Environmental Compliance Officer

Location: within our region (Hybrid, 1-2 days per week)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37, Monday to Friday

Salary: circa £42-45,000 (depending on skills and experience)

There has never been a more important time to join Southern Water. As we move through AMP8, we are delivering one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes in the industry, focused on improving environmental performance, service resilience and long‐term affordability for customers.

About the role

To support delivery of proactive environmental compliance oversight across Southern Water’s operations, contributing to improved performance, reduced regulatory risk and better incident response. The compliance officer will undertake compliance monitoring, participate in incident investigations, appeals and support second line assurance. The role will work in collaboration with Wastewater Operations and other functions to embed regulatory expectations in daily practice.

What you will be responsible for

• Conduct regular analysis of wastewater performance data, identifying non-compliance trends and emerging risks.
• Attend operational performance meetings to provide compliance input, raise concerns and capture follow up actions.
• Support front-line teams with environmental incidents, including sample disputes, root cause investigations and evidence gathering.
• Lead the preparation and submission of stage 2 appeals, ensuring documentation, technical evidence and narratives meet expectations.
• Deliver second line assurance reviews of stage 1 appeals and contribute to escalation decisions.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Working knowledge of UK environmental legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience analysing operational, environmental and regulatory data.
• Understanding of sampling practices, compliance monitoring and root cause analysis.
• Understanding of compliance or assurance functions in a regulated environment.
• Appreciation of the reputational and financial impacts of environmental non-compliance.
• Experience in an operational, compliance or regulatory support role.

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting. Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.

Interested in the role?

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so if you are interested in the position please do send your application over today to ensure consideration. We truly appreciate every application. Please note, that due to the volume of interest, we may not be able to provide personalised feedback to all applicants.

Our Benefits

• Company and performance-related bonus
• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
• Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary
• Health benefits through a Cash Plan
• Two paid community volunteering days a year
• 25 days annual holiday
• Occupational health service
• Retail discount app
• We offer competitive maternity leave, and flexible return to work options

Everybody Welcome

We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Need flexibility in your work?

Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?