Principal Geospatial Consultant

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced geospatial leader to join SLR's growing Geospatial & Data Solutions team as a Principal Geospatial Consultant.
Based in our Edinburgh office, this role combines people leadership, business development and project delivery. The successful candidate will lead our Scottish Geospatial Hub, working alongside other regional hub leads to support the Geospatial Delivery Manager in delivering and enhancing the Geospatial and Data Solution team's strategy and continued growth.

The role offers the opportunity to shape and grow SLR's geospatial presence across Scotland while supporting projects throughout the UK. Working across sectors including landscape, infrastructure, energy, mining and minerals, environment, water, and the built environment, you will help clients unlock value through geospatial technologies, connected data, automation, and digital innovation.
As part of SLR's collaborative "One Team" culture, you will play a key role in developing our people, growing our client relationships, and strengthening our position as a leading geospatial consultancy.

Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to have a positive impact and influence not only projects, but the future direction of SLR's geospatial business. You will work alongside a highly experienced leadership team, support the development of a growing group of geospatial professionals, and help shape innovative solutions for clients across Scotland, the UK, and internationally.

Your role will include:

• Leading, mentoring, and developing geospatial professionals, fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment that supports capability growth, recruitment, knowledge sharing, and professional development.
• Delivering complex multidisciplinary geospatial and digital projects, providing technical leadership, quality assurance, and strategic advice to clients and project teams across a range of sectors.
• Developing innovative geospatial solutions that leverage connected data, enterprise GIS, automation, cloud technologies, and emerging digital practices to improve client outcomes and support digital transformation.
• Build and develop trusted and collaborative client relationships while leading business development activities, including opportunity identification, proposal development and supporting growing relationships with key clients across Scotland and the UK.
• Collaborating across SLR's multidisciplinary consultancy business to identify opportunities, expand geospatial services, and deliver integrated solutions that create value for SLR and its clients.
• Overseeing the operational leadership of the Scottish Geospatial Hub and contributing to the wider leadership and strategic direction of the Geospatial & Data Solutions team.
• Championing technical excellence, innovation, and SLR's "One Team" culture through the development of best practices, continuous improvement, inclusive leadership, and effective collaboration across regional and international teams.

You should ideally be able to demonstrate the following specifications:

• People leadership experience, including mentoring, coaching, recruitment, and development of engaged and high-performing technical teams.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and influencing skills with the ability to engage effectively with clients, colleagues, and senior decision-makers.
• Proven track record leading and delivering complex geospatial and digital projects within a consultancy or client-facing environment supporting various sectors including infrastructure, energy, mining and minerals, environment, water, and the built environment.
• Extensive knowledge of GIS technologies, spatial data management, digital workflows, and connected data solutions.
• Commercially minded, with experience managing project budgets, resources, utilisation, and profitability.
• Strong business development capability with experience winning work, developing client relationships, preparing proposals, and supporting strategic and sustainable growth initiatives.

Technical Skills, abilities and experience we would like you to have:

Essential

• Demonstrate success working effectively within fast‑paced, multidisciplinary environmental or engineering consultancy teams, with strong evidence of seamless cross‑disciplinary collaboration.
• Significant experience leading geospatial teams and delivering technical geospatial support to multidisciplinary projects and / or large-scale linear infrastructure projects; including managing project budgets, resources, and client relationships.
• Extensive experience with Geospatial platforms such as ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, and ArcGIS Online.
• Strong understanding of metadata standards, data governance, quality assurance and structured data management.
• Familiarity with the UK (and Ireland desirable) planning, environmental, and land datasets.
• Demonstrable experience preparing proposals, developing fees, and growing client relationships and securing new opportunities.
• Excellent report writing, presentation, and communication skills.

Desirable

• Experience supporting Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (SLVIA), and Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment (TVIA).
• Proficient in applying GIS to support blue-green infrastructure planning, spatial strategy development and landscape-led master planning projects.
• Experience working within Common Data Environments, automation, ETL workflows, data transformation, and systems integration tools such as FME Form and FME Flow.

Rewards & Benefits

SLR's ‘One Team’ culture is at the heart of our business, providing a collaborative and supportive environment where people can develop and grow. Through a structured career framework, regular performance reviews, and support towards chartership, professional qualifications and licences, we offer excellent opportunities for long-term career progression. Our flexible benefits and reward package includes:

• Competitive salary with discretionary bonus
• Company pension
• Private medical insurance
• Life, income, and travel insurance
• Salary sacrifice car lease and cycle‑to‑work schemes
• Volunteering and Community Giving
• Flexible, hybrid and agile working
• 25 days’ annual leave plus flexible public holidays
• Buy or sell leave options
• Core working hours
• Cross‑border remote working and sabbatical opportunities
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay
• Workplace Nursery benefit
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Specialist support for mental health, stress and menopause - supporting our people both professionally and personally

Culture & Inclusion

Inclusion is fundamental to who we are. We are committed to equal opportunities and foster a workplace where everyone can thrive, supported by active Culture & Inclusion Committees and Employee Networks. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are a Disability Confident Committed employer. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to support you.