Environmental Officer

The role focuses on working with the WMA Environmental Manager to ensure standard IDBoperations, such as routine watercourse maintenance or water level management activitiesprevent environmental harm and deliver IDB BAP actions to enhance IDB biodiversityobjectives wherever possible.The role also includes proactive engagement with project managers, prior to and duringdelivery of small to medium size watercourse improvement projects (ranging from culvertreplacements, to watercourse restorations and Natural Flood Management / NFM schemes),ensuring these projects prevent environmental harm, minimise ecological disturbance andenhance biodiversity wherever possible.The role is based in Stewartby, Bedfordshire and will primarily support the Upper Ouse WaterManagement Board. Some travel may be required across the wider WMA catchments(predominantly to Norfolk, Suffolk and South Lincolnshire) including to the WMA's Head Officein King's Lynn. Role DescriptionThe post holder will advise operational teams to ensure standard IDB operations such asroutine watercourse maintenance do not cause environmental harm, and furthermore willenhance biodiversity wherever possible. The post holder will also provide environmental adviceto facilitate the delivery of small-mid sized capital schemes or partnership projects such aswatercourse and/ or habitat restoration schemes, NFM, culvert replacements or other schemesundertaken on behalf of other flood risk management authorities.Daily tasks include the following:

• Undertaking a variety of ecological surveys and assessments including but not limited to
habitat / species surveys, Environmental Impact Assessments, Water Framework Directive Assessments and Habitat Regulations Assessments.
• Writing, critically assessing, reviewing or presenting a variety of reports quickly, clearly
and concisely for a variety of stakeholders.
• Attending sites to ensure compliance with the environmental procedures established in
the Standard Maintenance Operations Policy (such as scoping and auditing of work) and to undertake specific surveys, such as species / ecological surveys, as required.
• Assisting with tasks and projects identified within each IDB's Biodiversity Action Plan
(BAP).
• Ensuring Health and Safety is paramount at all times and that Health and Safety
objectives are promoted and achieved.
• Interpretation of relevant legislation to understand IDB obligations with regard to the
environment, including application for licences or assents on behalf of the IDBs.
• Consultation with internal stakeholders (engineers, technical support teams and
operations teams) and analysis of existing data sources.
• Liaison and negotiation with other external authorities such as the Environment Agency,
Natural England, NGOs and local interest groups, aiming to build positive working relationships with a range of external stakeholders.
• Providing advice to the Sustainable Development Team and Compliance Team to ensure
the IDB's environmental obligations are met when regulating third party works.
• Responding to enquiries from the general public, attending meetings and undertaking
routine correspondence.
• Investigating and reporting on environmental non-compliance.
• Maintaining an ecological records system and report findings to the Local Biodiversity
Records Centre.
• Application and adherence of all WMA / Board policies.
• Assisting with monitoring compliance with the ISO 14001:2015 environmental quality
standard across the WMA.
• Keeping knowledge current, by way of continuous professional development.
• Maintaining filing and administrative systems, as required.
• Willingness to travel and stay overnight on occasion, dependent on which Board requires
service at the time.
• Deputising for other team members when required to do so.
• Any other duties that may reasonably be required., You must be physically fit to walk around watercourse and drainage catchments often in
inclement weather conditions. Such areas are potentially difficult to access, dirty, remote and/or subject to dense vegetation.
• On occasion the post holder will be expected to work outside of 'normal' office hours to
represent the Water Management Alliance and its member Boards at public meetings, events and committees.
• All work performed/duties undertaken must be carried out in accordance with relevant
Water Management Alliance, Board and Departmental policies and procedures, within legislation, and with regard to the needs of our customers.
• Work within the public and Flood and Water Management sectors can involve dealing
with new and emerging legislation. As such further duties or refinements of current workload may alter the remit of this role to meet the impact of new work areas in the organisation and/or relevant member Board's. This highlights the importance of the post holder in being an effective advocate for this service area and having a good insight into the wider remits of the organisation.
• You will be required to actively consider the impact of your working arrangements on
the organisation's carbon footprint. Post holders should regularly review the necessity of printing hard copies of electronic documents and seek alternatives to work related travel where it is not essential and work objectives can be met by other means such as video conferencing. Declaration and acknowledgementI confirm that as of the date stated below the information in this job description is accurate andreflects the requirement of the role. Please note the details of the job description will beupdated should substantive changes to the role occur or be proposed.


• A relevant degree in an ecological or Full membership with a professional
environmental subject OR significant accreditation body, most likely CIEEM. relevant industry experience.
• Licence holder for 1 or more protected
• Eligible to apply for full membership with species (eg, Bat, GCN, Watervole etc.)
a professional accreditation body, most likely CIEEM.
• A CSCS card for site and construction work., Experience
Essential Desirable
• A minimum of two years relevant work Experience of being Ecological Clerk of
experience working in an ecological role. Works (ECOW)
• Experience of undertaking Protected Experience working with land drainage
Species Surveys (Water voles, reptiles, engineering techniques and water bats, badgers). management.
• Experience of producing Habitats
Regulation Assessments and Water Framework Directive Assessments.
• Experience working under protected
species licences, notably Water Vole and Badger licences. Skills/Knowledge Essential Desirable
• A full and valid driving licence. An understanding of GIS software.
• A knowledge of a wide range of Understanding of ISO 14001: 2015 and ISO
environmental legislation. 9001:2015.
• The ability to interpret and apply
technical information (e.g. technical plans for proposed projects).
• Ability to prioritise effectively and
organise workloads to meet deadlines
• Ability to analyse, interpret and
communicate complex material, as well as having a methodical approach to work, demonstrating an attention to detail as well as accuracy in record keeping.
• Ability to competently use computer
software such as Microsoft packages.
• Well-developed written and spoken
communication skills (including letter writing, presentation skills and interpersonal communication).
• Ability to work well with others at all
levels both internally and externally.
• Ability to work independently
• Be resilient and persuasive, with the
ability to deal with challenges and questions confidently.
• Creative problem solving skills with an
ability to identify areas for development and improvement.

The Water Management Alliance is a group of like-minded Internal Drainage Boards ("IDBs")who share vision, values and standards, and have chosen to jointly administer their affairs inorder to reduce costs, strengthen their own organisations and increase influence at both anational and regional level.The Upper Ouse Water Management Board is a newly constituted IDB (order made January2026, effective April 2026) further to the amalgamation of three pre-existing Boards who haveworked together since 2001 from their shared base in Stewartby, Bedfordshire. Further toseveral successful years of partnership working, the Board is in the process of joining theWater Management Alliance (WMA) in 2026.Internal Drainage Boards ("IDBs") are local public authorities that manage flood risk andland drainage within areas of special drainage need in England. Each IDB has permissivepowers to undertake water management activities within their Internal Drainage District. Thepurpose of delivering this work is to reduce flood risk to people and property and to managewater in a way that meets the local needs of business and agriculture, including during times ofdrought, whilst also dealing with its obligations and commitments to the environment. IDBsexercise a general power of supervision over all matters relating to water level managementwithin their district whilst conducting their work in accordance with a number of generalenvironmental duties and promoting the ecological wellbeing of their districts.The Environment Team within the Water Management Alliance works alongside theOperational and Technical (Catchment) Services meet the team's key purpose of providingecological advice to ensure that the Board's core functions, such as projectdevelopment/delivery, watercourse maintenance and third party regulation, do not causeenvironmental harm while seeking to enhance biodiversity where possible. Furthermore, theteam ensures compliance with legislation and monitors and evaluates environmentalcommitments via the ISO 14001 Quality Management System.