Principal Consultant – Decarbonisation & Transition Planning

About the role

Our client is seeking an experienced Principal Consultant to lead decarbonisation and transition planning projects for corporates, private‑equity‑backed businesses and mid‑market organisations across the UK and Europe. The role is senior, client‑facing and focused on turning net‑zero ambitions into practical, costed implementation plans covering estates, fleet, operations, energy and supply chains.

Key responsibilities

• Lead decarbonisation and transition planning engagements for a range of organisations.
• Identify and assess levers such as energy efficiency, heating & cooling, controls, lighting, renewable energy, fleet electrification, retrofit and supplier engagement.
• Develop carbon‑reduction roadmaps, investment cases and ROI, CapEx and pay‑back models.
• Present board‑level recommendations to senior stakeholders and support business development.
• Mentor junior consultants and contribute to team capability development.

Required profile

• 8+ years’ experience in sustainability, energy, engineering or decarbonisation consulting.
• Strong financial modelling and commercial advisory skills.
• Proven track record delivering carbon‑reduction programmes and coordinating engineers, contractors and technology providers.
• Deep understanding of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.
• Experience in private‑equity or investor advisory environments is advantageous.

Required skills

• Financial modelling
• ROI and pay‑back analysis
• Energy efficiency assessment
• Renewable energy integration
• Fleet electrification planning
• Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions analysis

What we offer

• Salary £65,000 – £78,000 per year (depending on experience)
• Private medical insurance
• Pension & life assurance
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme
• Hybrid working arrangement