Environmental Permitting Specialist, Welsh Water (£33K-38.5K)

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water keep 3 million people healthy each day with safe, reliable water, and take away wastewater to clean, before returning it safely to our beautiful rivers and seas.

To be able to deliver high quality, essential services which help to protect the health of our customers, colleagues and our environment, we need the right people to deliver on our vision.  This is achieved by living our core values and demonstrating the core behaviours that underpin them.

We know that the most successful teams are the most diverse teams. Equality, diversity and inclusion provide the very foundation to our culture at Welsh Water. We want every individual to feel confident, proud and able to bring their whole selves to work. Together we continue to build a workplace that not only celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues but also represents each customer we serve.

In essence, ours is a company based on trust, openness, respect, commitment and honesty. A company that our colleagues are proud to work for.

As a credible member of the Wastewater Regulation Team you will

Environmental regulations require us to obtain an Environmental Permit when our activities have the potential to impact on the environment and/or are covered by certain regulations. These including Environmental Permitting, Water Framework, Habitats and Urban Waste Water Regulations for discharges to water and EPR and Hazardous Waste Regulations for our waste arising. This legislation and the environmental evidence used to inform decisions is continually changing. We have a duty to ensure that the correct permissions are in place for our day to day operations.

You will need to ensure that the correct permits are in place by understanding operational changes and cost pressures alongside the environmental legislation and need.

What you will do
•    Responsible for delivery of permits across Waste and Clean water operations for discharges and waste management.
•    Provide specialist regulatory pre-application advice across the business.
•    Engage with regulators (NRW/EA) on complex permits, ensuring that limits are proportionate and needs are evidence based.
•    Give internal & external stakeholders confidence that environment and regulatory matters are being proactively led by DCWW through multiple means.
•    Contribute to specialist regulatory groups and project steering groups (WaterUK, UKWIR, EA/NRW etc..) to assist in the development of new permitting approaches.
•    Develop strong working relationships with our environmental regulators (NRW & EA).

Principal Accountabilities
•    Ensuring that regulators are using robust evidence for decision making about our permits. By understanding the regulatory and environmental needs of our assets.
•    Carrying out proactive reviews of permits where appropriate, to seek savings in charges and operating costs.
•    Lead on operational driven permit requirements across an operating area
•    Lead on the delivery of the agreed permitting profile for the NEP
•    Ensuring that permit conditions are understood by wider business, including operators, Process Scientists and Regulatory sampling team.
•    Developing excellent networks and carrying out effective influencing.
•    Develop and implement continuous improvement & innovation at all opportunities.

Internal 

• Wastewater assets, Asset Strategy, Operations, Regulatory Sampling & Science Teams, Alliance Design teams, legal and Finance teams 

External 

• Regulators NRW, EA, Ofwat, 
• UKWIR, and Water UK

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential
•    Substantial knowledge of scientific &/or environmental issues.
•    Water Quality and/or Wastewater legislation.
•    Degree level qualification or substantial experience in a relevant role
•    Experience of working with environmental regulators and a track record of collaboration
•    The ability to work to tight regulatory and project deadlines 
•    Strong data analysis skills and organisation skills

Desirable
•    Professional membership of a recognised scientific institution
•    Wastewater treatment operational experience
•    Project management
 

The contract period for this role will end 01 January 2023 (starting ASAP for a period of 2 years)

The location for this role will be flexible and in line with COVID-19 legislation.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact: redmond.jenkins@dwrcymru.com

The closing date for this role is 23:55 on 21 January 2021

Please note, if you are an external candidate, your online values assessment link must also be completed by the deadline shown on the advert or your application will not be considered.

As well as a market competitive salary and 25 days annual leave (pro rata), we offer a range of employee benefits including:

•    Variable pay schemes
•    Enhanced employer pension contributions
•    Reduction on gym memberships and high street shopping
•    Cycle to work scheme
•    Car-leasing scheme
•    Health CashBack scheme
•    An employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate family

And many, many more.

INDHP