Job description for Environmental Protection Officer

Are you passionate about driving environmental sustainability and compliance across complex and high-profile operations? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you.

As an Environmental Protection Officer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring environmental compliance and sustainability across the organisation in a team of 8 colleagues dispersed at key locations across the UK. You will act as the subject matter expert in the Trials, Evaluation Services and Targets (TEST) Delivery Team, providing independent advice and guidance to the MOD Head of Establishment and key stakeholders including the MOD Competent Authority, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), regulatory bodies and industry partners.

You will guide assurance of environmental and sustainability policy across the T&E Estate and ensure compliance delivery of the Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) contractor. Working closely with the TEST team, DIO, and industry partners, you’ll deliver technical advice and assurance by conducting site and desk-based audits, offering expert advice, and ensuring adherence to our sustainability policies and relevant legislation.

You’ll also play a key role in screening trials, programmes, and estate projects to ensure adherence to agreed MOD processes and operating procedures. With the opportunity to travel to LTPA locations across the UK, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the estate’s complexity while driving improvements and supporting best practices.

We champion flexible ways of working. Appropriate levels of in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 50% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourself with the size and complexity of the estate, the team, and your very important role.

This role has a permanent duty station at either

• MOD Boscombe Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JF,
• MOD Abbey Wood, Filton, Bristol, Avon BS34 8JH,

If you’re ready to lead the way in environmental protection and sustainability, apply now and make a difference in defence.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

What you’ll be doing

• Be the point of contact (POC) for Environmental Submissions for activities trials and capital works activities on the estate.
• Support the assurance, development and maintenance of policy and SEMS, leading on specific aspects of policy management and maintenance.
• Lead key senior stakeholders, colleagues and customers towards environmentally sustainable solutions that support business strategy.
• Act as escalation point for environmental protection advice and guidance across the business.
• Manage elements of embedding EP legislation and regulations across DE&S the contractor operated T&E estate.
• Oversee the maintenance and development of appropriate KPIs, dashboard reporting and risk registers.
• Manage corporate communications on Environmental Protection with the LTPA contractor.
• Lead investigations, audits and assurance reviews within their SME area, identifying key learning points to drive continuous improvement.
• Identify environmental risks and opportunities for environmental improvements in operations, construction and project delivery.
• Undertake environmental audits to identify legal compliance and adherence to contract deliverables.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Relevant Environmental Protection audit experience across a similar role.
• A relevant environmental degree (such as Environmental Science, Environmental Management or Sustainability) or equivalent combination of skills and applicable experience/
• Membership of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) or other relevant professional body.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Communicating and Influencing – CSBC3
• Core Behaviour 2: Delivering at Pace – CSBC 3
• Technical Competence 1: Audit & Assurance (OHSEP) – Practitioner
• Technical Competence 2: Incident Reporting and Investigation – Practitioner

Offered Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,100, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,775 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of – and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles – Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES_Candidate-Information-Pack 
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code – Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift – We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift – Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview – If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories (CV Review) listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the relative importance of the assessed competencies as per the hierarchy below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 1
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise an additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints – Civil Service Commission