Job Title: Principal Consultant
Location: Based in Wales out of one of Heneb’s regional offices and hybrid, with occasional travel across Wales and elsewhere as required for business needs.
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Part-time (0.8), 4 days per week.
Salary range: FTE salary: £45,534 – £55,258 per annum depending on experience
Responsible to: Head of Archaeology
About Heneb - The Trust for Welsh Archaeology
Heneb is a charitable organisation committed to preserving and promoting Wales’s rich archaeological heritage. Heneb is a leading provider of archaeological and heritage services across Wales. Formed in 2024 through the merger of the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts, Heneb combines over five decades of expertise in archaeology and heritage management. We offer a comprehensive range of archaeological and consultancy services to support development in both the public and private sectors. We collaborate closely with developers, landowners, and communities to ensure compliance with regulations, while safeguarding and documenting Wales’ rich historic environment.
Purpose of the role
To lead, grow, and develop a strategy for Heneb’s consultancy service, providing high level understanding of the technical, commercial, and strategic implementation for archaeological and heritage consultancy work.
The postholder will play a central role in developing Heneb’s offer in renewables and other major development sectors, building a strong and sustainable consultancy portfolio, nurturing key client relationships, and establishing the systems, standards, and team capacity required for long term growth.
This role will combine senior leadership of service development, quality assurance, and team building with selective personal delivery of complex consultancy commissions
Context
Heneb’s consultancy workload has grown rapidly since its formation in April 2024, particularly in relation to renewable energy and wider infrastructure schemes across Wales. As a service provider, Heneb is well placed to identify and respond to further opportunities in this area, and to develop its consultancy services across Wales in the coming years.
The purpose of this post is to provide dedicated leadership in business development, support further growth, and strengthen internal capacity, quality assurance, and coordination. The ambition is to develop a dedicated consultancy wing within Heneb’s wider Field Services team, with the capacity,
systems, and commercial focus needed to deliver high quality advice, build long term client relationships, and support sustainable organisational growth.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Service Development
Lead the development and growth of Heneb’s consultancy service.
Work with the Head of Archaeology, Business Development Manager, and senior management team to define and deliver a clear consultancy strategy.
Develop Heneb’s consultancy portfolio in areas such as renewables, infrastructure, housing, transport, minerals, waste, and other sectors where archaeological consultancy can deliver strategic and commercial value.
Understand policy drivers and the national infrastructure (DNS) decision-making process
Be conversant with specific guidance such as UK overarching energy policy and Cadw advice documents
Identify opportunities to broaden Heneb’s consultancy offer, strengthen market presence, and develop new or expanded service lines from pre-planning feasibility studies through to expert witness at public inquiry.
Establish the structures, workflows, standards, and reporting mechanisms needed to support a high performing consultancy function.
Consultancy Delivery
Lead and oversee archaeological and heritage consultancy commissions from initial enquiry and costing through to completion.
Understand the need for a staged approach and the potential to develop additional work streams and added value for the client
Prepare and review fee proposals, scopes of work, programme information, and consultancy submissions.
Provide senior oversight of consultancy outputs including options appraisal, due diligence, high level assessment, desk-based assessment, heritage impact assessment, EIA inputs, advisory reports, conservation planning and other technical deliverables as required.
Act as a technical lead on complex or high-profile projects.
Ensure projects are delivered to agreed timescales, budgets, quality standards, and client expectations.
Oversee project financial performance, including income, margin, resource planning, and invoicing support where relevant.
Client and Portfolio Development
Identify clients and client contacts
Build, manage, and grow a strong consultancy portfolio for Heneb.
Develop and maintain trusted relationships with existing and prospective clients, consultants, developers, and partner organisations.
Nurture key client accounts and support repeat business through high quality advice, responsiveness, and strategic engagement.
Work closely with the Business Development Manager to strengthen market position, convert opportunities, and align consultancy activity with wider organisational growth objectives.
Support the conversion of early-stage consultancy relationships into later phases of evaluation, excavation, mitigation, and related services where appropriate.
Team leadership and internal capability
Build and develop a consultancy team around the role over time, in partnership with the Head of Archaeology, senior management team, and Business Development Manager.
Provide line management, mentoring, and professional support to staff working within or moving into consultancy roles.
Help develop internal expertise in consultancy practice, especially across EIA, advisory work, project coordination, quality systems, and the effective use of GIS within consultancy workflows.
Support workforce planning, recruitment, capability development, and succession planning within the consultancy area.
Promote collaborative working across Heneb to ensure consultancy activity is well integrated with the wider archaeology service.
Quality assurance and governance
Lead the development and maintenance of strong quality assurance systems for consultancy work (ultimately ISO 9001 standard).
Ensure all consultancy outputs are technically robust, well presented, and appropriate to client, planning, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain effective project records, file control, and consistent working practices across the consultancy function.
Contribute to risk management, continuous improvement, and a culture of high professional standards.
Ensure work is undertaken in accordance with relevant professional, organisational, and legal requirements.
Senior management contribution
Contribute as a member of the Field Services senior management team, supporting the wider strategic leadership and direction of Heneb.
Support strategic planning, organisational development, and service improvement.
Champion Heneb’s values as a charity delivering public benefit while also strengthening commercial resilience and sustainability.
Represent Heneb externally with credibility and authority in professional, technical, commercial, and stakeholder settings.
Scope of the role
A leadership role with responsibility for developing and growing Heneb’s consultancy function.
Direct responsibility for building a consultancy portfolio and supporting income, margin, and pipeline performance.
Responsibility for building team capacity and supporting future recruitment and service development.
