Environmental Performance Officer

Do you have a strong interest in ecology and catchment/river restoration?

Are you ready to play a key role in ensuring all environmental aspects of projects are managed from design to construction?

Do you excel at identifying environmental sensitivities and providing practical solutions?

This role provides key support to the Environmental Performance Team, ensuring environmental aspects are effectively managed across a range of projects, from the initial design stage through to construction and post-works management. 

The role focuses on reducing the overall environmental impact of development, ensuring compliance, promoting good practice and sustainable practices, and fostering a healthy environment and ecosystem. This involves working with engineering delivery teams, consultants, contractors, partners, and landowners to deliver various projects, including capital works and catchment-based restoration (both river restoration and Nature-based Solutions). 

As Environmental Performance Officer you’ll be responsible for the environmental assessment, desktop appraisal, writing contract documents, production of designs, site inspections, auditing of construction works, and reporting.

This role offers exciting opportunities to focus on areas such as environmental engineering, developing sustainable waste management and operational strategies, contributing ecological insights, and leading vital river restoration projects. If you have a strong background in any of these fields and are eager to make a tangible environmental impact, we encourage you to apply.

Main responsibilities:

• Environmental desktop appraisal and sign-off of elements of the Investment Delivery Process.
• Assist in the development of a program of restoration and enhancement projects.
• Provide environmental advice on how projects should proceed and identify likely environmental sensitivities.
• Work with Engineering Project teams to identify ways to minimize environmental impact in delivery and provide practical solutions.
• Production of outline and final designs as agreed with the Regulator.
• Liaison with environmental regulators, obtaining consents and advice where necessary, and reporting back to the business.
• Engage with technical specialists where required and provide practical solutions to the project team.
• Detailed reporting, consultation and setting out mitigation on key issues such as heritage and protected species.
• Assist with permits required to deliver projects on time and budget, including planning permission and flood risk applications.
• Coordinate technical reports to a high standard to meet internal and regulatory deadlines.
• Check and review work prepared by others.
• Manage and audit contractors and contract documents to ensure environmental risks are effectively represented and managed.
• Ensure that site health and safety and CDM regulations are carried out in accordance with company guidance and policies.
• Support engaging and contributing to catchment meetings and liaising with stakeholder partners.
• Collaborate with other staff in the design of monitoring programs to demonstrate project outcomes.
• Auditing/site inspections to ensure compliance with regulation & internal standards.
• Reporting to regulators and stakeholders such as water industry bodies and neighbouring water companies.
• Promoting sustainability, circular economy and environmental goals across the business.
• Management and mentoring of apprentices/graduates within the team and the wider environment team.

You'll need:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Technically qualified environmentalist (with a degree, HND, or equivalent work-related experience) 
• Demonstrable work experience in a similar role/field.
• Management of environmental aspects and risks across a wide range of settings.
• Ability to determine pragmatic outcomes which minimize harm to the environment and communicate these to the business.
• Passion for the environment with the ability to work closely with colleagues, contractors, stakeholders, regulators and members of the public.
• People management skills, including direct management of a small team and wider management of regulator, stakeholder, and contractor relationships.
• Full, clean driving license and ability to travel across Company region/areas as required

It will be a bonus if you have:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Chartership or working towards chartership of a professional body such as CIWEM, CIEEM, CIWM or Institute of Water.
• Specialist subject background, i.e., Archaeology/arboriculture/EIA/Protected species license holder or experience working with protected species mitigation.
• Experience in habitat restoration and management techniques, in particular experience of survey and working in woodland, chalk grassland and heathland habitats.
• Experience in ecology and supervision of works on site.