Senior or Principal Social Consultant

Add expected salary to your profile for insights.

• Enjoy a strong pipeline of diverse and exciting projects.
• One of Australia’s largest employee-owned environmental and social consultancies.
• Flexible working options and benefits to support a healthy work-life balance.

About Umwelt

With over three decades of experience and nine locations nationwide, we are a team of vibrant professionals collaborating with clients across a range of sectors including renewables, infrastructure, defence, regulation and policy, resources, and urban development. We provide fully integrated environmental and social assessment and management services including concept and feasibility, technical assessment, consultation, approvals, delivery, operations, and decommissioning.

Umwelt is seeking a Principal Social Consultant and a Senior Social Consultant, with the flexibility to be based in our Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, or Perth offices. As part of our national team of experienced social consultants, you will lead and manage the preparation of social impact assessments and community engagement programs, developing effective relationships with our clients and key stakeholders. If you are an experienced consultant with a passion for making a positive social impact and thrive in a collaborative environment, we would love to hear from you.

About the Roles:

As a Principal Social Consultant, you will play a pivotal role in executing strategically focused marketing and business development initiatives. Your responsibilities will include nurturing existing relationships, building new and targeted client connections, and maintaining partnerships and a strong reputation with a diverse range of stakeholders for professional services related to the Social Team. You will empower team members and colleagues to proactively contribute to business success and strive for outcomes that align with Umwelt\’s vision and values. Additionally, you will provide expert advice, including evidence or presentations to various forums as appropriate, and offer strategic guidance on social issues, stakeholder and community concerns, and project impacts.

Senior Social Consultant:

As a Senior Social Consultant, you will ensure that community, social, and stakeholder constraints and opportunities are identified, considered, and integrated into project planning and assessment. You will create content and concept designs for engagement and communications materials, including letters, brochures, information sheets, flyers, posters, websites, newsletters, press articles, media releases, and presentations for community meetings and other requested materials. Additionally, you will prepare project reports that document engagement and social assessment/investigation methods, results, and their implications for project strategy.

The social team works with Project Managers and Directors as required in relation to:

• Preparation of social assessments and investigations tailored to the needs of individual projects.
• Project management and co-ordination as appropriate.
• Research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and review for social and cultural issues as a priority and environmental issues as required.
• Preparation, delivery and follow up on community/stakeholder engagement activities.
• Maintaining records of stakeholder engagement.
• Provide strategic advice on social issues, stakeholder concerns, and project impacts.
• Developing solutions to mitigate the social impacts of projects.
• Identify, collate, and analyse relevant statutory, policy, and guideline contexts for projects.
• Preparation of community awareness and education programs.
• Preparation of written briefings and reports.
• Active participation in project teams through the provision of ideas and feedback as appropriate.
• Other reasonable duties as required under the direction of the Social Work Area Manager and/or Practice Lead Social Assessment & Community Engagement.

About You:

• A degree qualification in Planning, Geography, Human Geography, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences and/or Social Planning (or related discipline).
• Strong leadership and consulting experience as a Principal or Senior Social Consultant with previous consulting and project management experience a must.
• Quantitative data analysis skills and proficiency working in Excel.
• Knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal – and ability to work collaboratively within a dynamic and geographically diverse team.
• Effective stakeholder and community engagement skills, with applied application, is preferred.
• A passion for integrating social practice in broader environmental planning and decision-making processes.

What We Offer

Our people are our number one asset, and we are committed to providing a workplace that supports our team to grow. As part of our team, you will be offered:

• A role working with experienced professionals to support your growth and development.
• Opportunities to work nationally across diverse and technically challenging projects.
• #MeDays – an Umwelt wellbeing initiative offering staff one extra paid day off per month (12 days per year for FTE) to support mental health.
• Flexible work arrangements to support a work/life balance.
• Generous additional hours policy and working away from home benefits.
• Paid parental leave for both primary and secondary carers.
• Opportunities to join the company’s Employee Share Plan (ESP).
• A workplace culture of learning and personal development, with a mix of in-house and externally hosted training opportunities offered as well as mentorship.
• Established and well considered wellbeing tools and initiatives and hands-on training.
• A competitive salary based on skills and experience.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Umwelt, we are committed to fostering a workplace that embraces diversity and inclusion. We’re all responsible for creating a diverse, inclusive, and accountable culture where employees of all backgrounds and lifestyles feel a sense of belonging, mutual respect, and kindness.

The Umwelt team are privileged to collaborate closely with Indigenous communities across the nation, and we actively pursue the goals outlined in our Reconciliation Action Plan. We believe that a diverse and inclusive environment not only enriches our workplace culture but also drives innovation and excellence in all that we do. Join us in our mission to create a supportive and equitable workplace where everyone\’s unique perspectives and contributions are valued.

Join the Umwelt Team

If you believe you meet the criteria for this opportunity, please apply via SEEK. Your application should include a cover letter addressing how you meet the above criteria and your resume outlining your previous experience.

If you would like additional assistance through the recruitment process, please reach out to our friendly HR team at (emailprotected).

To be eligible for this position you must have legal work rights to work in Australia.

#J-18808-Ljbffr