Technical authority across consultancy work, including reviewing and signing off appropriate outputs.
Significant client facing role with wide internal and external engagement.
Key working relationships
Head of Archaeology.
Business Development Manager.
Senior management team (Field Services).
Future consultancy staff and wider archaeology teams.
Clients, developers, consultants, and partner organisations.
Planning, infrastructure, and heritage stakeholders as appropriate
This Job Description reflects the current situation. It does not preclude change or development that might be required in the future.
Person Specification
Qualifications and professional standing
Degree in archaeology or a closely related discipline or relevant practical experience
MCIfA.
Full professional credibility to act as a representative of Heneb in technical and commercial settings.
Experience
Considerable experience in archaeological and heritage consultancy.
Experience of leading consultancy projects from costing and proposal stage through delivery to completion.
Strong experience in preparing, reviewing, and quality assuring consultancy outputs.
Experience of client management, portfolio development, and long-term relationship building.
Experience of leading or contributing to consultancy growth and service development.
Experience of managing financial aspects of projects, including budgets, income, margins, or pipeline.
Experience of mentoring, supporting, or managing staff.
Experience of working collaboratively across technical, operational, and commercial functions.
Experience of multi-disciplinary working and external sharepoint document control systems.
Technical knowledge and skills
Strong understanding of archaeological, built heritage, and heritage consultancy in development contexts.
Strong understanding of legislative, policy and national guidance framework for nationally significant developments
Strong understanding of planning, advisory, and consent related processes relevant to consultancy work.
Detailed knowledge of national agency guidance documents relevant to consultancy, and of professional codes and standards
Ability to scope, cost, manage, and review consultancy commissions to a high professional standard.
Ability to negotiate rates and innovative approaches to diverse business opportunities
Ability to act as a technical authority and provide robust oversight and sign off.
High level report writing, editorial, and communication skills.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and long running programmes.
Ability to develop systems, standards, and working practices that support consistent quality.
Good understanding of how GIS and related data can support consultancy delivery and decision making.
Leadership and personal qualities
Able to operate at senior management level with sound professional judgement.
Commercially aware while committed to public benefit and organisational values.
Confident, credible, and collaborative in internal and external relationships.
Able to build trust, motivate others, and support professional development.
Strategic thinker with the ability to turn opportunities into practical service growth.
Strongly desirable
Sector and specialist experience
Experience of consultancy work in the renewables sector, including one or more of wind, solar, battery storage, grid, marine, or related infrastructure areas.
Experience of EIA related cultural heritage work.
Experience in built heritage consultancy and conservation management planning.
Experience in monument management and related specialist areas.
Experience of building or reshaping a consultancy team or service.
Experience within a charity, public benefit, or value led organisation.
Experience of working across Wales or in the Welsh planning and development context.
Professional networks and sector engagement
IEMA (ISEP) membership or certification
Professional network within heritage and built heritage consultancy.
Contacts across the wider heritage, planning, development, or infrastructure sectors.
Participation in relevant professional forums, panels, or sector networks.
Local or regional archaeological connections within Wales.
Other desirables
Postgraduate qualifications in archaeology, heritage, built heritage, planning, or a related field
Ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh.
Publication, research, or public engagement experience.
Key Competencies
Communication
Postholders must be capable of providing clear and concise verbal and written advice, dealing confidently and courteously with people at all levels. Postholders will need to be consistent in decision-making and to be able to justify comments.
Problem Solving
Postholders must be able to appraise information quickly, to identify key issues and make evidence-based decisions; to work methodically and consistently with attention to detail and minimal supervision. Postholders must be able to propose appropriate strategies and be open to new ideas and techniques.
Applying Expertise
Postholders should apply a range of skills, knowledge and expertise; take steps to update, develop and widen knowledge and skills; apply sound professional judgement; and know when to obtain advice and specialist expertise.
Delivery
Postholders should support delivery of a consistent quality service and seek to achieve best possible outcomes; will need the ability to work under multiple pressures, plan and manage own time to meet deadlines; help plan ahead and define priorities; spot problems; and monitor and review own performance.
Continuous Improvement
Postholders should respond positively and flexibly to change, make suggestions to improve working practices, learn from mistakes, share good practice, and consider the potential of technology to improve work.
Personal Skills
Postholders should be confident, calm under pressure, motivated and reliable.
Additional Information
This role requires periodic travel within the region for meetings and site visits, with occasional travel to other parts of Wales. As visits will often be to active construction sites or sites in rural locations without ready public transport, the postholder will need to be able to drive and to be comfortable walking on uneven terrain.
How to Apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to [email protected] by 10am 1st of September 2026.
Heneb is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, trades union membership, disability or age.
We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.
Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies.
If your skills don’t fully match our criteria but you still feel that you’re a good match for this role, please get in touch for an informal discussion with Luke Jenkins at [email protected]
Benefits
- Annual Leave: 38 days annual leave per year (including bank holidays).
- Salary: Competitive, based on ability and experience.
- Pension Scheme: Pension scheme included.
- CIfA Membership: Membership fees paid in full.
- Accommodation & Subsistence: Provided when working away from home.
- Mileage Policy- for all work conducted away from your office base.
- Community Archaeology: work on our wide-ranging community archaeology projects.
- Training & Development: Access to specific training budgets and allowances.
- Research and Outreach: Access to specific research and outreach allocation.
- Flexible working: We operate a Flexitime and Time-Off-In-Lieu (TOIL) policy.
- Employee Assistance Scheme: Provided for all employees
Pay: £45,534.00-£55,258.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wales
