Lead Compliance Specialist

Severn Trent; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

31 days holiday + bank holidays (and买卖

Annual bonus scheme (up to 20%)

Car allowance – up to £5,208

Pension scheme – enhanced contribution

Sharesave – discounted Severn Trent PL

Academy training

Electric vehicle scheme

Family friendly policies

Volunteer days

Job summary

Severn Trent is seeking a Lead Compliance Specialist in Coventry to lead Environmental Information Regulations 2004 compliance and provide expert guidance across the business. You will manage FOI/EIR responses, ensure timely, compliant outcomes and work with regulators and internal teams to embed governance improvements.

This role requires a deep understanding of information governance, regulatory requirements, and a collaborative approach to drive accountability and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing or coordinating responses under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Freedom of Information legislation, or similar statutory information disclosure regimes.
• Experience interpreting legislation, regulatory guidance and case law, and applying it in a practical business environment.
• Experience handling complex, sensitive or high-profile information requests.
• Strong understanding of governance frameworks, assurance activities and regulatory compliance reporting.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex information and make sound judgements.

Responsibilities

• Leading Severn Trent Water's compliance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, ensuring effective governance, controls and assurance arrangements are in place.
• Overseeing the end-to-end management of Environmental Information Requests, ensuring timely and compliant responses.
• Acting as a subject matter expert on EIR legislation, including exceptions, public interest tests and disclosure obligations.
• Providing clear, practical guidance to stakeholders across the organisation.
• Reviewing and challenging responses to information requests to ensure accuracy, consistency and regulatory compliance.
• Monitoring developments in legislation, regulatory guidance and industry best practice, embedding changes where required.
• Producing insightful reporting and management information to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Building strong relationships with internal teams, legal advisors and regulators.
• Leading initiatives that improve the quality, efficiency and consistency of information request handling.
• Supporting responses to Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) investigations, complaints and appeals where required.

Skills

FOI/EIR experience

Regulatory guidance

Stakeholder advisory

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Job description

At Severn Trent, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We’re in the top 5% of utility companies worldwide when it comes to employee engagement and ranked as a Top 50 UK Employer on Glassdoor. Join us in making a positive impact on the environment and our communities, while being valued and supported in a truly inclusive workplace.

If you want to do more, because you care, we want you on our team.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

At Severn Trent, we're committed to doing the right thing for our customers, communities and the environment. As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, we're looking for a passionate and experienced Lead Compliance Specialist to join our Compliance Team within the General Counsel Directorate.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring we continue to meet the highest standards of compliance, governance and transparency, with a particular focus on the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). You'll help shape and strengthen our compliance framework, providing expert guidance across the business and supporting a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Be Doing

As our Lead Compliance Specialist, you'll be at the heart of our approach to regulatory transparency and information governance. Reporting to the Group Compliance Manager, you'll lead our compliance arrangements under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, ensuring requests are handled accurately, fairly and within statutory timescales.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across the business, providing specialist advice and support, helping teams navigate complex regulatory requirements and ensuring we continue to deliver excellent outcomes for our customers and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Leading Severn Trent Water's compliance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, ensuring effective governance, controls and assurance arrangements are in place.
• Overseeing the end-to-end management of Environmental Information Requests, ensuring timely and compliant responses.
• Acting as a subject matter expert on EIR legislation, including exceptions, public interest tests and disclosure obligations.
• Providing clear, practical guidance to stakeholders across the organisation.
• Reviewing and challenging responses to information requests to ensure accuracy, consistency and regulatory compliance.
• Monitoring developments in legislation, regulatory guidance and industry best practice, embedding changes where required.
• Producing insightful reporting and management information to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Building strong relationships with internal teams, legal advisors and regulators.
• Leading initiatives that improve the quality, efficiency and consistency of information request handling.
• Supporting responses to Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) investigations, complaints and appeals where required.

You’ll be based at our Severn Trent Centre in Coventry. With this being such a critical role, we’re looking for someone who can join us 37 hours a week.

How We Work

You’ll join a caring culture that collaborates to achieve, grow, and develop. Our employee engagement scores are among the highest globally in energy and utilities. That’s why, we value in-person moments to keep our culture alive but also understand the flexibility working from home can bring. So, you’ll usually find us in the office, but working from home is supported, when you need it.

WHAT WE'ER LOOKING FOR

We're looking for someone who is passionate about compliance, enjoys solving complex problems and can confidently build relationships across a diverse organisation.

You'll Bring

• Significant experience managing or coordinating responses under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Freedom of Information legislation, or similar statutory information disclosure regimes.
• Experience interpreting legislation, regulatory guidance and case law, and applying it in a practical business environment.
• Experience handling complex, sensitive or high-profile information requests.
• A strong understanding of governance frameworks, assurance activities and regulatory compliance reporting.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex information and make sound judgements.
• The confidence to provide clear and authoritative advice to senior stakeholders.
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to produce high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.

About You

You’ll thrive in this role if you are:

• Organised and capable of managing multiple priorities effectively.
• Curious, open-minded and adaptable to change.
• Committed to continuous learning and professional development.
• Interested in understanding the wider business and regulatory landscape.
• Calm, objective and professional when faced with challenge.
• Passionate about doing the right thing and acting with integrity.
• A collaborative team player who enjoys building trusted relationships.

Skills and experience are important, but character, positivity, and a caring attitude matter too. We welcome and celebrate diverse individuals, knowing they help us better serve our communities. We seek people who get involved, want to be part of something bigger, and make a difference because they care.

How We’ll Reward And Care For You

It’s not just a job you’ll get here, you’ll get a career too.

We have a range of benefits that reward and recognise great work and award-winning training to ensure you reach your potential. And we’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the community in which we live.

Here’s Some Of Our Favourites

• 31 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
• Annual bonus scheme (of up to 20% per annum based on company performance)
• Car allowance – per annum up to £5,208
• Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
• Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
• Dedicated training and development with our ‘Academy’
• Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
• Family friendly policies
• Two volunteer days per year