Environmental Performance Officer (Engineering)

Do you have a proven track record in ensuring environmental compliance and promoting sustainable practices in engineering projects?

Are you skilled at navigating complex environmental regulations and engaging with specialists and stakeholders?

Do you enjoy conducting environmental assessments, writing contract documents, and auditing construction works for compliance?

As Environmental Performance Officer, you will act as key support to the Environmental Performance Team to ensure all environmental aspects of projects are managed from the initial design stage, through to construction across the capital works programme for engineering, working to reduce the overall environmental impact of development, ensuring compliance, promoting good practice and sustainable practices.

You will work directly with the engineering delivery team, consultants and Contractors for assessment of engineering works, desktop assessment and writing of contract documents.

SEW sites and infrastructure are across a range of landscapes including protected designated Sites of Scientific Interest, habitats for protected species and Areas of Outstanding Beauty, so will require experience in how to mitigate works in these areas, and engaging with specialists, stakeholders and consultants when required for further input.

The role will also include auditing of construction works with compliance that will be reported to on a monthly basis. There is an opportunity for you to specialise in Invasive Non Native Species and Strategy.

Main Responsibilities

• Environmental desktop appraisal and sign off of elements of the Investment Delivery Process on behalf of the business ‘client’ (Assets). This will involve providing environmental advice on how the project should proceed and likely environmental sensitivities of a project.
• 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 based on results. 
• Working with Engineering Project teams to identify ways to minimise environmental impact in delivery and practical solutions to works, providing forecast costs and timings.
• Auditing / site inspections to ensure compliance with regulation & internal standards. Reporting on KPI's (against 25 year Environment Plan commitments) 
• Assist in rolling out training programmes and competencies required for Project teams. 
• 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 team and wider environment team. 

You'll need:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Degree in environmental based subject or equivalent experience in a similar role. 
• Management of environmental aspects and risks across a wide range of settings. Ability to determine pragmatic outcomes which minimise 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, direct management of a small team and wider management of regulator, stakeholder and contractor relationships. 
• Demonstrable experience within a relevant environmental field.
• Experience of working within a process environment, particularly in relation to incident response.

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 ie Archaeology / arboriculture / EIA / Protected species licence holder or experience working with protected species mitigation.
• Ability to mentor and inspire members of the team.
• Report writing and data presentation skills.
• Experience in habitat restoration and management techniques essential, in particular experience of survey and working in woodland, chalk grassland and heathland habitats.
• Preferable experience working with protected species mitigation on sites.
• Experience in Biodiversity net gain.