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 minimize emissions to land, air, and water while driving our compliance with the Environmental Permitting Regulations and Industrial Emissions Directive.

Your responsibilities 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.

Base location: Clearwater Court, Reading. This is a hybrid role with occasional travel to operational sites to ensure compliance or meet with regulators.

What you should bring into the role

  • Qualifications and skills: 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.

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 fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, 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.

The real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a great, diverse and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process. We aim to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, 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, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

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.