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Environmental and Sustainability Lead

Core Highways • United Kingdom • Added on Aug 17, 2026
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This role oversees the environmental integrity of critical infrastructure operations across England and Wales. You will take charge of the group-wide carbon reduction strategy, ensuring that operational depots move beyond simple compliance toward meaningful decarbonization. Beyond high-level strategy, you will be the hands-on authority for health, safety, and environmental standards across five key regional hubs, blending technical oversight with strategic leadership.

Working within the civil engineering sector offers a unique chance to decarbonize the ‘nuts and bolts’ of national logistics and highways. By managing ISO 14001 certifications and executing a Carbon Net Zero plan, you will directly influence the environmental footprint of the UK’s transport network. It is a vital position where operational safety and ecological stewardship intersect to build more resilient public infrastructure.

This suits someone who is a pragmatic environmental professional with a solid grounding in SHEQ and a passion for navigating the complexities of multi-site industrial operations. You should be comfortable moving between corporate reporting and site-level management.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The successful candidate will lead the Group Carbon Net Zero plan, ensuring all operations remain legally compliant and meet statutory reporting obligations. This involves managing the central environmental records and maintaining the ISO 14001 certification across the business. In addition to strategic oversight, the role carries direct responsibility for SHEQ requirements across five depots in the South East. This includes supporting the business development teams by providing environmental case studies and technical data for new tender responses.

Key learning opportunities for this job

You will gain deep expertise in applying carbon management legislation to the unique challenges of the utilities and highways sector. There is significant potential to refine your skills in multi-site compliance and safety management within a high-growth infrastructure environment. The role provides exposure to the full lifecycle of a Carbon Net Zero transition, from high-level strategic planning to the granular measurement of operational emissions. This practical experience is highly valuable for professionals looking to master the intersection of EHS and corporate sustainability.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate should have hands-on experience managing environmental performance on a national or multi-site scale. Extensive knowledge of carbon reporting legislation and a background in SHEQ within industrial or engineering environments is essential. Professional membership in IEMA is highly valued, as are IOSH or NEBOSH qualifications. Because this role requires frequent travel to depots, a valid driving license and a flexible, proactive mindset are non-negotiable for success in this field-based position.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate how you have previously successfully integrated sustainability initiatives into traditional health and safety frameworks. Providing specific examples of how you moved an organization toward its carbon reduction targets will be more impactful than general statements of intent. Align your application with their commitment to being a Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant signatory. Showing an understanding of the specific environmental challenges faced by the highways and civil engineering sector will demonstrate your readiness to hit the ground running.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The primary focus is the execution of the company’s Carbon Net Zero plan. This involves identifying specific areas for carbon reduction within fleet logistics, depot operations, and the materials used in highway signage and barrier solutions. Beyond carbon, the role ensures that the company maintains its environmental compliance standards. This includes waste management, pollution prevention during highway works, and ensuring that all activities adhere to the strict environmental protections required for national infrastructure projects.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

A significant challenge will be balancing strategic group-wide goals with the day-to-day SHEQ needs of five specific depots. Coordinating sustainability improvements across a geographically dispersed workforce requires excellent communication and persistence to ensure consistency. You may also face the difficulty of driving behavioral change in a fast-paced, operationally focused environment. Translating complex carbon reporting requirements into actionable tasks for depot managers will be key to overcoming resistance to new environmental protocols.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with reviewing environmental performance data or carbon metrics at a group level before heading to one of the South East depots for a safety audit. You will likely spend time meeting with business leaders to discuss progress on the Net Zero roadmap. Afternoons could involve working with the win-work community to provide sustainability data for an upcoming tender or updating central compliance records. The role is dynamic and requires a mix of remote strategic work and active on-site presence at operational hubs.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

As the lead for sustainability, you are in a prime position to shape the future direction of the company’s ESG strategy. Success in this role could lead to more senior group-level leadership positions as the business continues its nationwide expansion. There is also the opportunity to become a subject matter expert in sustainable infrastructure. As the highways industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonize, your experience leading these initiatives at Core Highways will position you as a high-value leader in the wider engineering sector.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact frequently with business leaders and depot managers to drive the operational sustainability agenda. Your ability to influence these internal stakeholders is critical for the adoption of new environmental policies. Externally, you will engage with certification bodies for ISO audits and potentially with clients during the tender process. You will also serve as a bridge between the central SHEQ functions and the frontline operational teams across England and Wales.

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