Job Description

We have an exciting new vacancy for a Senior Environment and Planning Specialist to join our Environment and Planning Services team.

If you are looking for a role that has a focus on our local environment and you love engaging with equally passionate people, then we want to hear from you!

Supporting our agreed rolling five-year programmes of work \xe2\x80\x93 all within the Wessex Water region \xe2\x80\x93 and working closely with our in-house design teams, our Senior Environment and Planning Advisers spend most of their time working on projects and enjoy a good work/life balance.

The role

Our in-house Environment and Planning Services team provides a wide range of services to facilitate project delivery for engineering, construction and operational projects.

Our focus is to ensure legal compliance and environmental best practice is followed in the development and maintenance of assets.

Environment and Planning Specialists support a diverse range of projects and enjoy the satisfaction of working on and influencing their projects from outline design through to completion.

Environment and Planning Specialists regularly visit sites to better inform the environment and planning risks on our projects. However, long distance travel and supporting fee proposals is not a feature of this role.

Your responsibilities will include:

• managing a portfolio of individual projects from initial design through to construction, working closely with Design Engineers and Project Managers to minimise the environmental impacts and risks of projects
• securing environmental consents to the project programme, carrying out external consultation and completing consent applications (including planning applications, environmental permits and producing supporting reports where required)
• reviewing permitted development/planning permission requirements and environmental constraints for a range of water supply and sewage treatment projects
• advising Engineers and Programme Managers on environmental risks, consents, issues, timescales and costs
• advising on specialist environmental issues (for example, archaeology, noise, odour, contaminated land, flood risk, landscape assessment and pollution prevention)
• consulting with external authorities and bodies to agree the surveys, assessments and method statements required to support individual consent applications
• carrying out specialist environmental survey and assessment work within project deadlines to support consent application, including managing specialist sub-contractors where necessary (eg, archaeologists and arboriculturists)
• working closely with construction teams to advise on constraints and provide specialist environmental support to ensure consents are understood and environmental risks are minimised on construction sites
• preparing construction environmental management plans and providing ongoing construction site support.

What do I need?

To be considered you must have significant project experience in a project delivery focussed planning or environmental role.

Essential:

• a good working knowledge of UK EIA and planning legislation
• experience pre-planning consultation and preparing planning applications, including the preparation of supporting environmental information
• knowledge of good environmental practices during construction, including pollution prevention planning
• excellent communication/negotiation skills with colleagues, technical specialists, external organisations, and the public
• a high level of organisational skills and the ability to manage own projects, workload, and deadlines
• good IT skills
• a full UK driving licence.

Desirable:

• an understanding of sewage and water treatment processes
• an understanding of construction practices
• GIS skills
• an awareness of ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems
• good presentation and public speaking skills
• a relevant degree in an environmental or similar related subject and membership to a relevant professional institution.

Benefits for you

• Pension \xe2\x80\x93 up to 20% combined contribution
• 25 days\xe2\x80\x99 holiday rising to 28 with length of service
• Opportunity to buy and sell up to five days\xe2\x80\x99 holiday
• Health benefit package
• Life assurance (four times your salary)
• Flexible working
• Cashback and discounts from over 1,200 retailers
• Paid volunteering day
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Health and wellbeing programme
• Support from mental health first aiders

What will you get from us?

Our people tell us Wessex Water is a great place to work, and they stay with us! We are proud of how we support development and career progression. We have a wealth of both financial and non-financial benefits to offer our people and are committed to ensuring we provide an environment that supports health and wellbeing and flexible working.

We continue to promote diversity and inclusion. With that in mind, we welcome all applicants.

We are delighted to have signed the Armed Forces covenant and are a Disability Confident Employer. Applicants who declare they have a disability or have previously served with the Armed Forces, and meet the minimum requirements for the job, will automatically be invited for an interview.

Please let us know if you require any additional support or adjustments to assist you in starting your journey with Wessex Water.

If you have what it takes to join this award-winning business and want to be part of our exciting journey and share in that success, then please get in contact with us to find out more.

Sound interesting? Please click APPLY to progress to the next step.

We do not accept CVs from recruitment agencies. We are an equal opportunities employer. You must be able to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK and proof of skills and qualifications gained. Appointment of successful applicant/s will also be subject to receiving suitable references and basic (or where job applicable) other criminal disclosure checks.

We respect and value everyone\'s contribution. Wessex Water is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to providing an environment that supports and encourages the many skills, interests, backgrounds and experiences that people from different social groups can bring. We strive to provide a workplace which is free from discrimination, harassment and bullying, and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

If you have a medical condition, disability or learning difficulty which could impact on your ability to apply or take part in the recruitment process, please email . We are dedicated to treating all existing and prospective colleagues fairly and will do everything we can to support you during the application and selection process.

Wessex Water