Location
Snodland, Kent / Farnborough, Hampshire / Arlington, East Sussex / Central London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£40,000 per annum

About the Role
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 an Environmental Performance Officer, you will provide key support to the Environmental Performance Team to manage all environmental aspects of projects from initial design through to construction across the capital works programme for engineering. Your work will focus on reducing the overall environmental impact of development, ensuring compliance, and promoting good and sustainable practices.

You will collaborate directly with the engineering delivery team, consultants, and contractors to assess engineering works, conduct desktop assessments, and prepare contract documents. SEW sites and infrastructure span diverse landscapes including protected Sites of Scientific Interest, habitats for protected species, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, requiring experience in mitigating works in these sensitive areas and engaging with specialists, stakeholders, and consultants for expert input.

The role also involves auditing construction works for compliance, with monthly reporting. There is an opportunity to specialise in Invasive Non Native Species and Strategy.

Main Responsibilities
- Conduct environmental desktop appraisals and sign off elements of the Investment Delivery Process on behalf of the business ‘client’ (Assets), providing environmental advice on project progression and sensitivities.
- Liaise with environmental regulators to obtain consents and advice, reporting back to the business.
- Engage with technical specialists and provide practical solutions to project teams.
- Work with Engineering Project teams to identify ways to minimise environmental impact, offering practical solutions, cost forecasts, and timings.
- Perform auditing and site inspections to ensure compliance with regulations and internal standards.
- Report on KPIs aligned with the 25 Year Environment Plan commitments.
- Assist in rolling out training programmes and competencies for Project teams.
- Report to regulators and stakeholders including water industry bodies and neighbouring water companies.
- Promote sustainability, circular economy principles, and environmental goals across the business.
- Manage and mentor apprentices and graduates within the team and wider environment team.

Experience
- Degree in an environmental-based subject or equivalent experience in a similar role.
- Proven management of environmental aspects and risks across diverse settings.
- Ability to determine pragmatic outcomes that minimise environmental harm and communicate effectively.
- Demonstrable experience within a relevant environmental field.
- Experience working within a process environment, particularly related to incident response.
- People management skills including direct management of a small team and managing regulator, stakeholder, and contractor relationships.

About you
- Passionate about the environment with strong collaboration skills to work closely with colleagues, contractors, stakeholders, regulators, and the public.
- Ability to mentor and inspire team members.
- Strong report writing and data presentation skills.

Qualifications
- Degree in an environmental subject or equivalent experience.
- It is advantageous to have chartership or be working towards chartership with a professional body such as CIWEM, CIEEM, CIWM, or Institute of Water.
- Specialist subject knowledge such as Archaeology, Arboriculture, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), or protected species licences.
- Experience in habitat restoration and management techniques, particularly in woodland, chalk grassland, and heathland habitats.
- Preferable experience with protected species mitigation and biodiversity net gain.