Head of UK Blue Economy

Location: UK Home-Based

Salary: £55,000 – £70,000

Role type: Permanent

Deadline: 24th November, 2026

Welcome to HMC

HMC works at the intersection of marine science, policy, regulation and delivery. Over the past decade we have delivered more than 140 projects for over 50 clients, which in the UK include Defra, Natural England, the MMO, JNCC, the Scottish Government, Natural Resources Wales, the OEP, The Crown Estate and NERC. We help our clients make good decisions, with clearer evidence, stronger governance and practical routes to delivery.

Our UK Blue Economy portfolio is our largest area of work. It spans offshore wind, nature recovery, marine monitoring and evidence systems, marine conservation, marine licensing, marine net gain and marine spatial planning, and is delivered largely through UK government frameworks. We are now looking for a Head of UK Blue Economy to lead it.

The role

The Head of UK Blue Economy will set the direction for the theme, develop and deliver a focused business development plan, lead major client and partner relationships, provide technical oversight across our UK projects, and develop the team. You will report to our Chief Technical Officer and work alongside the CEO and our other Heads, covering International Blue Economy, Ocean Finance, Research Impact, and Partnerships, Programmes and Frameworks.

Heads at HMC are technical and strategic leaders rather than administrative managers. You will stay close to delivery, acting as Project Director on projects in the theme and providing technical direction, oversight and quality assurance, with hands-on support where needed.

What you will lead

You will oversee our UK work on marine policy, regulation, evidence and delivery. Current and priority areas include the following:

Offshore wind and strategic planning

We help clients understand the environmental, policy and planning implications of renewable energy expansion alongside marine nature recovery. Recent work includes supporting The Crown Estate on plan-level Habitats Regulations Assessment and advising Defra on compensatory measures for offshore wind.

Marine monitoring and evaluation

We help clients test whether marine programmes, interventions and objectives are effective and achievable. For Defra, we mapped marine and fisheries monitoring programmes and set out options for a more coordinated, question-driven system. We are leading development of an evaluation framework for the UK Marine Strategy, and previously evaluated MPA effectiveness and contaminant controls for the Office for Environmental Protection.

Marine net gain and nature recovery

We are helping clients develop marine net gain, nature recovery and nature-positive delivery models, backed by evidence and practical implementation advice. Working with our Ocean Finance theme, this includes advice on funding mechanisms and market-facing approaches that turn policy ambition into deliverable action.

Marine spatial planning, licensing and regulation

We support marine planning that integrates biodiversity and stakeholder considerations, including work with the MMO on monitoring and evaluating marine plans and on how the Welsh marine planning process could better support nature recovery. We also advise on marine licensing, consenting and regulation across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and provide institutional and strategic advice to government departments, regulators and The Crown Estate.

What you will do

Develop and deliver the UK Blue Economy business development plan, agreed with the CTO and aligned with our Corporate Plan 2026–2029, building a focused pipeline across government, regulators, statutory nature conservation bodies, eNGOs, The Crown Estate, research funders and industry.
Lead or support bids, proposals and framework call-offs, including clear go/no-go recommendations, and act as first point of contact for new and repeat UK clients.
Act as Project Director, senior reviewer or technical adviser on UK projects, shaping approaches and teams so they are practical, proportionate and focused on what the client needs.
Review key outputs for quality, clarity and usefulness, and help delivery teams manage risks, budgets, timelines and client expectations.
Represent HMC at client meetings, conferences, expert groups and sector forums, and contribute to thought leadership in UK marine policy.
Line-manage and mentor Principal Consultants, Senior Consultants and Consultants, giving them real responsibility and helping them develop technical, client and business development skills.
Work with the CTO and other Heads on bids, resourcing and cross-theme projects, and keep clear oversight of the theme’s income, margins, pipeline and risks.

What we are looking for

Significant experience in UK marine policy, regulation, evidence or management, with specialist depth in at least one of the areas above, with multiple areas being desirable.
A strong understanding of how UK marine decisions are made: marine licensing and consenting, HRA and MPA assessment, marine planning, the UK Marine Strategy, and the roles of Defra, the MMO, statutory nature conservation bodies and The Crown Estate.
A track record of leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects and providing technical oversight and quality assurance.
Business development experience, including relationship building, opportunity shaping, bid leadership and proposal writing, and sound commercial judgement on pricing, margins, risk and capacity.
The ability to turn complex evidence into clear judgements and practical recommendations, and to say plainly where evidence is weak or uncertain.
A collaborative leadership style, with strong facilitation, communication and staff development skills.

It would be an advantage if you have worked in government, a regulator or a statutory nature conservation body as well as in consultancy, or have experience in offshore wind, marine net gain, marine protected area management, the devolved administrations, or monitoring, evaluation and learning. If you meet most of these requirements but not all, we would still like to hear from you.

Package

Salary from £55,000 to £70,000, with starting salary dependent on experience.
A discretionary annual bonus of up to 10% of salary, paid when HMC meets agreed profitability targets.
Pension with a 3% employer contribution, subject to scheme rules.
30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, and 2 volunteer days (pro rata if part-time).
Permanent, full-time contract of 37.5 hours per week; we are happy to discuss flexible working.
Remote within the UK, with occasional in-person meetings and travel, and equipment for home working, including a MacBook Air.

The role holder must reside in and have the right to work in the UK.

How to apply

Please email a CV and a covering letter to recruitment@howellmarine.co.uk. In your letter, tell us why you are interested in the role and what you would bring to our UK Blue Economy work. We are particularly interested in how your experience combines technical credibility in UK marine policy and regulation, business development and people leadership. The closing date is midnight on 24th November.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team, and we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are under-represented in the marine and environmental sectors.