Flood Risk & Drainage Lead
Arthian is seeking a commercially driven Principal Flood Risk & Drainage Consultant to lead and grow our Water Environment team. This is not a pure delivery role. We are looking for someone who can combine strong technical oversight with business development, client ownership and team leadership.
Overview
The successful candidate will help shape the direction of the service line, strengthen technical capability and grow fee income. You will take ownership of projects, clients and team performance while driving commercial growth across a varied portfolio of sectors and clients.
About The Role
Our water environment team delivers a wide range of work across flood risk, drainage and hydraulic modelling, supporting planning and delivery for energy, infrastructure, industrial, residential and commercial projects. The work is varied, client-facing and often fast moving, with a mix of strategic advisory, modelling and design-led delivery.
You will lead and oversee delivery across the water environment discipline, including Flood Risk Assessments, drainage strategies and designs, hydraulic modelling and specialist assessments.
Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee delivery across the water environment discipline, including Flood Risk Assessments, drainage strategies and designs, hydraulic modelling and specialist assessments
- Manage technically complex projects, including surface water and fluvial assessments, drainage network modelling, detention and storage design, and fire water and containment assessments where required
- Act as technical sign-off and quality lead on flood risk, drainage and modelling outputs
- Build and manage client relationships across a varied client base (developers, operators, landowners, contractors, consultants and public sector bodies), developing repeat work and new opportunities
- Lead fee proposals, tenders and scope definition, including advising clients on proportionate scope and risk
- Support and lead business development activity, including pipeline development and conversion
- Line manage and mentor junior consultants, delegating effectively and maintaining standards
- Own project financial performance, including budgets, fee forecasting, WIP management and invoicing
- Contribute to strategic growth of the water team, including market positioning, service development and capability building
What We Are Looking For
Commercial mindset
- Evidence of winning work, leading proposals or owning client accounts
- Confident scoping work, agreeing fees and advising clients on proportionate scope and risk
- Comfortable with budgets, fee forecasting, WIP and invoicing
Leadership
- Experience line managing, mentoring or leading a team
- Strong QA instincts and ability to enforce standards
- Credible and confident representing the business externally
Technical capability
- Strong understanding of UK flood risk policy, guidance and planning requirements
- Experience producing and reviewing FRA and drainage submissions
- Working knowledge of SuDS principles, hydraulic design and hydraulic modelling
- Able to technically direct and review modelling and design outputs, even if not the primary modeller on every project
Sector alignment
- Experience delivering water environment work across a range of sectors and clients
- Planning-led development experience is valuable, but not essential if you can demonstrate strong technical oversight and commercial performance across other sectors
- Experience with energy, industrial, infrastructure, utilities, developer-side or contractor-side projects is welcomed
Personal drive
- Commercially aware, proactive and growth minded
- Comfortable operating in an agile consultancy environment with high ownership and accountability
- Motivated to progress in the business
Additional information:
- A full clean driving licence is desirable
- Legal right to live and work in the UK is required
- Competitive salary and attractive benefits package is offered