to deliver high level surveys, assessment and reporting and, together with the ecology team, deliver them on time. You will be a mentor and manager to early career ecologists and become a key part of our innovative and vibrant team.
The focus of the role we are hiring for is the provision of ecological baseline surveys and terrestrial ecology inputs for Environmental Impact Assessment reports for development project. The role will also require undertaking ecological research studies for conservation projects. The role will be a combination of fieldwork and report writing.
The ideal candidate will be able to design, plan and conduct terrestrial ecology field surveys, analyse data and compile technical reports to a high standard. They will need to be able to co-ordinate, supervise and work with other team members on a wide range of project-based needs, tasks and deliverables and manage remote field teams.
The appointed candidate will need to have a terrestrial ecology specialism and be a subject matter expert in at least one of the following:
- Botany
- Terrestrial fauna ecology
- Avifauna
- Bats
- Herpetofauna
- Mammals and small mammals
- Habitats and ecosystems
- Protect areas or Conservation areas management
Major Responsibilities
- Be responsible for designing and implementing biology and ecology-related components of Environmental, Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) with particular attention to biodiversity and environmental impact management (e.g., desktop studies, baseline planning and execution, integration with other components of the ESIA, reports editing, etc.).
- Act as senior ecology specialist for Environmental Due Diligence and monitoring of projects, including identifying risks and impacts, reviewing compliance with project’s commitments and applicable international requirements, and supporting in the reporting phase.
- As Project Manager coordinate, prepare project and contract management documentation and technical and financial proposals and lead the team of discipline specialists.
- Coordinate working and organizational meetings, with internal staff and/or external stakeholders.
- Conducting and leading terrestrial ecology field work as well as knowledge and experience in the taxonomic identification of plants/animals and implementation of field protocols.
- Undertake environment-related desk-based research and fieldwork to collect, analyse and interpret data to determine their validity, quality and significance.
- Set the scope, coordinate, check and review the work of others in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team on a wide range of development and infrastructure projects.
- Competently undertake own work to an excellent standard, on time and to budget;
- Provide technical support to less experienced field staff.
- Senior review of reports, proposals and supervise/stewardship junior colleagues.
- Specification, preparation and coordination of fee proposals for ecological work.
- Business development, maintaining and developing existing clients as well as securing new opportunities.
Personal Requirements
Competencies
- Minimum 10 years of previous professional work experience on ecology studies, conservation management and biodiversity impact assessment, monitoring and management plans (Biodiversity Management Plan - BMP, Biodiversity Action Plan - BAP, Critical Habitats Assessment - CHA, etc.).
- Full command of local regulations and International (IFC/EBRD/OECD/Equator Principles) environmental standards and their implications with specific focus on IFC PS6 requirements.
- Familiarity with environmental impact assessment methodology, procedures, and regulations.
- Understanding of GIS and geoprocessing tools.
- Conducting and leading terrestrial ecology field work as well as knowledge and experience in the taxonomic identification of plants/animals and implementation of field protocols.
- The appointed candidate will need to have a terrestrial ecology specialism and be a subject matter expert in at least one of the following:
- Botany
- Terrestrial fauna ecology
- Avifauna
- Bats
- Herpetofauna
- Mammals and small mammals
- Habitats and ecosystems
- Protect areas or Conservation areas management
- Undertake environment-related desk-based research and fieldwork to collect, analyse and interpret data to determine their validity, quality and significance.
- Set the scope, coordinate, check and review the work of others in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team on a wide range of development and infrastructure projects.
- Competently undertake own work to an excellent standard, on time and to budget.
- Specification, preparation and coordination of fee proposals for ecological work.
- Excellent report writing.
- Full command of English language.
- Chartered membership of a professional body (or experience to obtain chartership).
- Experienced in running on medium to large scale projects.
- Knowledge of Excel /Access database management, basic statistical data analysis and graphics production.
- Good communication skills with a wide variety of audiences and ability to work in a diverse and multidisciplinary team.
- Experience and ability to work on several projects simultaneously under time pressure.
