Senior Environmental Permitting Specialist

Are you passionate about environmental protection and skilled in ensuring regulatory compliance? As a Senior Environmental Permitting Specialist, you’ll play a crucial role in supporting our commitment to environmental sustainability. By ensuring our permits align with the latest environmental standards, you’ll help us minimise emissions to land, air, and water while driving our compliance with the Environmental Permitting

Regulations and Industrial Emissions Directive.

What you’ll be doing as a Senior Environmental Permitting Specialist

• Provide specialist technical permitting expertise on air/waste activities, often relating to complex operational or permitting challenges, whilst supporting compliance with the Industrial Emissions Directive and wider compliance activities.
• Using your extensive knowledge and work experience, interpret and explain legislation, guidance notes and permit requirements related to air/waste activities.
• Contribute to shaping the future in terms of regulation of the industry by responding to Consultations from DEFRA and the Environment Agency and representing the business at industry-level technical working groups.
• Contribute to effective decision-making by being able to identify and communicate new risks related to permit implementation and compliance.
• Work collaboratively across teams and lead on permit applications and variations, ensuring they are accurate, thorough, and submitted on time.

Flexible Location: The role offers flexibility in location, with some time in the Reading Office as needed.

The essential criteria to help you succeed in this role is

• A degree (or equivalent) in a scientific or environmental discipline.
• Experience in environmental permitting, including knowledge of relevant regulations, Best Available Techniques, and Environment Agency guidance.
• Technical expertise in operational processes such as Anaerobic Digestion, emissions to air and water, and waste management regulations.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement to liaise effectively with regulators, contractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Attention to detail, analytical thinking, and the ability to interpret and present complex information.

Additional skills and experiences would be great to have/bring: 

• Knowledge of sewage treatment works process.
• The ability to interpret complex legislation.
• A team player who is resilient and confident.
• Contracts management experience would be an advantage.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £43,120 to £59,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of your and your family’s health and well-being, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?
We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.
Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.
Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.