Principal Environmental Permitting Advisor

Are you a positive person with a good understanding of Environmental Permitting Regulations? Are you seeking to increase your depth of understanding in this field? If so, we have a great new opportunity for you within our Water Quality Environmental Permitting team as our Principal Environmental Permitting Advisor.

The Environmental Permitting team provides a wide range of services and guidance across the business to ensure regulatory permit applications, variations and queries are delivered on time. The team liaises with a range of skilled professionals across the company, from Modellers to Engineers and Compliance.

We are looking for someone who has proven experience in water quality and environmental permitting, with a good understanding of wastewater processes, sewerage systems or waste discharges.

Working alongside the Environmental Permitting Manager, you will be leading on complex permitting applications and developing the knowledge of a team of six technical professionals, responsible for maintaining a register of around 1,700 discharge permits.

The team supports the company, covering all stages of the permitting process across different business assets, including water supply assets, sewerage network systems, water recycling centres and medium combustion plants. A key area of the role is ensuring timely permit delivery, working closely with engineering and compliance teams to meet the regulatory compliance dates.

As the Principal Environmental Permitting Advisor, you will assist the Manager in leading our dialogue with regulators, the Environment Agency (EA), to plan resourcing requirements, provide a shared forward look and understanding, and implement any regulatory changes.

Key to this role is the ability to communicate technical information to a wide audience, enabling project delivery and future compliance.

You will:

• lead on complex and innovative environmental permitting schemes, ensuring they meet the requirements of the business
• represent the Environmental Permitting team in collaborative work with wider teams across the business, including Compliance, Modelling and Engineering, to collate data and evidence for complex Environmental Permits
• lead on the delivery of an Environmental Permitting training programme to develop the technical skills of the junior members of the team, supporting their professional development and providing resilience within the team
• take responsibility for ensuring the permitting database and associated management systems are in place, maintained and updated to enable effective company-wide use
• ensure knowledge of current and future Environmental Permitting legislation is shared across the permitting team and the wider business
• assist the Environmental Permitting Manager with the prioritisation of permit applications and management of the team's resources
• deputise for the Environmental Permitting Manager as and when required
• conduct occasional site audits, training and improvement actions.

To succeed in this role, you will have a good understanding of Environmental Permitting Regulations and their implementation in practice. Be passionate about developing the technical knowledge and experience of the team and have strong verbal and written communication skills, which are adaptable to different audiences. You will need to be innovative and positive in your approach.

In addition, we are looking for:

• a degree or equivalent in a STEM subject
• an understanding of wastewater, sewerage and water supply processes and the associated regulations applicable
• experience in environmental permitting, either in the water industry or another regulated sector
• experience with GIS software packages and data collation and presentation.
• a full clean driving licence
• strong verbal and written communication skills.

Most of all, you will be a great team player who is passionate about growing and developing a talented team. The role is based in our head office in Bath, with a mix of home and office working. There will be some travelling to sites across the Wessex Water region, but the role is primarily office-based.

• A combined pension contribution of up to 20%.
• Career progression and professional development opportunities.
• 25 days' holiday rising to 28 with length of service.
• The opportunity to buy up to ten days' holiday and sell up to five every year.
• A healthcare package that allows you to claim back healthcare costs.
• Life assurance of up to eight times your salary.
• A new electric car in exchange for part of your gross salary, subject to conditions.
• Cashback and discounts from more than 3,000 retailers.
• One paid volunteering day each year.
• Enhanced family leave and pay arrangements.
• An interactive health and wellbeing platform.
• Support from mental health first aiders.
• A £1,000 referral fee if you recommend someone to work for us.

YTL UK is part of the international YTL Group based in Kuala Lumpur. The UK companies include:

• Wessex Water – one of the top-performing water and sewerage companies in England and Wales, serving 2.9 million people across the South West
• YTL Developments – a major UK developer currently redeveloping a 350-acre former airfield into an award-winning, exciting mix of houses, apartments, schools, commercial space, restaurants and hotels, to make a truly sustainable new community
• YTL Construction UK – a top 20 UK contractor providing fully integrated services to infrastructure, residential, commercial, industry, energy and environmental sectors
• YTL Arena – the development and operation of an entertainment complex that includes a 20,000 capacity arena, conferencing and exhibition space
• plus a number of other retail, environmental and specialist businesses.

Our people tell us that YTL UK is a great place to work, which is why so many of them stay with us You will have a unique opportunity to develop and progress your career within such a diverse group.

We are passionate about diversity and inclusion – with that in mind, all applicants are welcome. We are delighted to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are a Disability Confident Employer.

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please inform a member of our Recruitment team.