Environmental & Sustainability Advisor in Oxford

Environmental & Sustainability Advisor

Department: Regulated Power

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Oxford

Reporting To: Alina Mone

Description

Location: Oxford | Contract Type: Permanent | Working Pattern: Full-Time | Office based

Pay / Benefits: Remuneration for this role is benchmarked competitively within our sector.

The opportunity This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated environmental professional to join our growing Environmental & Sustainability team and drive environmental excellence across our projects.

As an Environmental & Sustainability Advisor, you will support environmental and sustainability objectives across the ED2 Framework and wider Southern Region, ensuring compliance with legislation, regulatory requirements, client standards and company policies. You will provide technical advice, manage environmental risks, promote best practice and drive continuous improvement.

Reporting to the ED2 Environmental & Sustainability Manager, you will work closely with the wider Environmental & Sustainability team, SHESQ colleagues and operational teams to embed environmental considerations throughout the project lifecycle, from feasibility and design through to construction and completion.

The role will primarily support projects across Oxfordshire and Minety (Swindon), with regular travel to local project sites and offices.

What You'll Do

• Ensure environmental compliance and risk management by monitoring relevant legislation, regulations and standards, assessing their impact on operations, and implementing appropriate controls and mitigation measures to prevent pollution and minimise environmental risks.
• Project Collaboration: Work closely with engineering, design, construction and SHESQ teams to integrate environmental and sustainability considerations throughout the project lifecycle, from feasibility and detailed design through to construction and completion.
• Feasibility and Detailed Design: Proactively identify, assess and manage environmental constraints during feasibility and detailed design stages, including undertaking environmental desktop assessments, identifying survey and consent requirements, coordinating external consultants and advising on practical mitigation measures.
• Drive environmental assurance and incident management through inspections and assessments, identifying impacts, vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement, and overseeing the investigation of incidents and near misses, including root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions
• Provide specialist advice, training and support to operational teams, ensuring contractual and legal requirements are met while delivering sustainability and environmental training and initiatives that build awareness, competence and engagement.
• Stakeholder and Regulatory Engagement: Liaise with regulatory authorities, clients, external consultants and third-party organisations on environmental matters, including permits, consents, ecological requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Ecology and Biodiversity: Review ecological assessments and provide technical advice to project teams to ensure ecological risks, mitigation requirements and opportunities considered during project planning and design.
• Environmental Documentation: Prepare, review and maintain project-specific environmental documentation, including Environmental Management Plans (EMPs), Environmental Desktop Assessments (EDAs), risk assessments and other relevant environmental records, ensuring documents are accurate, compliant and completed within required timescales.
• Sustainability Performance: Support the delivery of sustainability objectives, including carbon reduction, waste management, resource efficiency, biodiversity protection and environmental improvement initiatives, contributing to accurate environmental data collection and performance reporting.

What You'll Bring

Essential

• Relevant Experience: Proven environmental and sustainability advisory experience, ideally within construction, infrastructure, utilities or engineering.
• Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of environmental legislation, regulations and ISO 14001, with experience in risk assessments, audits, inspections, permitting, incident investigations and root-cause analysis.
• Environmental Planning: Experience identifying environmental constraints, reviewing assessments and ecological reports, and advising on surveys, consents and project design.
• Professional Skills: Strong analytical, problem-solving, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Personal Attributes: Proactive, self-motivated and collaborative, with a solution-focused approach. Willingness to travel and a valid driving licence are essential.

Desirable

• Qualifications: Relevant degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability or similar, and/or ISEP level or above.
• Professional Membership: Membership of a relevant professional body, such as IEMA/ISEP.
• Sector Knowledge: Experience across construction, infrastructure, utilities or engineering projects.
• Specialist Knowledge: Understanding of ecological constraints, environmental surveys, planning and consent requirements.
• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to professional development and promoting environmental and sustainability best practice.

What We Offer

At OCU, we believe that meaningful work should come with meaningful support. That's the principle behind Careers with Purpose, our commitment to ensuring every person at OCU feels supported, developed, and valued, not just in their role today, but throughout their career with us.

Alongside the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, we offer a benefits package that we are continuing to develop as we grow, and the kind of career acceleration that only comes from being inside a business moving at this pace.

As a rapidly growing organisation, there are genuine opportunities to progress, broaden your experience, and build a long-term career within OCU Group.