Principal Environment and Planning Adviser

As a Principal Environment and Planning Adviser, you will play a critical role in shaping Wessex Water's infrastructure projects. We're looking for a natural communicator who's willing to speak up and advocate for Wessex Water's work. A collaborative mindset is essential, with an ability to problem-solve and be agile when faced with challenges.

This role is to help deliver well-designed, sustainable projects that meet planning and environmental requirements. You'll work with project teams and consultees, to explain our schemes, address concerns, and ensure environmental requirements are understood and met.

Our colleagues have a high degree of autonomy and are responsible for a portfolio of exciting projects, all designed to improve the environment and resilience of the water supply and sewerage systems. We promote a flexible and collaborative culture, welcoming part‑time or full‑time applicants. You'll join a large team of in‑house environmental professionals travelling to sites across the beautiful West Country.

The Principal Environment and Planning Adviser will support a diverse range of projects and enjoy the satisfaction of influencing their projects from early design through to completion.

Supporting our agreed rolling five‑year programmes of work – all within the Wessex Water region – and working closely with project teams, our Environment and Planning Advisers spend the majority of their time working on projects and enjoy a good work/life balance.

You will regularly visit sites to better inform the environment and planning risks on our projects. However, long distance travel and supporting fee proposals are not a feature of this role.

This role will also involve line management of team members, supporting and mentoring them to develop their experience as part of a strong team. It will also involve the allocation of work and resource requirements necessary to support delivery of work programmes.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing a portfolio of individual projects from initial design to construction, working closely with project teams to minimise environmental impacts and planning risks
• Carrying out external consultation and coordinating consent applications (e.g. planning applications, environmental permits) to project programme
• Reviewing permitted development/planning permission requirements and environmental constraints for a range of projects
• Advising Engineers and Programme Managers on environmental risks, consents, issues, timescales and costs
• Advising on environmental issues with support from technical specialists (for example, archaeology, flood risk, landscape assessment, and pollution prevention)
• Consulting with external authorities and bodies to agree the surveys, assessments and method statements required to support individual consent applications
• Coordinating specialist environmental survey and assessment work within project deadlines to support consent application, including managing specialist sub‑contractors where necessary (e.g., archaeologists and arboriculturalists)
• Working closely with construction teams to advise on constraints / mitigation (including preparing construction environmental management plans) and provide environmental support to ensure environmental risks are minimised
• Line management, including supporting team members technically; providing clear guidance and assisting the strategic direction of the team
• Recruitment and development of team members to facilitate their career progression
• Implementing new work processes and technologies to deliver work efficiently

To be considered you must have project experience in a project delivery focussed planning or environmental role.

• A good working knowledge of UK EIA and planning legislation
• Experience in pre‑planning consultation and preparing planning applications, including the preparation of supporting environmental information
• Knowledge of environmental good practices during construction including pollution prevention planning
• Excellent communication/negotiation skills with colleagues, technical specialists, external organisations and the public
• A high level of organisational skills and…