Principal Flood Risk Consultant

Flexible UK Office Location (Hybrid Working Available)

Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd is seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Flood Risk Consultant to join our growing Flood Risk & Drainage team.

This is a senior technical leadership, project delivery and client-facing role responsible for leading the delivery of flood risk, drainage, hydrology, hydraulic modelling and wider water environment commissions across residential, commercial, mixed-use, infrastructure, energy and regeneration sectors throughout the UK.

The successful candidate will combine recognised technical expertise with strong project management, commercial, work winning and people leadership skills. Acting as a technical lead, Project Manager and Project Director, the role will support the continued growth of Waterman's flood risk, drainage and water environment services whilst mentoring junior colleagues and developing long-term client relationships. The role offers the opportunity to work on nationally significant infrastructure projects, major residential developments and complex multidisciplinary commissions.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Act as a recognised technical specialist and trusted advisor within Waterman's Flood Risk & Drainage and Water Environment teams.
• Lead the technical delivery, review and quality assurance of complex flood risk, drainage, hydrology and water environment commissions.
• Lead the preparation, review and technical sign-off (where appropriate under delegated authority) of:
• Drainage Strategies;
• Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) Strategies and Designs;
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs);
• Flood Consequence Assessments;
• Flood Warning and Evacuation Plans;
• Environmental Permit Applications;
• Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) Applications;
• Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessments;
• Environmental Statements and supporting planning documentation;
• Water Environment technical chapters for EIA projects.

Provide technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle from feasibility studies, due diligence and site identification through planning, detailed design and project delivery.

• National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF);
• Planning Practice Guidance;
• Flood Risk and Coastal Change policy;
• Flood and Water Management Act;
• Land Drainage Act;
• Environmental Permitting Regulations;
• Water Framework Directive requirements;
• CIRIA SuDS Manual;
• National SuDS Standards;
• Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authority guidance.

Direct and oversee hydraulic modelling, hydrological assessment and flood risk modelling studies and provide technical review of modelling outputs to inform planning and infrastructure decisions.

Lead the application of GIS analysis, hydraulic modelling techniques, hydrological assessments and flood risk datasets to support project delivery.

Provide technical leadership on:

• Surface water flood risk;
• Groundwater flooding;
• Ordinary watercourses;
• Main Rivers;
• Flood compensation and flood storage;
• Culverts and watercourse crossings;
• Water quality and water environment considerations;
• Environmental permitting and regulatory approvals.

Act as technical lead within multidisciplinary teams ensuring flood risk, drainage and water environment requirements are fully integrated with civil engineering, transport planning, environmental assessment, landscape architecture, utilities and planning disciplines.

Promote technical excellence through development of standards, guidance notes, best practice procedures and training materials.

Maintain awareness of emerging legislation, policy, modelling platforms, digital tools and industry best practice and disseminate this knowledge across the team.

Support innovation, research and development activities that enhance technical capability, efficiency and Waterman's service offering.

Mentor and technically develop graduate, consultant and senior consultant colleagues through project reviews, technical coaching and chartership support.

Project Delivery

• Act as Project Manager and Project Director on flood risk, drainage and water environment commissions.
• Manage a portfolio of projects and technical workstreams concurrently.
• Ensure projects are delivered to agreed programme, budget and quality objectives.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams and specialist sub-consultants.
• Delegate work appropriately and provide technical direction to project teams.
• Undertake project planning, resource management and workload forecasting.
• Ensure technical deliverables are fit for purpose and suitable for issue in accordance with Waterman procedures.
• Support delivery of projects through feasibility, planning, detailed design and construction support stages.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with Waterman management systems, technical procedures and quality standards.
• Monitor technical, programme and commercial risks across commissions.
• Identify opportunities to improve project outcomes and client value.
• Support effective resource allocation and workload management.
• Escalate risks and compliance issues where appropriate.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, technical excellence and quality assurance.

Commercial Management

• Take responsibility for the profitability and commercial performance of assigned projects and workstreams.
• Prepare and review fee proposals, scopes of service and project programmes.
• Monitor project financial performance, utilisation and estimate-to-complete forecasting.
• Identify and manage threats to project profitability including scope creep, programme delays and resource pressures.
• Support fee negotiations, commercial discussions and change control processes.
• Contribute to achievement of team financial and performance objectives.

Client and Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, regulators and industry stakeholders.
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients throughout project delivery.
• Lead meetings and technical negotiations with:
• Lead Local Flood Authorities;
• Internal Drainage Boards;
• Local Planning Authorities;
• Developers and Infrastructure Clients.
• Present technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Promote collaborative working across disciplines and project teams.

Business Development and Work Winning

• Prepare fee proposals, tenders, framework submissions and capability statements.
• Identify opportunities for follow-on commissions and repeat business.
• Support multidisciplinary bids and cross-selling opportunities across Waterman.
• Develop and maintain professional networks across the development and infrastructure sectors.
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• Promote Waterman's technical capabilities through industry engagement, presentations, technical papers and networking.
• Support strategic business growth initiatives within the Flood Risk & Drainage and Water Environment teams.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement across the Flood Risk & Drainage service.
• Encourage new approaches, technologies and digital delivery solutions.
• Contribute to research and development initiatives.
• Support development of new technical tools, methodologies and market offerings.

Team Leadership and People Development

• Provide mentoring, coaching and technical guidance to junior colleagues.
• Support professional development, chartership progression and technical competency growth.
• Assist with recruitment, onboarding and resource planning.
• Undertake technical reviews and provide constructive performance feedback.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaborative working.
• Foster an inclusive, supportive and high-performing team culture.
• Demonstrate visible leadership across the wider Waterman business.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geography, Hydrology, Water Management or related discipline.
• Chartered Member of a relevant professional institution, or approaching Chartership with a clear pathway towards achievement:
• CIWEM;
• ICE;
• CEnv;
• C.WEM.

Experience

Significant experience delivering flood risk, drainage and water environment consultancy projects.

Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex projects.

Experience undertaking technical review and quality assurance of flood risk, drainage, hydrology and modelling outputs.

Proven experience preparing and reviewing:

• FRA;
• Drainage Strategies;
• WCS;
• WFD Assessments;
• SFRA;

Environmental permitting applications.

Experience leading engagement with regulators and stakeholders.

Strong commercial awareness and project financial management experience.

Experience delivering projects from feasibility through planning and detailed design.

Software and Technical Competencies

Experience Using

• TUFLOW;
• GIS Software;
• Hydraulic Modelling;
• Hydrological Assessment;
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRA);
• Flood Risk Activity Permits (FRAPs).

Appreciation and Awareness of

• InfoDrainage;
• MicroDrainage;
• InfoWorks ICM;
• Water Framework Directive Assessments.

Job type Permanent Industry Engineering Posted 2026-08-27T00:00:00 5 days ago

About us

At Waterman we are committed to our people, our communities, and the planet. We are transforming our business and offering our most exciting opportunities yet so now is the time to join us.

We are a Disability Confident organisation, committed to an active Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Policy starting with our recruitment and selection process.

Good luck, we look forward to welcoming you to the Waterman family!

Life Here

'All the hard work you put in will result in something that will remain long after you are gone. Its like a stamp you have left on the world.'

Bodunde Balogun - Apprentice, Infrastructure and Environment

'I have felt so welcome during my time here and even in such a short time have learnt a great deal!'