Environmental Permitting Officer

SES Water; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Life Assurance

Cycle to work scheme

Employee discounts

Job summary

Bristol Water, part of Pennon Group, is seeking a Licensing & Permitting Officer to support environmental compliance in the Bristol region. The role focuses on permits, licences, EPA obligations, and data-driven regulatory reporting to uphold high standards.

You will collaborate with Water Resources, Natural Resources and Service Improvement teams to monitor licences, assess risks, and drive performance improvement while ensuring adherence to environmental obligations.

Qualifications

• Experience in environmental permitting or regulatory compliance.
• Experience producing performance reports and interpreting environmental data.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong planning, project management and problem-solving skills.
• Experience engaging with regulators and senior managers.

Responsibilities

• Act as an operational contact for the Environment Agency and internal stakeholders.
• Support the delivery of environmental, operational and ODI performance reporting.
• Produce and maintain accurate compliance and performance reports.
• Collaborate with Water Resources, Natural Resources, Service Improvement and Water Quality teams.
• Support the delivery of catchment management, water resources and natural resource plans.
• Monitor abstraction licences and compensation requirements, identifying risks.
• Assist with licence amendments and regulatory change requirements.
• Support EPA compliance readiness activities.
• Provide operational support on environmental permitting matters.
• Ensure regulatory obligations are understood and embedded within operations.

Skills

Environmental permitting

Regulatory reporting

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Degree educated or equivalent relevant experience

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

At Bristol Water, we’ve been serving generations of families since 1846. Ensuring people in our communities have access to healthy water is paramount, which is why we work around the clock testing our water hundreds of times a day.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Role Overview

The Licensing & Permitting Officer is responsible for supporting the environmental compliance and regulatory performance of the Bristol region. The role focuses on ensuring adherence to environmental permits, abstraction licences, compensation requirements, EPA obligations, MCERTS standards, and WINEP commitments. The postholder will work closely with operational and central specialist teams to maintain compliance, identify risks, support investigations, and contribute to regulatory reporting and performance improvement activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as an operational contact for the Environment Agency and relevant internal stakeholders.

• Support the delivery of environmental, operational and ODI performance reporting.

• Produce and maintain accurate compliance and performance reports underpinned by robust methodologies.

• Collaborate with Water Resources, Natural Resources, Service Improvement and Water Quality teams to support regulatory compliance.

• Support the delivery of catchment management, water resources and natural resource plans.

• Monitor abstraction licences and compensation requirements, identifying potential compliance risks and investigating near misses or breaches.

• Assist with licence amendments and regulatory change requirements.

• Support preparations and readiness activities for EPA compliance.

• Provide operational support and advice on environmental permitting matters.

• Ensure regulatory obligations are understood and embedded within operational activities.

Key Deliverables

• Accurate and timely environmental and regulatory reporting.

• Regulatory compliance with abstraction licences, discharge permits and associated environmental obligations.

• Effective stakeholder engagement with internal teams and regulatory bodies.

• Identification, management and mitigation of environmental compliance risks.

• Contribution towards ODI performance outcomes and annual performance reporting.

• Support for operational delivery of environmental and catchment management programmes.

Essential Experience

• Experience in environmental permitting, abstraction licensing or regulatory compliance.

• Experience producing and interpreting performance reports and environmental data.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively to deadlines.

• Strong planning, project management and problem‑solving skills.

• Experience engaging with stakeholders at varying levels, including senior managers and external regulators.

• Strong collaborative working approach.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree educated or equivalent relevant experience.

Desirable

• Data management or environmental data analysis experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills.

• A commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• An ability to develop sustainable, practical solutions.

• Analytical thinking and effective use of data to support decision‑making.

• A proactive approach to compliance and risk management.

• High levels of accountability and attention to detail.

Motivated By

• Improving environmental and operational performance.

• Building credibility and confidence with internal and external stakeholders.

• Finding sustainable solutions to complex environmental challenges.

• Using data and insight to drive better business outcomes.

• Contributing to the success and reputation of the organisation

Benefits

At Bristol Water, our people are the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating an environment where everyone can thrive, bring their best every day, and feel truly valued. That’s why we offer a diverse benefits package that is designed not just to reward, but to empower you to live well—at work and beyond.

Our benefits at a glance:

• From 23 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays) rising with length of service
• Holiday buy & sell scheme
• Competitive Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Group Income Protection
• Competitive family leave
• Share schemes
• Free Flu Vaccination
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Car share scheme
• Give as You Earn Scheme
• Volunteering Day
• Retail discounts

Closing Date: 17th Sept 2026

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.