Specialist Advisor - Permitting

We are seeking a Specialist Advisor - Permitting - to join the Permitting & Regulatory Support Team, who are a group of subject matter experts in regulation and monitoring of wastewater, air emission and waste management activities. The team’s role is to ensure that the Company has all the necessary Environmental Permits required to carry out its statutory functions regarding operational activities, to offer specialist technical permitting advice to the business and to work with the Environment Agency on all permitting matters.

This is a key technical expert position where you will be contributing to the overall delivery of our WINEP programme for AMP8 and beyond. You will be a technical lead within the group working on some of the most technical permitting projects we are involved in.

This role is suitable for an experienced technical expert in the field of Wastewater Environmental Permitting who has the enthusiasm and ability to support the Permitting and Regulatory Support team in developing its technical expertise and take the lead on complex technical projects.

What you’ll be doing as a Specialist Advisor in Permitting

• Act as technical lead for the team on AMP8 projects working with Capital Delivery and Engineering; providing technical advice to ensure assets comply with their environmental permits and negotiating with the Environment Agency on technical permitting matters, where necessary. This may include site visits and supporting our Operational teams on WINEP scheme delivery.
• Advise our engineering partners on the interpretation of regulatory requirements and outputs to facilitate the roll-out of the agreed business plan.
• Negotiate with the Environment Agency regarding new complex permits and changes to existing permits, submitting applications where necessary related to Capital Schemes. Ensure the interests of the company are protected, that cost implications are minimised and regulatory requirements are appropriate.
• Support the wider team as a technical lead on permitting matters, including flow, EDM and compliance.
• Act as a representative for the team is technical meeting with other Water Companies and the Environment Agency.
• Contribute to improving compliance with all conditions of environmental permits by supporting other teams within the Environmental Regulation & Quality and the wider business.

Hybrid based at Clearwater Court in Reading
36 hours a week, Monday to Friday, offering a salary of between £52,050 and £62,000 per annum.

The essential criteria to help you succeed in this role is:

• We are looking for someone that is preferably educated to Degree level (or equivalent) in a scientific or environmental discipline.
• Experience in negotiating water discharge activity environmental permits with the Environment Agency is essential.
• You will be a subject matter expert in Water Discharge Activity Environmental Permitting and ideally river quality modelling.
• You will understand the regulatory framework applicable to the Water Industry, including the requirements of the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
• An important part of the role is liaising and working with the Environment Agency and our engineering stakeholders, therefore excellent communication and relationship building skills are essential.

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

• Have a high level of attention to detail is essential and an ability to work through problems is desirable.
• You will need to be a confident self-motivated individual who can demonstrate excellent organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Knowledge of wastewater and water treatment processes would be beneficial.
• You must be IT literate and fully competent on using MS Office Programs, especially SharePoint.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary between £52,050 to £62,000 per annum.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
• A wider benefits scheme includes our benefits hub, which is packed with offers and information to save money and support your well-being.

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.