Environmental Performance Specialist

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Greater London, Reading; Hybrid; GBP 62,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company in the UK is hiring an Environmental Performance Specialist to oversee environmental compliance and performance initiatives. The role involves collaboration with various operational teams and managing compliance records. Candidates are required to have a Bachelor's in Environmental Science or a related field, strong communication skills, and experience in environmental performance. The position offers a salary up to £62,000 and additional benefits such as a car allowance and generous leave.

Benefits

Car allowance based on mileage

26 days holiday per year, increasing with service

Health and wellbeing services

Performance-related pay plan

Generous Paternity Leave

Enhanced Maternity Leave

Ongoing performance development reviews

Qualifications

• Experience in environmental performance, compliance, or sustainability.
• Experience in managing projects within a utility environment.
• Well organized with excellent communication skills.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and report on the Holistic Compliance Plan.
• Support the management of Waste Discharge Permits.
• Lead site awareness and identify compliance risks.
• Own the Pollution Incident Reduction Plan.
• Collaborate on Greenhouse Gas emissions delivery.
• Develop and maintain environmental performance dashboards.

Skills

Environmental performance

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Time management

Relationship management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science

Sustainability, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Environmental management systems

Data analysis tools

Job description

Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB, Hybrid - Coppermills (WTW) - E17 7HE, Hybrid - Deephams (STW) - N9 0BA, Hybrid - Marlow (PS) - SL7 2PN, Hybrid - Oxford STW - OX4 4YU, Hybrid - Slough (STW)

Job title Environmental Performance Specialist Ref 43851 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB, Hybrid - Coppermills (WTW) - E17 7HE, Hybrid - Deephams (STW) - N9 0BA, Hybrid - Marlow (PS) - SL7 2PN, Hybrid - Oxford STW - OX4 4YU, Hybrid - Slough (STW) Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Hours 36 hours per week Salary Offering a salary up to £62,000 per annum depending on skills an experience Job grade B3 Closing date 29/01/2026

We are looking for an Environmental Performance Specialist to join Thames Water permanently.

This role sits within our Operational Excellence Team, providing governance and structure to support our frontline operational roles. Some of the key teams this role will be working alongside are the Water Operations Team, Net Zero Team, Water Performance Team and Pollution Investigation Team.

Location:

You can be based anywhere within the Thames Water patch, but you will be required to travel between sites.

Hours:

36 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

What will you be doing as an Environmental Performance Specialist?

• Own the coordination and reporting of the Holistic Compliance Plan for water, ensuring alignment with regulatory and internal standards.
• Support the accuracy and management of Waste Discharge Permits, maintaining up-to-date records and ensuring operational compliance.
• Lead site awareness efforts and identify risks to compliance, including the rollout of the Compliance Assessment System (CAS) tool.
• Own the Pollution Incident Reduction Plan (PIRP) for water, ensuring thorough investigation, documentation, and follow-up actions are completed.
• Collaborate with the Net Zero Team to support delivery of Greenhouse Gas emissions and biodiversity Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODIs).
• Identify and remove blockers to progress, enabling cross-functional teams to “make things happen” across water-related initiatives.
• Promote environmental awareness and training across the organisation.
• Collect, analyse, and report environmental data (e.g., energy use, waste generation, emissions).
• Develop and maintain environmental performance dashboards and KPIs.
• Prepare reports for internal stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Experience in environmental performance, compliance, or sustainability.
• Experience in managing projects within a utility’s environment.
• Well organised with excellent communication skills and a track record of building effective relationships within teams.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to prioritise tasks when under pressure.
• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, Sustainability, Engineering, or related field.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools and environmental management systems.
• Excellent communication, relationship management, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge & understanding of water distribution systems &/or water treatment processes.

What’s in it for you?

• Offering a salary up to £62,000 per annum, depending on your level of experience.
• Car allowance will be provided based on mileage usage.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• WeCare, a variety of health and wellbeing services for you and your family, including up to 10 specialist counselling sessions, 24/7 access to a virtual GP, get fit programmes and access to a nutritionist.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Benefits on Tap, access to discounts, cashback and instant vouchers.
• Generous Paternity Leave, including 4 weeks paid and an optional 2 weeks unpaid.
• Enhanced Maternity Leave, 26 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay.
• Ongoing performance development reviews to help you be your best and identify growth opportunities.

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.

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 meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

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.

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

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know. 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 and meet colleagues.

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.