Principal Consultant - Sustainable Waste Management

SLR Consulting is seeking a Principal Consultant in Sustainable Waste Management to lead resource efficiency and sustainability initiatives. The role requires expertise in waste management, project delivery, and business development. While the position is hybrid, preferred office locations include Bradford-on-Avon, Bristol, Shrewsbury, or Edinburgh. SLR offers a supportive environment with competitive salaries, benefits, and opportunities for professional growth within a global consultancy focused on sustainability.
Our Sustainable Waste Management team is looking for an experienced waste and resource management specialist with demonstrable expert knowledge of the waste and resource management sector and experience of developing, leading and delivering resource efficiency and sustainability initiatives across a diverse portfolio of clients.

Please note, we provide a hybrid working environment but also see benefit in our staff having access to one of our offices to allow direct engagement with colleagues and other technical disciplines - the preferred locations for this role are Bradford-on-Avon, Bristol, Shrewsbury or Edinburgh, but SLR has offices across the UK.

About us

SLR are global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. We are a consultancy with over 4,000 employees working in 125 countries around the world, including over 1,500 staff across Europe. Our one team' culture is at the heart of our business; providing a collaborative and supportive environment for professional development.

Along with competitive salaries, our staff enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with a company pension plus excellent healthcare offering, travel and life insurance, critical illness cover and a structured career framework with regular reviews offering outstanding opportunities for progression. Alongside 25 days' annual leave, we offer flexible, agile and hybrid working which enables staff to tailor hours worked around core hours, and our family friendly policies help balance the needs of professional and family life.

The Sustainable Waste Management team has extensive experience of providing practical advice across municipal, household, commercial, industrial, hazardous, agricultural, and mining waste. Our specialisms are expanding to meet the challenges associated with sustainability, circular economy and mitigation of climate impacts, ensuring that we continue to provide comprehensive resource management services to our clients.

Our technical service offerings include:

Public sector waste support (e.g. strategy development, options analysis, service improvement and contract procurement)

Private sector waste support (e.g. bid development)

Advice to the financial sector (e.g. due diligence, market assessment)

Advice to construction companies and waste technology providers (e.g. carbon assessments, waste management plans)

Waste logistics

Circularity and sustainability studies

The role

You will have the opportunity to lead project management and delivery tasks and take an active role in bid development and business development activities. You will be confident in leading waste data management tasks, and developing waste flow modelling and carbon assessments.

Play a leading role in the ongoing growth of the Sustainable Waste Management team, identifying and reacting to opportunities identified using both reactive and proactive approaches

Keep abreast of latest developments across the UK waste sector, including policy / legislative drivers, new infrastructure developments, secondary materials market dynamics and commercial trends

Support local authority clients through service reviews, identifying and presenting service improvement opportunities, legislative compliance, best practice and innovation

Provide technical advisory support for local authority and private sector clients within contract procurement projects, including the development of tender documentation for contractors

Contribute to the development of high quality, successful bid submissions to meet SLR's strategic and financial objectives

Manage projects to ensure client and business objectives are achieved, including proactively tracking budgets and forecasts

Support and develop junior staff to provide capacity within the team and widen capabilities

The post holder must be comfortable and confident in engaging with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels, including managing and delivering workshops and presenting project outcomes.

This position offers a fantastic opportunity for an experienced resources and waste management specialist to play a lead role in driving the business forward. It will also provide the opportunity to make a difference by supporting clients in developing sustainable solutions in response to resource management, climate impact and many more challenges.

About you

We are seeking someone who is ambitious, with a proven track record in winning new work and leading projects, who can assist with pushing forward the development of this core business area.

Experience of working with or for commercial entities, local authorities, contractors and / or consultancies

Expert knowledge, both theoretical and in the field, of resources and waste management and sustainability solutions

A strong understanding of waste modelling and the use of MS Excel. While not essential, coding experience (Python, R or otherwise), and familiarity with QGIS, would be beneficial

A good understanding of current and future challenges facing commercial and industrial entities as well as local authorities, including working knowledge of waste contracts and technologies

Experience in business development, with the ability to identify, develop, win and deliver opportunities from existing and new contacts

Degree qualified in environmental sciences / engineering or equivalent (ideally to postgraduate level)

Chartered membership of a professional body

Full driving licence

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer, and our expectations go beyond purely complying with legislation. Through our Regional DE&I Committees, Global Council and Employee Networks, we foster an inclusive environment where all people regardless of their background can thrive.

We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of their background, including those from groups that are currently under-represented at SLR, such as LGBTQ+ people, ethnic minority groups, women, and people with visible or invisible disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent.